Nogai Khan facts for kids

Nogai (pronounced no-GUY) was a very powerful general and "kingmaker" in the Golden Horde. He was a great-great-grandson of the famous Genghis Khan. Even though he never officially ruled the Golden Horde, he was like a co-ruler. He had full control over the western parts of the state, especially west of the Dnieper River.

At his strongest, Nogai was one of the most important people in Europe. Many thought he was the real leader of the Golden Horde. Russian writers even called him a "tsar," which means emperor. He was also known for becoming a Muslim.

What's in a Name?

The name "Nokhai" means "dog" in the Mongolian language. But don't worry, it wasn't meant as an insult! In Mongol culture, dogs were very important. They helped with hunting and gave warnings. They were a big part of nomadic life and even their religion.

Genghis Khan himself called his best generals "dogs of war." This showed they were loyal and fierce. Some historians think using a name like "Dog" was also a way to trick evil spirits. They might not be interested in someone with such a common name.

Early Life and Rise to Power

Nogai was born to Tatar, who was the grandson of Jochi. Jochi was one of Genghis Khan's sons. After his father died, Nogai took over his family's lands.

After the Mongol invasion of Europe, Batu Khan left Nogai with 10,000 warriors. These soldiers were stationed in what is now Moldavia and Romania. Nogai was also the nephew of Berke Khan, another important leader. Under Berke, Nogai became a very strong and ambitious military leader.

Fighting in Poland

As he got older, Berke Khan gave Nogai more and more important jobs. Nogai first became a main battle commander around 1259 or 1260. He fought alongside another general named Talabuga.

Nogai played a big role in the Second Mongol invasion of Poland. This invasion happened to help pay for Berke's war against another Mongol leader, Hulegu. Nogai showed his skills and helped plunder cities like Sandomierz and Kraków.

Wars and Influence

Nogai's father, Tatar, died while serving under Hulegu. This happened during a time of great conflict among the Mongol leaders.

War with the Ilkhanate

Nogai defeats Hulegu at the Battle of Terek in 1263.

In 1262, a civil war started between the Golden Horde and the Ilkhanate. Nogai Khan was given a very important job in the Golden Horde army. He was like the "commander-in-chief" for Berke. He led an army of 30,000 men.

Nogai first led raids into the Ilkhanate's lands. He tricked Hulegu into moving his main army north. Nogai's troops then surprised Hulegu's army at the Terek River. They ambushed them and caused many casualties. After a day-long battle, Hulegu's army was defeated. This victory made Nogai very famous and respected in the Golden Horde.

The war ended for a short time in 1264. But it started again in 1265. Nogai led another invasion into Persia. He raided some areas but was injured in a fierce battle. He lost an eye during this fight. His army had to retreat.

War with the Byzantine Empire

In 1265, Nogai led 20,000 soldiers into the Byzantine Empire. He defeated their forces and damaged cities in Thrace. To make peace, the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaeologus offered his daughter, Euphrosyne Palaiologina, to Nogai as a wife.

The Emperor also sent valuable gifts and became an ally of the Golden Horde. He mostly dealt with Nogai, not the official Khan. Nogai cleverly asked if the jewels and clothes could protect him from lightning or sickness. He then praised the practical animal skins his people usually wore.

Nogai's Power (1266–1294)

Berke Khan died around 1266. Even though Nogai was very powerful, he didn't try to become the ruler of the Golden Horde himself. Instead, he served under Mengu-Timur Khan. However, Nogai had almost complete control over the lands west of the Dnieper River.

He also had his own foreign policy. He sent messengers to the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt. He also arranged marriages with the Byzantine Empire and the Ilkhanate. Nogai even led raids into different European kingdoms.

In 1282, Nogai sent 4,000 Mongol soldiers to Constantinople. They helped Emperor Michael fight against rebels. After Michael died, his son used these soldiers to fight against Serbia.

Invasions of Bulgaria

Nogai led raids against Bulgaria and Byzantium in 1271 and 1274. In 1277, a popular uprising in Bulgaria, led by Ivaylo of Bulgaria, defeated some Mongol raiders. Nogai was annoyed by this.

In 1278-79, Nogai personally led his army into Bulgaria. He defeated the Bulgarians and raided the country. He even surrounded Ivaylo in a city called Silistra. Later, Ivaylo tried to get Nogai's help to become emperor again. But Nogai had Ivaylo executed, saying he was an "enemy of my father."

