The Crimean Khanate lasted a little more than three hundred years. The state, which arose on the fragments of the Golden Horde, almost immediately entered into a tough confrontation with its neighbors. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Kingdom of Poland, the Ottoman Empire, the Grand Duchy of Moscow - all of them wanted to include Crimea in their sphere of influence. However, first things first.
Forced Union
The first penetration of the Tatar conquerors into the Crimea is recorded by a single written source - the Sudak Sinaksar. According to the document, the Tatars appeared on the peninsula in late January 1223. The warlike nomads did not spare anyone; very soon the Polovtsy, Alans, Russians, and many other peoples suffered their blows. The large-scale conquering policy of Genghisides was an event of world significance, covering many states.
For a rather short period of time, the conquered peoples adopted the customs and traditions of their new masters. Only the internal strife that engulfed the Golden Horde could shake its power. The transformation of one of its uluses into an independent state, known in historiography as the Crimean Khanate, became possible thanks to the help of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
The Litvins did not bow their heads before the yoke. Despite the destructive raids of the nomads (and the Russian princes incited by them), they continued to courageously defend their independence. At the same time, the Principality of Lithuania tried not to miss the chance to pit its sworn enemies among themselves.
The first ruler of the Crimean Khanate Hadji Giray was born in the Belarusian city of Lida. A descendant of forced emigrants who, together with Khan Tokhtamysh , raised an unsuccessful rebellion, he enjoyed the support of the Lithuanian princes, who relied on him. The Poles and Lytvins rightly believed that if it was possible to put a descendant of the Crimean emirs on the ulus of their ancestors, this would be another significant step in the destruction of the Golden Horde from the inside.
Haji Giray
One of the main features of the Middle Ages was the unceasing struggle of various specific principalities, plunging their own peoples into darkness and horror. This inevitable stage of its historical development went through all the medieval states. Ulus Jochi in the Golden Horde was no exception. The formation of the Crimean Khanate became the highest expression of separatism, which undermined a powerful nation from within.
The Crimean ulus was significantly isolated from the center due to a noticeable own reinforcement. Now he controlled the southern coast and the mountainous areas of the peninsula. Edigheus, the last of the rulers who maintained at least some order on the conquered lands, died in 1420. After his death, unrest and unrest began in the state. The vain beys tailored the state at its discretion. Tatar emigration to Lithuania decided to take advantage of this circumstance. They united under the banner of Hadji Giray, who dreamed of regaining the possessions of his ancestors.
He was a smart politician, an excellent strategist, supported by the Lithuanian and Polish nobles. However, not everything in his position was cloudless. In the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, he was in the position of an honorary hostage, although he had his own castle with a district in the city of Lida.
Power came to him unexpectedly. Devlet-Birdie, the uncle of Haji Giray, dies, leaving no heirs in the male line. Then they again remembered the descendant of the great Crimean emirs. The nobility sends the embassy to the Litvin lands to persuade Casimir Jagiellon to let his vassal Haji Giray go to the khanate in Crimea. This request is granted.
Building a young state
The return of the heir was triumphant. He expels the Horde governor and minted his own gold coins in Kirk-Yerk. Such a slap in the face could not be ignored in the Golden Horde. Soon, hostilities began, the purpose of which was to pacify the Crimean yurt. The forces of the rebels were clearly small, so Hadji Giray surrendered Solkhat, the capital of the Crimean Khanate without a fight, and himself retreated to Perekop, passing on the defensive.
Meanwhile, his rival, Great Horde khan Seyd-Ahmed, made mistakes that cost him the throne. To begin with, he burned and sacked Solkhat. With this act, Seyd-Ahmed very strongly opposed the local nobility. And his second mistake was that he did not give up attempts to harm the Litvinians and Poles. Hadji Giray remained a loyal friend and defender of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In the end, he defeated Seyd-Ahmed, when he once again made a predatory raid on southern Lithuanian lands. The army of the Crimean Khanate surrounded and killed the troops of the Great Horde. Seyd-Ahmed fled to Kiev, where he was safely arrested. The Litvins of all the captured Tatars traditionally settled on their lands, gave allotments, liberties. And Tatars from former enemies turned into the best and most faithful soldiers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
As for the direct descendant of Genghis Khan, Hadji Giray, in 1449 he transferred the capital of the Crimean Khanate from Kyrym (Solkhat) to Kirk-Erk. Then he began to carry out reforms to strengthen his state. For starters, simplified the complex system of ancient customs and laws. He brought to himself representatives of the most noble and influential families. He paid special attention to the heads of nomadic Nogai tribes. They were a special category of persons responsible for the military power of the state, protecting it at the borders.
