2025, vol. 13, no. 4. Acar S.

2025, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 888-900

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22378/2313-6197.2025-13-4.888-900

EDN: https://elibrary.ru/MHYTTI

   CRIMEAN KHAN MEHMED GİRAY’S ATTEMPT
TO REVIVE THE GOLDEN HORDE

Serkan Acar
Ege University
İzmir, Türkiye
serkan.acar@ege.edu.tr

Abstract. In the middle of the 15th century, the Golden Horde began to disintegrate, and the Tatar khanates emerged from its remnants. These khanates, which were struggling among themselves, were also in competition with the Grand Duchy of Moscow. In fact, at the end of the 15th century, there were three major power centers in Eastern Europe: the Crimean Khanate, the Grand Duchy of Moscow, and the Kingdom of Lithuania-Poland. In addition, after the conquest of Istanbul, the political balance north of the Black Sea changed and the Crimean Khanate became an Ottomans vassal in 1475. Mengli Giray, who stayed in Istanbul for a while and knew the Ottomans well, followed a balancing policy of his own and acted cautiously. However, his passionate and energetic successor, Mehmed Giray, aspired to revive the Golden Horde and did not hesitate to confront both the Ottoman Empire and the Grand Duchy of Moscow. He succeeded in briefly seizing the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates. However, it became clear that the political conjuncture of the period was not suitable for reviving the Golden Horde. Mehmed Giray ultimately paid the price of this great and courageous initiative with his life.

Keywords: Mehmed Giray, Crimean Khanate, Grand Duchy of Moskow, Ottoman Empire, Kingdom of Lithuania-Poland

For citation: Acar S. Crimean khan Mehmed Giray’s attempt to revive the Golden Horde. Zolotoordynskoe obozrenie=Golden Horde Review. 2025, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 888–900. https://doi.org/10.22378/2313-6197.2025-13-4.888-900

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Serkan Acar – Associate Professor of the Department of History, Faculty of Letters, Ege University (35040 Erzene Mahallesi, Bornova / İzmir, Türkiye); ORCID: 0000-0003-1642-9269. E-mail: serkan.acar@ege.edu.tr

 Received  4.08.2025
Revised  24.11.2025
Accepted  02.12.2025