Nogai the Khanmaker: A Historiographical Problem

Abstract: Research objectives: Nogai, a great-grandson of Jochi, is most commonly known as the all-mighty kingmaker of the late thirteenth century Gol­den Horde, who in scholarship is portrayed as appointing and deposing khans at will and establishing an independent khanate on the lower Danube. Howe...

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Main Author: Wilson J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Marjani Institute of History 2022-06-01
Series:Золотоордынское обозрение
Subjects:
Online Access:http://goldhorde.ru/en/stati2022-2-5/
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author Wilson J.
author_facet Wilson J.
author_sort Wilson J.
collection DOAJ
description Abstract: Research objectives: Nogai, a great-grandson of Jochi, is most commonly known as the all-mighty kingmaker of the late thirteenth century Gol­den Horde, who in scholarship is portrayed as appointing and deposing khans at will and establishing an independent khanate on the lower Danube. However, the author argues that this is a portrayal with little basis in the primary source materials, and instead largely a creation of the secondary literature. The present article sets out to trace its development in the secondary literature from the nineteenth century onwards. Research materials: Briefly noting the portrayal of Nogai’s role in the relevant primary sources – the Rus’ chronicles, Mamluk historians, Rashīd al-Dīn and Marco Polo – then notes the contrast in the most prominent secondary literature on the Golden Horde of the last century, including d’Ohsson, Veselovskij, Vernadsky, Spuler through to Vásáry and Favereau. Research results and novelty: Much of the basis for the modern idea of Nogai the Khanmaker owes to Veselovskij’s 1922 biography of Nogai, built upon by the influential histories on the Golden Horde by Vernadsky and Spuler. Later scholars have combined these accounts, exaggerating claims of his prominence with each succeeding generation and accepting, unquestioned, Nogai’s modern status as the near-total master of the Jochid ulus.
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institution Kabale University
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language English
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publisher Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Marjani Institute of History
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spelling doaj-art-b86920d17a8246f4b1e627d08bca7a142025-01-03T00:27:41ZengTatarstan Academy of Sciences, Marjani Institute of HistoryЗолотоордынское обозрение2308-152X2313-61972022-06-0110233234310.22378/2313-6197.2022-10-2.332-343Nogai the Khanmaker: A Historiographical ProblemWilson J. 0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9601-376XCentral European UniversityAbstract: Research objectives: Nogai, a great-grandson of Jochi, is most commonly known as the all-mighty kingmaker of the late thirteenth century Gol­den Horde, who in scholarship is portrayed as appointing and deposing khans at will and establishing an independent khanate on the lower Danube. However, the author argues that this is a portrayal with little basis in the primary source materials, and instead largely a creation of the secondary literature. The present article sets out to trace its development in the secondary literature from the nineteenth century onwards. Research materials: Briefly noting the portrayal of Nogai’s role in the relevant primary sources – the Rus’ chronicles, Mamluk historians, Rashīd al-Dīn and Marco Polo – then notes the contrast in the most prominent secondary literature on the Golden Horde of the last century, including d’Ohsson, Veselovskij, Vernadsky, Spuler through to Vásáry and Favereau. Research results and novelty: Much of the basis for the modern idea of Nogai the Khanmaker owes to Veselovskij’s 1922 biography of Nogai, built upon by the influential histories on the Golden Horde by Vernadsky and Spuler. Later scholars have combined these accounts, exaggerating claims of his prominence with each succeeding generation and accepting, unquestioned, Nogai’s modern status as the near-total master of the Jochid ulus.http://goldhorde.ru/en/stati2022-2-5/nogaigolden hordemöngke-temürtöde-möngketele-buqatoqtahistoriographyveselovskij
spellingShingle Wilson J.
Nogai the Khanmaker: A Historiographical Problem
Золотоордынское обозрение
nogai
golden horde
möngke-temür
töde-möngke
tele-buqa
toqta
historiography
veselovskij
title Nogai the Khanmaker: A Historiographical Problem
title_full Nogai the Khanmaker: A Historiographical Problem
title_fullStr Nogai the Khanmaker: A Historiographical Problem
title_full_unstemmed Nogai the Khanmaker: A Historiographical Problem
title_short Nogai the Khanmaker: A Historiographical Problem
title_sort nogai the khanmaker a historiographical problem
topic nogai
golden horde
möngke-temür
töde-möngke
tele-buqa
toqta
historiography
veselovskij
url http://goldhorde.ru/en/stati2022-2-5/
work_keys_str_mv AT wilsonj nogaithekhanmakerahistoriographicalproblem