Tokhta participated the invasion of Ilkhanate with Burundai in 1282. But Golden Horde army beaten by Abagha. In 1288, Tokhta was ousted by his cousins. In 1291, he reclaimed the throne with the help of Nogai Khan. Soon, Tokhta and Nogai began a deadly rivalry. Tokhta wanted to eliminate Nogai's influence in the Russian lands and, therefore, sent his brother Dyuden to Rus in 1293, whose army would devastate fourteen towns. Russians wrote the event in their chronicle as "The harsh-time of Batu returns".
In 1300, Tokhta finally defeated Nogai and united the lands from the Volga to the Don under his authority. After stabilizing his control over Russia principalities and Kipchak steppes, he demanded Ghazan to give back Azerbaijan. But Ilkhan refused and replied "That land was conquered by our ancestors' Damascus steel sword". Then Tokhta turned to Mamluk Sultanate, restoring former alliance and sent them his envoys. During the reign of Oljeitu, their border troops engaged in small conflict. But another event changed Tokhta's mind soon after.
In 1304, Messengers from Chagatai Khanate and Yuan Dynasty arrived Sarai. They introduced their masters' plan and idea of peace. Tokhta accepted the nominal supremacy of Great Khan Temür Öljeytü Chengzong, the grandson of Kublai Khan; at the same time Muhammad Khudabanda Öljeitü ruled Ilkhanid Persia and Duwa retained nominal sovereignty in the Khanate of Chagatai.
Tokhta died during preparations for a new military campaign against the Russian lands in 1312.
See also
References
- David Morgan, The Mongols
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Last updated on Friday July 18, 2008 at 01:08:46 PDT (GMT -0700)
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