33 Facts About Mamai

Mamai was a powerful Turko-Mongol military commander in Beylerbey rank of the Golden Horde from Kiyat clan.

Unlike the khans of the so-called Golden Horde, Mamai was not a descendant of Genghis Khan and his son Jochi, but belonged to the powerful Mongol Kiyat clan, which claimed descent from Mugetu Kiyan, an older brother of Genghis Khan's father Yesugei Baghatur.

Whether "Mamai" is a variation of that name or an additional, "folk" name, remains unclear.

Mamai became an emir during the reign of Jani Beg.

Mamai died soon after, and the governorship was given to his brother, Qutluq-Timur.

Mamai appears to have died by 1359, and the governorship was entrusted to a member of another clan, Qutluq-Buqa of the Kungrat, a brother of the chief emir Mogul-Buqa.

Mamai appears to have resented this apparent slight, and left the capital Sarai with his dependents and clansmen, to assert himself locally in and near the Crimea.

Still in control of at least part of the warriors associated with the Kiyat tribe, Mamai was apparently too powerful to eliminate.

Since Mamai was not a descendant of Genghis Khan and Jochi in the male line, he assumed the role of kingmaker, promoting and supporting Jochid khans of his own choosing from a base in the Crimea and the western portion of Golden Horde.

However, Mamai was unable to enjoy his success for long.

Mamai now repaid his rival in kind, attacking Hajji Cherkes' power base Astrakhan.

Mamai returned to Sarai, defeating and expelling Il Beg, and reinstalling Muhammad-Sultan in 1374.

Mamai lost the city in his turn in 1375, to Qaghan Beg, the son of Il Beg.

Nevertheless, they still exercised authority in the lands north, west, and south of the city, and in 1375 Mamai was able to have his khan recognized at Astrakhan, following the death of his old rival Hajji Cherkes.

Later, in 1369, Mamai lowered the Venetian tribute even more, restoring the amount paid before the wars between Oz Beg and Jani Beg and the Italians.

Mamai, moreover, allowed the Venetians to build fortifications at Tana: they built a small fortress in 1370, which they expanded in 1375, to protect themselves from their Genoese rivals.

Algirdas' son Jogaila eventually decided that he needed Mongol support against his uncle, and sent an envoy to Mamai to make peace and arrange for an alliance between them.

In 1370, Mamai shifted his favor from Dmitrij of Moscow to the prince of Tver' Mihail Aleksandrovic, who was duly invested as grand prince of Vladimir.

Mamai received a second investiture with the grand princely throne of Vladimir in early 1371, but was refused entry into Vladimir by the inhabitants.

In effect, Mamai had forced the princes of Moscow and Tver' to bid for the throne of Vladimir with gifts, which enriched Mamai and his followers.

Mamai lost the cooperation of the Russian princes, and especially Dmitrij of Moscow, after his loss of Sarai in 1374.

Mamai retaliated by raiding the lands of Niznij Novgorod and sacking Novosil' in 1375; he invested Mihail of Tver' with the title of grand prince of Vladimir .

Dmitrij failed to accede to the demand, and Mamai prepared for war.

Mamai sought out the support of Jogaila of Lithuania and was assured of the cooperation of Oleg Ivanovic of Rjazan'.

Mamai's mercenaries were perhaps poorly coordinated, although they offered determined resistance.

Much of Mamai's force failed to engage before a Russian ambush regimen turned the tide of the battle definitively in Dmitrij's favor.

Mamai's forces routed and he fled the battlefield, leaving it in the hands of Dmitrij, who was later called Donskoj in memory of his victory.

Mamai was now forced to oppose Tokhtamysh on the Kalka River.

Mamai fled the battlefield with his remaining loyal supporters, but lost his harem and much of his possessions to the victor.

Mistrusting the loyalty and ability of his governors there, Mamai decided to seek refuge in Genoese Caffa.

Still pursued by Tokhtamysh's agents, Mamai now headed to his old headquarters at Solkhat.

Besides, the governor hoped to preserve his position under the new ruler, while the populace resented the heavy taxes Mamai had levied to fortify the city.

The death of Mamai paved the way for Tokhtamysh to attempt the reunification of the Golden Horde.