«Your father has been executed,» the messenger said. At the same moment, Tokhtamysh felt his insides turn cold. Just three words turned his fate around. Now he had to save himself, abandoning his previous ambitious plans. Fearing reprisals and the machinations of Urus Khan, who ordered the execution of his father, Tokhtamysh fled to Samarkand, which greatly amused the ruler of the Horde. But Urus Khan could not have imagined that soon the son of the murdered khanzada would return to his homeland and even dare to claim the khan’s place. How did Tokhtamysh strike back? And did he manage to become Khan?
In disgrace
Tokhtamysh, a descendant of Genghis Khan, was the son of Khanzada Tui-Khoja, who served under Urus Khan. He was born approximately at the turn of the 1340s-1350s (historians cannot give more accurate data). The boy’s childhood was quite serene, but his youth was overshadowed by his father’s execution. Having become the emir of Mangyshlak, he did not want to obey the will of Urus Khan, after which the ruler immediately dealt with him. The head of the unwanted emir’s son was supposed to fly next. But Tokhtamysh did not wait for the khan’s men to come for him, and fled to Tamerlane in Samarkand.
After listening to Khanzada’s escaped son, Tamerlane decided that he had a good opportunity to annex part of the Horde to his lands, and even with the support of the future khan. Tokhtamysh received a large army as support, with which he marched on Urus Khan.
But unfortunately, even with Tamerlane’s help, Tokhtamysh could not win. Either luck had turned against him, or the talents of a military commander were still dormant in him at that time. He undertook two campaigns into the Horde, and each time was defeated by the troops of Urus Khan’s son. In the end, the khan demanded that Tokhtamysh be handed over to him, but Tamerlane refused.
Tamerlane / artgalleryn.com
Failures and long-awaited victory
The turning point in the exile’s fate was Tamerlane’s decision to personally lead a military campaign. It is unlikely that he was guided by the ideas of helping the disgraced nobleman, but he did not want to give up the idea of extending his influence to the Horde territories. It did not come to a direct clash – severe frosts set in, and Tamerlane decided to wait until spring. Meanwhile, Urus Khan died, and Tokhtamysh decided to move his army into enemy territories again. And he was defeated again.
But Tokhtamysh still managed to win. After some time, information began to arrive that the new ruler Timur-Malik was rapidly losing credibility in the Horde. Having enlisted the support of the oppositional nobility, Tokhtamysh made another campaign, this time it ended successfully. But Tokhtamysh did not stop there. By the spring of 1380, the entire Golden Horde was already under his rule.
After becoming the new ruler, Tokhtamysh tried to eliminate any of the likely contenders for power. Mamai, whose army was defeated in the Battle of Kulikovo, was simply finished off by the new khan, after which he informed the Russian princes of his accession. They sent their ambassadors in return, and only one did not bow to Tokhtamysh – the defiant Dmitry Donskoy, who ruled in Moscow.
Tokhtamysh / © WOH
Khan’s eyes flashed furiously and, squinting, looked around at everyone present. «Why isn’t the Moscow envoy here?» he asked menacingly, looking at the ambassadors sent by the Russian princes. His servant muttered something in response, saying that these were all the people who had arrived. But Tokhtamysh himself knew the answer to his question – the Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry, nicknamed Donskoy, refused to send him his delegate.
Khan did not forgive such offenses. He had openly challenged the Khan of the Golden Horde and had to pay for his audacity. How did he decide to punish the Russian prince? How did he take Moscow by trickery? And who destroyed everything Tokhtamysh dreamed of? You will find the answer to these questions below.
The Cunning Khan and Moscow
Outraged by the insolence of the Moscow ruler, in 1382 Khan Tokhtamysh began to prepare for a campaign against Moscow. By that time, he had already gained considerable experience of successful military operations, and therefore had no doubt of his success. He was really moving fast through the Russian lands.
The princes were afraid to resist the khan, who possessed great power. By the time Tokhtamysh was approaching Moscow, Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy was not in the city – the prince went to gather troops, hoping that he would be able to return to the city in time and get ahead of the khan. But he didn’t have time.
Apollinarius Vasnetsov «The defense of Moscow from Khan Tokhtamysh. XIV century» / Kostroma State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
Tokhtamysh’s army approached the helpless city, which was defended only by local residents and soldiers of the Lithuanian Prince Ostey, who came to help the Muscovites. For two days, the Russians desperately fought off Khan’s attacks. Even then, Tokhtamysh saw that, despite the apparent weakness of the enemy, it would take a very long time to fight for Moscow. He did not have time – Prince Dmitry could return any minute, and then no one could predict the outcome of the battle.
That is why the Khan decided to take the city by stealth. He sent several Russian princes to the Muscovites, who went over to his side. They assured the Muscovites that the khan would not do anything wrong to them, and they could safely open the gates.
The people believed, and on August 26, 1382, Moscow surrendered to Tokhtamysh. Of course, he didn’t keep his false promise. Many people were killed by Horde soldiers, fires were burning in Moscow, and the city was completely looted. Having got what he wanted, Tokhtamysh went to the Horde. He felt like a true triumph.
Defense of Moscow from Khan Tokhtamysh
The Collapse of the Great Khan
But Khan did not have to rest on his laurels. Soon he entered into a confrontation with Tamerlane, who had once supported the disgraced Tokhtamysh. In a military clash, Tamerlane defeated the Khan, destroying many Horde cities.
Tokhtamysh’s power was undermined. Edigey, the leader of the Golden Horde, took advantage of this, which is why Tokhtamysh lost his political influence. His power was weakening before his eyes, and he was already willing to reconcile with Tamerlane, who could help in the fight against the hated and powerful Edigey. But Tamerlane died, and Khan was left alone with his opponent.
Tokhtamysh was facing an inglorious end to his life. After numerous battles with Edigey’s troops, his army was almost completely destroyed. Deciding to continue the fight against the prisoner, Tokhtamysh made a fatal mistake. In the sixteenth battle with Edigey’s troops, Khan was completely defeated and killed, without becoming either the mighty ruler of the Horde or the conqueror of Russia.