Nogai made the new Bulgarian Emperor, George Terter, his vassal. This meant George had to obey Nogai. Later, Nogai put his friend Smilets on the Bulgarian throne. This kept Bulgaria under the Golden Horde's control.

Second Mongol Invasion of Hungary

In the winter of 1285, Nogai and Talabuga Khan invaded Hungary. They had a large army of Mongol and Cuman soldiers. Nogai had heard that Hungary was weak due to internal problems. He planned to take advantage of this.

The invasion had two main groups, led by Nogai and Talabuga. Talabuga's troops raided Transylvania. But the Hungarians had built new forts and castles. The Mongols couldn't capture these strongholds and faced supply problems. They were eventually defeated by the Hungarian army.

Nogai was more successful than Talabuga, but he also faced problems. He couldn't capture any major forts. His army also suffered losses from local Hungarian troops. Overall, this invasion was a big defeat for the Golden Horde. After this, there were no more major Mongol attacks on Hungary.

Conflict with Talabuga

Nogai and Talabuga never got along well. Their disagreements caused problems during the invasions of Poland and Circassia. In 1290, Talabuga thought Nogai was plotting against him. He decided to gather an army and attack Nogai.

Nogai pretended not to know. He also sent letters to Talabuga's mother, saying he had important advice for the Khan. Talabuga's mother told him to trust Nogai. So, Talabuga sent most of his army away and met Nogai with only a few guards.

But Nogai was tricking him. Nogai had brought a large group of soldiers and Tokhta, another Mongol prince. While Nogai and Talabuga met, Nogai's men ambushed them. They quickly captured Talabuga and his supporters. Nogai then had Talabuga killed.

After this, Nogai put Tokhta on the throne as the new Khan. Nogai then killed many Mongol nobles who supported Talabuga. This helped Nogai keep his power. Tokhta became Khan in early 1291.

Conflict with Tokhta and Death

However, Tokhta turned out to be a stronger ruler than Nogai expected. Nogai and Tokhta soon became bitter rivals. They disagreed about trading rights for cities in Crimea. Tokhta's family also complained that Nogai acted like he was superior to the Khan.

Two years after Nogai put Tokhta on the throne, their rivalry became a full-blown war. Tokhta gathered a huge army, larger than Nogai's. But Nogai's soldiers were more experienced from their wars in Europe.

Battle of Nerghi Plains

In 1297, the two armies met on the plain of Nerghi. A fierce battle lasted most of the day. Both Nogai and Tokhta fought bravely. In the end, Nogai won, even though he had fewer soldiers. Many of Tokhta's men were killed, but Tokhta himself escaped.

Battle of Kagamlik

But Tokhta didn't give up. After a few years, he built a new, even larger army. He attacked Nogai deep inside Nogai's own territory. This final battle happened in 1299 or 1300, near the Dnieper River. This time, Tokhta's army won.

Nogai was found fleeing the battle with only a few men. He was wounded by a Russian soldier who worked for Tokhta. Nogai told the soldier who he was and asked to be taken to Tokhta. But the soldier killed Nogai instead. Tokhta was furious that a Mongol prince's blood had been shed. He had the soldier executed. Nogai's sons were also hunted down and killed soon after.

Even with all his power, Nogai never tried to become the official Khan of the Golden Horde. He preferred to be the "kingmaker," deciding who would rule. He served under several Khans: Berke, Mengu-Timur, Tuda-Mengu, Talabuga, and Tokhta.

Nogai's Personality

Historians describe Nogai as a skilled general and a clever politician. He was happy to stay behind the scenes, controlling things without being the official ruler. Nogai was proud of his Mongol heritage and traditions.

His religious beliefs seemed to change based on what was best for his alliances. At first, he followed the traditional Mongol religion. Later, he claimed to have become a Muslim. But he also gave Buddhist relics to another Mongol leader. One of his wives, Yailaq, even visited a Christian church and became Catholic.

Nogai had several wives. His first wife, Chubei, was described as "clever and competent." He had sons named Joge and Tige with Chubei, and a son named Torai with Yailaq. He also had a daughter named Quiyaq. Another wife, Alaka, was the mother of his son Chaka, who ruled Bulgaria for a short time. Nogai was also good friends with a Byzantine merchant from Crimea. He even helped arrange a marriage for the merchant's daughter.

See also

In Spanish: Nogai Kan para niños

• Nogais