The Horde's Buddhist Khans: Mongol Religion Under Jochi's Line

Long before the Golden Horde embraced Islam under Khan Uzbek, its khans followed a tangled web of faiths: Tengrism, Nestorian Christianity, and—most surprisingly—Tibetan Buddhism. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Buddhist experiments among the Jochids, from the remarkable reign of Khan Sartaq (son of Batu) to the influence of Tibetan lamas at Sarai. How did a khan baptized into the Church of the East also receive Buddhist teachings? What role did the Tangut script play in Mongol governance? And why did Buddhism ultimately fade as the Horde turned toward the Islamic world? Drawing on the writings of William of Rubruck, Rashid al-Din, and the Secret History of the Mongols, this episode uncovers a forgotten chapter of steppe religious history—where prayer wheels spun beside yurts and Sanskrit mantras echoed across the Volga. #GoldenHorde #MongolBuddhism #KhanSartaq #TibetanBuddhism #Sarai #Jochids #Tengrism #NestorianChristianity #WilliamOfRubruck #RashidAlDin #SecretHistoryOfTheMongols #MongolEmpire #BatuKhan #KhanUzbek #Tangut #SteppeReligion #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo