The Horde's Last Convert: Khan Berdi Beg and the Great Troubles

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the brief and turbulent reign of Berdi Beg, the last khan of the Golden Horde's unified period. They trace his rise through the murder of his father Janibeg, the purges that decimated the Jochid dynasty, and the outbreak of the Great Troubles, a two-decade civil war that shattered the Horde's power. Along the way, they examine the role of the plague, the shifting loyalties of the Crimean and Kazan khanates, and the rise of Mamai as a kingmaker. Lucas shares how Berdi Beg's assassination in 1359 triggered a succession crisis that left Sarai vulnerable to Timur's devastation and ultimately paved the way for Moscow's independence. The episode also touches on the diplomatic marriage that briefly linked the Horde to the Byzantine Empire and the challenge of interpreting fragmentary sources from the period. #GoldenHorde #BerdiBeg #Janibeg #GreatTroubles #Mamai #Sarai #JochidUlus #MongolHistory #Khanate #ByzantineEmpire #Plague #CivilWar #Timur #TatarYoke #SteppeEmpire #MedievalRussia #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo