The Horde's Slave Economy: Mongol Russia and the Human Trade

This episode of The Golden Horde explores the brutal engine of the Mongol-Russian slave trade. Lucas and Luna trace how the Jochid ulus became a key link in a vast human trafficking network stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea and beyond to Mamluk Egypt. They discuss the yasyr (captives) taken during Mongol raids on Russian principalities, the role of Caffa and Tana as slave markets, and the institution of the saadat (slave soldier) that supplied Mamluk sultans. The conversation examines the scale of the trade—how many people were enslaved, who they were (including Russians, Circassians, and steppe nomads), and how the Horde's economy depended on it. Lucas also explains the process of slave recruitment into the Mamluk army, the journey through the Black Sea, and the political dynamics between the Horde and the Mamluks. Luna asks about resistance, ransom, and the long-term demographic impact on Russia. The episode ends with a reflection on how this commerce shaped Eurasian history and the states that succeeded the Horde. #GoldenHorde #SlaveTrade #MongolRussia #Jochid #Caffa #Tana #Mamluk #Yasyr #Saadat #BlackSea #Sarai #Ransom #Circassians #KhanBerke #KhanUzbek #Slavery #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo