The Black Death on the Steppe: How Plague Reshaped the Golden Horde

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the catastrophic impact of the Black Death on the Golden Horde. They trace the plague's arrival via the Silk Road in the 1340s, its role in the famous siege of Caffa in 1346, and the devastation of the Jochid ulus. Discover how the pandemic killed millions, decimated the Horde's army and economy, and contributed directly to the political fragmentation known as the Great Troubles. The conversation also examines the surprising ways the plague shifted the balance of power with Moscow, setting the stage for the eventual decline of Mongol rule. Along the way, they discuss the social and religious responses to the crisis, including the rise of anti-Mongol sentiment in Russian principalities. This episode weaves together epidemiology, military history, and the human stories of survival and upheaval—including the Genoese merchants who fled Caffa, perhaps carrying the disease to Europe. #BlackDeath #GoldenHorde #Plague #Caffa #KhanJanibeg #Feodosiya #YersiniaPestis #MongolHistory #SilkRoad #GreatTroubles #RussianHistory #Epidemiology #MedievalBiopolitics #JochidUlus #MoscowRise #DmitryDonskoy #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo