The Horde's Steppe Justice: Mongol Courts in Sarai

What happened when a Russian merchant, a Mongol warrior, and a Central Asian scholar walked into a court in Sarai? This episode explores the legal system of the Golden Horde through the lens of the yarghu—the steppe court that blended Mongol custom, Islamic law, and local practice. Lucas and Luna delve into the role of the yarghuchi (judges), how cases were tried, what punishments looked like, and how the Horde's legal pluralism kept peace across a vast, diverse empire. They discuss the famous trial of Prince Mikhail of Tver in 1318, where accusations of treason before Khan Uzbek pitted Russian chronicle accounts against Mongol legal procedure. Along the way, they touch on the interplay of the Yasa code and sharia, the use of oaths and torture, and the surprising leniency of Mongol courts compared to contemporary European justice. A vivid picture emerges of a system that was harsh but not arbitrary, where precedent and witness testimony mattered. For listeners who've wondered how the Mongols actually governed day-to-day, this episode offers a front-row seat to the Horde's courtroom. #GoldenHorde #MongolJustice #Yarghu #Sarai #KhanUzbek #MikhailOfTver #Yasa #Sharia #MongolLaw #SteppeCourts #Yarghuchi #MedievalJustice #JochidUlus #CentralAsia #History #FexingoHistory #MongolEmpire #RussianHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo