2025, vol. 13, no. 4. Yolsever U.

2025, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 806-822

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22378/2313-6197.2025-13-4.806-822

EDN: https://elibrary.ru/GIKIOS

   THE IMPORTANCE OF THE KAZAN KHANATE
IN THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE CRIMEAN KHANATE

Umut Yolsever
Independent Researcher
Eskişehir, Türkiye
umutyolsever44@gmail.com

Abstract. This study examines the role of the Kazan Khanate in the foreign policy of the Crimean Khanate and analyzes its political, economic, and cultural significance in the light of chronicles and archival documents. The Kazan Khanate held strategic importance for the Crimean Khanate in its struggle to inherit the legacy of the Golden Horde and establish influence over Moscow. During the reigns of Mengli Giray Khan and Mehmed Giray Khan, Kazan became a key element in Crimea’s relations with Moscow. Mehmed Giray aimed to increase Crimea’s influence in the region by placing his brother, Sahib Giray, on the Kazan throne. However, internal conflicts within the Crimean Khanate and increasing pressure from Moscow made controlling Kazan more difficult. This study details how Kazan became a tool in the foreign policy of the Crimean Khanate and examines the political and military developments of the period. Ultimately, the fall of the Kazan Khanate weakened the Crimean Khanate’s influence in the region and paved the way for Moscow’s expansion. By highlighting Kazan’s crucial role in Crimean-Moscow relations, the study sheds light on the political dynamics of the era.

Keywords: Crimean Khanate, Kazan Khanate, Grand Principality of Moscow, Ottoman Empire, Giray Dynasty, Foreign Policy

For citation: Yolsever U. The importance of the Kazan Khanate in the foreign policy of the Crimean Khanate. Zolotoordynskoe obozrenie=Golden Horde Review. 2025, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 806–822. https://doi.org/10.22378/2313-6197.2025-13-4.806-822

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Umut Yolsever – Dr. (History), Independent Researcher (Eskişehir, Turkey); ORCID: 0000-0002-7035-4328. E-mail: umutyolsever44@gmail.com

 Received  27.08.2025
Revised  28.11.2025
Accepted  01.12.2025