The management of the yurt bore democratic features. The heads of the four noble families had extensive powers. They had to listen to their opinion.
Haji Giray, sparing no strength, supported Islam, strengthening the spiritual and cultural development of his young power. He did not forget about Christians. He helped them build churches, pursuing a policy of religious tolerance and peace.
Thanks to the thoughtful reforms carried out for almost 40 years, the provincial ulus has flourished, turning into a strong power.
Geographical position of the Crimean Khanate
Vast territories were part of one of the most powerful states of that time. In addition to the peninsula, which was the central part of the country, there were still lands on the continent. In order to better understand the extent of this power, it is necessary to briefly list the areas that were part of the Crimean Khanate, and talk a little about the peoples that inhabited it. In the north immediately beyond Ork-Kapu (the fortress that covered the only land route to the Crimea), East Nogai was spread. In the northwest - Edisan. In the west was an area called Budzhak, and in the east - the Kuban.
In other words, the territory of the Crimean Khanate covered modern Odessa, Nikolaev, Kherson regions, part of Zaporizhzhya and most of Krasnodar Territory.
The peoples that were part of the Khanate
To the west of the Crimean peninsula, between the Danube and Dniester rivers, there was an area known in history as Budzhak. This area without mountains and forests was inhabited mainly by the Bujak Tatars. The lands of the plains were extremely fertile, but the local population experienced a shortage of drinking water. This was especially observed in the hot summer. Such geographical features of the area left their mark on the life and customs of the Bujak Tatars. For example, digging a deep well there was considered a good tradition.
The lack of forest was decided by the Tatars with their straightforwardness by simply forcing representatives of one of the Moldavian tribes to harvest wood for them. But not only the Bujaks were engaged in campaigns and campaigns. First of all, they were known as farmers, pastoralists and beekeepers. However, the region itself was turbulent. The territory was constantly changing hands. Each of the parties (Ottomans and Moldavians) considered these lands to be its own, until at the end of the 15th century they finally became part of the Crimean Khanate.
The natural borders between the Khan regions were rivers. Edisan, or Western Nogai, was located in the steppes between the Volga and Yaik rivers. In the south, these lands were washed by the Black Sea. The territory was inhabited by the Nogai of the Edisan Horde. According to their traditions and customs, they differed little from other Nogais. The main part of these lands was occupied by plains. Only in the east and north were there mountains, valleys. The vegetation was sparse, but it was enough for grazing cattle. In addition, fertile soil provided an abundant wheat crop, which brought the main income to the local population. Unlike other areas of the Crimean Khanate, there were no problems with water due to the abundance of rivers flowing in this area.
The territory of East Nogay was washed by two seas: in the southwest by the Black Sea, and in the southeast by the Sea of Azov. The soil also brought a good cereal crop. But in this area there was a particularly acute shortage of fresh water. One of the distinguishing features of the steppes of East Nogay was the mounds available everywhere - the last resting place of the most distinguished people. Some of them appeared in Scythian times. Travelers left a lot of evidence of stone statues at the top of the mounds, whose faces were always facing the East.
Small Nogais, or Kuban, occupied part of the North Caucasus near the Kuban River. The south and east of this region bordered on the Caucasus. Jumbuluks (one of the East Nogai peoples) were located to the west of them. Borders with Russia in the north appeared only in the 18th century. Due to its geographical location, this area was characterized by natural diversity. Therefore, the local population, unlike their steppe tribesmen, did not lack not only water, but also forests, and orchards were famous throughout the region.
Relations with Moscow
If we analyze the history of the Crimean Khanate, then the conclusion involuntarily suggests itself: this power was practically not completely independent. At first, I had to conduct my policy with an eye on the Golden Horde, and then this period was replaced by direct vassal dependence on the Ottoman Empire.
After the death of Haji Giray, his sons interlocked in a struggle for power. Mengli, who won this fight, was forced to reorient politics. His father was a faithful ally of Lithuania. And now she has become an enemy because she did not support Mengli-Girey in his struggle for power. But with Moscow Prince Ivan III, common goals were found. The Crimean ruler dreamed of gaining supreme power in the Big Horde, and Moscow systematically sought independence from the Tatar-Mongol yoke. For a period of time, their common goals coincided.
