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Sarai Batu capital

Type Object Region Golden Horde Time 1361–1370

Sarai Batu was the first capital of the Golden Horde, built by Batu Khan in the mid-13th century near the Akhtuba branch of the lower Volga, serving …

Timeline

  1. c. 1250–1310Sarai Batu · Lower VolgaBatu Khan built a large steppe capital on the lower Volga, containing a khan's palace, mosques, caravanserais, and markets, linking the Black Sea–Caspian–Volga trade trunk line and serving as the political hub of the western Mongol khanates.
  2. 1361Lower Volga · Golden HordeDuring Jani Beg's reign and Mamai's regency, the Golden Horde's center of power had shifted toward New Sarai, but Sarai Batu remained a traditional symbol of the Volga steppe and a resting point for caravans. With frequent changes of khans and fragmentation among princes, the capital's trade and postal relay functions were barely maintained amid the turmoil.

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