The Horde's Christian Queen: Mama Khatun and the Lost Faith

In the vast steppe empire of the Golden Horde, Christianity wasn't just tolerated — it flourished among the Mongol elite. This episode explores the remarkable story of Mama Khatun, a Nestorian Christian queen who wielded real political power in the late 13th century, during the reign of Khan Tole-Buqa and the regency after his death. We delve into the role of Nestorian Christianity among the Jochid Mongols, tracing its roots from the Kerait tribe conversion in the 11th century to its prominence in Sarai and beyond. Mama Khatun's influence, recorded in Syriac manuscripts and Russian chronicles, shows how Christian Mongol women could act as kingmakers and protectors of their faith. Contrasting with the later Islamic turn under Khan Uzbek, this episode reveals a forgotten chapter of religious diversity and female power at the heart of the Horde. We also touch on the broader Nestorian network across Eurasia, connecting Sarai to Baghdad and China, and the eventual decline of Christianity under the Horde's Islamization. #GoldenHorde #NestorianChristianity #MamaKhatun #MongolWomen #SteppeEmpire #Jochid #Sarai #ToleBuqa #Kerait #ChurchOfTheEast #Syriac #KhanUzbek #MedievalHistory #EurasianHistory #FemalePower #ReligiousDiversity #MongolEmpire #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo