Zolotoordynskoe Obozrenie (Sep 2016)

Reign of Jochid Khan Bek-Bulat according to Written and Numismatic Sources »

  • Yu.V. Zayonchkovskiy

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 3
pp. 534 – 551

Abstract

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Тhe Golden Horde khan Bek-Bulat’s reign is still representing the subject of debate despite both the fact that the name of this Jochid often occurs in the pages of historical and numismatic researches and the existence of separate research articles devoted to him and his coins. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the political career of Bek-Bulat according to written and numismatic sources. Its objective is to reasonably present the chronology of his reign (including consideration of the issue of his “first” reign). Materials and methodology of the present study. The article contains high-quality enlarged images of the dangs of this khan with metrology (most of these images have been introduced into the academic circulation for the first time). The author uses these images as sources for reconstruction (or reconstruction’s verification) of historical events and identifies the main types of Bek-Pulad’s silver coins including a previously unknown type of this khan’s dangs with a designation of minting place in Saray al-Jadid. The author analyzes the type of Azak mint’s dangs with spelling of the khan’s name as “Bulad”. He reads their date as 793 AH and dates this emission back to the beginning of Bek-Bulat’s reign. Results of the study. Oglan Bek-Bulat commanded the Tokhtamish’s troops in 1386 and 1391. After the defeat of the Golden Horde army in the Battle of the Kondurcha River, in summer 1391 Bek-Bulat was proclaimed a khan. The ensuing war between Tokhtamish and Bek-Bulat lasted quite a long time and ended with the death of the latter in the Crimea. Conclusions. The author dates the reign of Bek-Pulad back to 793–794 AH (approxi­mately the middle of 1391 – mid–1392 AD). Other dates indicated by scholars are based on the incorrect use of numismatic material. The question of the “first” reign of Bek-Bulat still remains open.

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