The policy of the Crimean Khanate consisted in the skillful use of the contradictions that existed between Lithuania and Moscow. The descendants of Genghis Khan alternately stood on the side of one neighbor, then another.
Ottoman Empire
Hadji Giray did a lot for the development of his brainchild - a young power, but his offspring, not without the influence of powerful neighboring states, plunged their people into a fratricidal war. In the end, the throne went to Mengli Giray. In 1453, a fateful event for many peoples happened - the capture of Constantinople by the Turks. The strengthening of the caliphate in this region had a huge impact on the history of the Crimean Khanate.
Not all representatives of the old nobility were satisfied with the results of the struggle for power between the sons of Haji Giray. Therefore, they turned to the Turkish Sultan for help and support. The Ottomans needed only an excuse, so they happily intervened in this conflict. The described events took place against the backdrop of a large-scale offensive of the caliphate. Dangers were exposed to the possession of the Genoese.
On May 31, 1475, the vizier of Sultan Ahmed Pasha attacked the Genoese city of Kafu. Mengli Giray was among the defenders. When the city fell, the ruler of the Crimean Khanate was captured and taken to Constantinople. Being in honorable captivity, he had the opportunity to repeatedly talk with the Turkish Sultan. For the three years spent there, Mengli-Giray was able to convince his masters of his own loyalty, so he was released home, but with conditions that seriously limited the sovereignty of the state.
The territory of the Crimean Khanate became part of the Ottoman Empire. Khan had the right to repair the trial of his subjects, to establish diplomatic relations. However, he could not solve key issues without the knowledge of Istanbul. The Sultan determined all issues of foreign policy. The Turkish side also had leverage over the obstinate: hostages from among the relatives at the palace and, of course, the famous Janissaries.
The life of khans under the influence of the Turks
The Crimean Khanate in the 16th century had powerful patrons. Although the Tatars retained the custom of choosing a ruler in Kurultai, the Sultan always had the last word. At first, this state of affairs was completely satisfying to know: having such protection, one could feel safe, concentrating on the development of the state. And it really flourished. The capital of the Crimean Khanate was again moved. She became the famous Bakhchisaray.
But the fly in the ointment of Crimean rulers was added by the need to listen to Divan - the Council of State. One could easily pay for disobedience with life, and a replacement will be found very quickly from among the relatives. They are very eager to occupy an empty throne.
The Russo-Turkish War of 1768 - 1774
The Russian Empire needed air access to the Black Sea as air. The prospect of clashing in this struggle with the Ottoman Empire did not frighten her. Much has been done by the predecessors of Catherine II in order to continue the expansion. Astrakhan, Kazan were conquered. Any attempt to recapture these new territorial acquisitions by Russian soldiers was harshly suppressed. However, success was not succeeded due to poor material support of the Russian army. A bridgehead was needed. Russia received it in the form of a small region in the Northern Black Sea region. It turned out to be New Russia.
Fearing the strengthening of the Russian Empire, Poland and France dragged the supreme caliph into the war of 1768-1774. In this difficult time, Russia had only two of its most faithful allies: the army and navy. Impressed by the actions of the Russian heroes on the battlefield, the caliphate soon shook. Syria, Egypt, the Greeks of the Peloponnese rebelled against the hated Turkish invaders. The Ottoman Empire could only surrender. The result of this company was the signing of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi agreement. According to its conditions, the fortresses of Kerch and Yenikale departed to the Russian Empire, its fleet could plow the Black Sea, and the Crimean Khanate became formally independent.
The fate of the peninsula
Despite the victory in the recent war with Turkey, the goals of the foreign policy of the Russian Empire in Crimea were not achieved. Understanding this led Catherine the Great and Potemkin to develop a secret manifesto on the adoption of the Crimean peninsula in the fold of the Russian state. It was Potemkin who was personally to lead all preparations for this process.
For these purposes, it was decided to hold a personal meeting with Khan Shahin-Girey and discuss various details about the annexation of the Crimean Khanate to Russia. During this visit, it became apparent to the Russian side that the majority of the local population is not eager to swear allegiance. The khanate was experiencing a difficult economic crisis, and the people hated their legitimate head of state. Shahin-Giray was no longer needed by anyone. He had to abdicate.
Meanwhile, Russian troops were hastily pulling into the Crimea with the task of suppressing discontent if necessary. Finally, on July 21, 1783, the Empress was informed about the annexation of the Crimean Khanate to Russia.