The Horde's Orthodox Saints: Mongol Rule and Russian Faith

How did the Mongol Golden Horde interact with the Orthodox Church in Russia? In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the surprising relationship between the khans of Sarai and the Russian Metropolitan, focusing on the period from the 1240s to the early 1300s. They discuss how Khan Batu and his successors granted tax exemptions to the Church, allowing monasteries to flourish and become economic powerhouses. The episode delves into the story of Metropolitan Kirill II, who traveled to Sarai and secured a yarlyk (charter) protecting Church lands. It also covers the controversial canonization of Prince Mikhail of Chernigov, who was executed by the Mongols for refusing to worship pagan idols, and the later veneration of Khan Berke's nephew, Peter of the Horde, a Tatar prince who converted to Christianity and founded a monastery near Rostov. The conversation examines the practical and theological compromises that allowed the Russian Church to survive, and even thrive, under Mongol domination, setting the stage for its later role as a unifying force against the Horde. #GoldenHorde #RussianOrthodoxChurch #BatuKhan #MetropolitanKirill #Yarlyk #MikhailofChernigov #PeteroftheHorde #Sarai #MongolRule #RussianHistory #MedievalRussia #OrthodoxSaints #HordeChurchRelations #TaxExemption #Monasteries #Canonization #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo