Zolotoordynskoe Obozrenie (Jan 2015)

Transcript of the Roundtable “The Horde-Bazar: Nomadic Horde or Nomadic City”. Differentiated understanding of history. Roundtable of the series “Phenomenon of the Golden Horde” (13th May, 2014. Kazan, Institute of History of AS RT) »

  • I.M. Mirgaleev

Journal volume & issue
no. 1
pp. 159 – 170

Abstract

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13th May 2014, a round table “The Horde-Bazar: Nomadic Horde or Nomadic City?” has been held as part of the series “The Phenomenon of the Golden Horde”. The round table was attended by I.M. Mirgaleev, D.M. Iskhakov, I.L. Izmaylov, R.M. Valeev, E.G. Sayfetdinova, A.I. Bugarchev, as well as gra­duate students and applicants of the Usmanov Center for Research of the Golden Horde History. Head of the Center, I.M. Mirgaleev, opened the event by proposing to discuss such questions as: whether the Horde-Bazar was a city? Or a nomadic horde of khan? How researchers should treat information of the sources? M.S. Gatin noted the need to more clearly define the concept of “nomadic city” and “nomadic horde”. Maybe, it was the mere Horde’s mention in Russian chro­nicles? In turn, I.L. Izmaylov suggested that Russian sources do not necessarily understand Sarai under the term of “Horde”. The Horde might be the common name of the travel scope of Russian rulers. D.M. Iskhakov noted with regards to the concepts and definitions, that the terms “Horde-Bazar” and “Horde” did not necessarily mean the same concept. Moreover, we see in the sources that there was a post of “the prince of bazar” who ran this institution (bazar) within the Horde. E.G. Sayfetdinova noted that Ötemish Hajji mentions in his “Chingiz-name” the term of the Horde-bazar. He says on the election of Timur Malik as new khan that when he came to the throne, there was delivered a sermon in the Horde-bazar. R.M. Valeev stressed that it is important to pay attention to the minting of coins for the determination of the Horde-bazar. If in the 13th century the name of the “Horde-bazar” is absent, then in the 14th century it is mentioned as a center of coinage. A.I. Bugarchev added that in the 13th century there was one concept of “Horde” and in the 14th century the “Horde” appears on coins. We still do not know whether it was one or more mints. So, when we talk about the Horde-bazar, it is necessary to clarify what period we mean. In the final part of the event there was defined range of problems that can be offered to debate aimed at holding such meetings regularly. Thus, the roundtable participants noted the need for close mutual cooperation of scholars to solve the problematic issues concerning the history of the Golden Horde.

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