Zolotoordynskoe Obozrenie (Jul 2016)
Latin Sources on the Religious Situation in the Golden Horde in the Early Reign of Uzbek Khan »
Abstract
The author of this article presents the content of selected Latin sources on the Franciscan missionary activity on the territory of the Golden Horde in the 14th century. These sources are of particular interest for the study of the history of the ulus of Jochi since they were written within the Golden Horde during the reign of khan Uzbek (1312–1341). In particular, these sources contain valuable information about religious policy of the rulers of the ulus of Jochi, which allows us to re-evaluate the process of the spread of Islam in the Golden Horde and the degree of Islamization of nomads during the reign of khan Uzbek. First, the author presents the yarlyk that khan Uzbek granted to the Minorites of Kaffa in 1314. The author points to specific conformity of its content with well-known yarlyks granted by the Golden Horde khans to the metropolitans of the Orthodox Church of Rus’. This yarlyk of Uzbek is essential for clarifying the nature of Uzbek’s religious policy in the initial period of his reign. Its information allows us to review the accuracy of the information contained in the well-known Muslim sources. Further, the author points to the importance of the information contained in a later letter by the Franciscans of Caffa, sent by them to the West in 1323. This letter mentions the substantial proselytizing successes of the Franciscans and, more importantly, indicates that Uzbek’s administration did not obstruct the Minorites’ missionary activities deployed by them among the nomads of the ulus of Jochi. At the end of the article, the author pays attention to frequent conflicts between the Catholics and Muslim residents of the Golden Horde and focuses on the information of the Latin sources, which allows us to determine the reasons for these conflicts.
