After the death of Khan Berke, Timur, the grandson of Batu Mengu, became the khan of the Golden Horde. He was not distinguished by the energy or abilities of his predecessors. Then the ruler of the Crimean ulus, Nogai, began to gain importance in the life of the Golden Horde. After the death of Teval’s grandfather, Nogai became khan of his ulus, and began not only to interfere in the affairs of the government, but, at his discretion, to remove and appoint khans. Foreign policy also ended up in Nogai’s hands. The wars with the Iranian ulus continued, and trade routes to Asia Minor were interrupted. At that time, Sarai was turning into one of the major trade centers between East and west, but the break with the Middle East had a strong impact on trade relations with the East. The established friendly policy with the Byzantine emperor and Egypt did not ease the situation of trade relations, and, above all, the trading posts of foreign merchants established in Tavria.
With the beginning of the reign of Khan Mengu–Timur, some relief began for the Russian people. Despite the alliance established by Khan Berke with the Muslim world, the bishop of the Sarai diocese received a label that confirmed the rights of the Christian diocese and protected it from all violence, abuse and other encroachments. This label confirmed that the position of the Russian diocese continued to remain strong along with other religious cults. An even more significant relief was made in relation to the Russian principalities. Russian Russian Prince Mengu–Timur removed the Khiva tribute collectors from the Russian principalities in 1269 and transferred this right to the Russian prince. From that time on, the Russian Grand Duke became responsible for collecting tribute and delivering it.
This event was marked by the Novgorod chronicler as a success of the Russian people. He writes: «And banish the scum from all the cities, not tolerating their violence.» According to the chroniclers, with the reign of Khan Mengu–Timur, «the Russian principalities began to weaken.» Indeed, the lack of firm authority and interference in the affairs of the Nogai administration created favorable conditions for the subject peoples. However, the situation of the Russian people has become even more difficult. Civil strife began between the Russian princes, and in internecine wars the princes used the troops they received from the Mongols. After the civil strife that occurred after Alexander Nevsky between his sons, the wars between the princes of Moscow and Tver began. The Prince of Tver was the uncle of the Prince of Moscow, received a label at Headquarters for the grand duchy, came to Russia with a detachment of Tatar troops and occupied the grand ducal table. Prince Yuri Danilovich of Moscow went to the Horde and also received a label on the grand ducal table. Taking a detachment of Mongol troops, he marched against the Prince of Tver, but was defeated by the troops given by the khan to the prince of Tver, and again went to the Horde and asked for the khan’s protection. Prince Mikhail of Tver and his son were summoned to the Khan’s Headquarters and, on the khan’s orders, both were beheaded, but the grand ducal label remained with the son of the executed Tver Prince Mikhail, Dmitry. Dmitry received a detachment of troops from the khan and brought them under the command of Akhmet, and «do a lot of dirty tricks in Russia.» The Prince of Moscow, Yuri Danilovich, went to the Headquarters and, upon his complaint, the Prince of Tver was again summoned to the Headquarters, and both appeared before the khan for trial. In the dispute, Prince Dmitry of Tver took off the head of Prince Yuri of Moscow, and was executed by order of the khan. His brother, Alexander, became Prince of Tver. In revenge for his brothers and father, Alexander beat up many Tatars in Tver, among whom the Khan’s ambassador and Khan’s cousin, Shchelkan, were killed. Troops were sent to Tver and the Tatars demanded payment of 2,000 silver. Having no money to pay, Alexander fled to Pskov. The armed forces used by the princes in their civil strife consisted mainly of Russians who were in the Mongol forces, i.e. Cossacks. According to Russian historians Tatishchev and Boltin, «the name of the Cossacks in Russia became known from the Mongol Baskaks, who, commanding Russian cities, had Cossacks with them for protection and other needs. Polish chroniclers began to report that «some Lithuanian boyars are beginning to adopt Cossack skills and instill fear in neighboring peoples.»
Nogai, having achieved influence in the internal management of the Golden Horde, began to expand the lands of his ulus. Russian Russians occupied all the lands from Tavria to the southern borders of the Russian principalities and began to assert their claims to power in the Russian principalities. Interference in Nogai’s governance led the Golden Horde to setbacks everywhere. The war with the Iranian ulus continued. Even Azerbaijan was engaged in the Golden Horde’s troops, but they were soon expelled and these lands became the property of the Iranian ulus forever. Having entered into an alliance with the Byzantine Emperor, the Golden Horde was drawn into wars in the Balkans. A war was beginning between Bulgaria and Byzantium, and the Golden Horde was supposed to come to the aid of Byzantium. In 1280, Mengu–Timur died and was replaced by Nogai Mengu, who ruled the Horde until 1287 and after his death was appointed Khan of Teleguba. In the same year, Teleguba came to the aid of the Byzantine emperor. The troops moved in different directions, lost their way on the way and began to suffer losses: famine and pestilence began. The campaign ended in complete failure and they returned with heavy losses, mainly in parts of the Cart. There is a legend among the participants of this campaign that Teleguba returned with one mare and his wife. After an unsuccessful campaign, Teleguba was killed by one of his nephews and Tokhta was installed as Khan by order of Nogai Khan. Failures also began on the western borders. After Alexander Nevsky’s death, the Lithuanians occupied Polotsk and installed Prince Devmont in it. Poland and Hungary began to show a desire to seize (after the death of Prince Daniel, which befell him in 1264) the lands of the Galician principality. This was the beginning of the liberation movement of the Russian lands from the Tatar yoke by the western neighbors, but at the same time, the seizure began in order to include them in their possessions.
Nogai’s interference in the internal management of the Golden Horde and the subsequent failures caused discontent among the people. The wars with the Iranian ulus affected trade and caused discontent on the part of merchants. Dissatisfaction with Nogai’s interference began from the first days of his activity. Genghis Khan’s prestige among the people was so great that no one could allow someone other than Genghis Khan to be khan. The open performance began in Tavria. The Venetian merchants, relying on the Cossack guard troops, raised an open rebellion against Nogai. Nogai’s ambassadors were killed in the Cafe. He sent troops against the rebels. The cafe was occupied and looted. An uprising broke out in Surozh. On Nogai’s orders, the city’s population was withdrawn from the city and the city was looted and burned. The entire population of the Golden Horde rose up against Nogai, and Khan Tokhta had to speak out against him. In the battle that took place, Nogai’s troops were defeated and he himself was killed in 1299. After his death, a firm power was established in the Horde for a long time.
Khan Tokhta ruled the Golden Horde until 1312. By this time, events were brewing on the western borders of the Golden Horde, which were beginning to affect its foreign and domestic policy and the fate of the Russian principalities.