Political situation after the death of Berke Khan of the Golden Horde

Timeline

1. 1270–1273Sarai · Volga River basinMöngke Temür succeeded smoothly after Berke's death, continuing his Islamization and independent foreign policy, reorganizing the military and administrative system along the Volga, strengthening suzerainty over the Russian principalities, and gradually concentrating khans' court power at Sarai.
2. 1272–1277Caucasus region · CaucasusThe Golden Horde and Abaqa of the Ilkhanate clashed continuously along the Caucasus border, competing for suzerainty over Transcaucasian states, with border raids and diplomatic mediation coexisting, reflecting the pattern of mutual independence among the Mongol khanates after their split.
3. 1274–1279Vladimir · Rus'The Golden Horde maintained suzerainty over the Russian principalities through collecting tribute and recognizing grand-princely titles; in the 1270s the principalities competed for the grand-princely position under Horde arbitration, embedding Eastern Europe's political order deeply in the steppe khanate system.