the golden horde and the black sea 213
there are several indications that the severe death toll caused by war
and plague led to a serious economic downturn in the horde, just as
among the besieged Genoese in caffa. the main cause for this downturn
was the sheer length of hostilities, which made their impact felt in various
areas including, first and foremost, commerce. Janibek’s direct interven-
tion in this area was truly catastrophic: forbidding his subjects to trade
with the Venetians, he condemned the Golden horde to renewed isola-
tion, with results as inevitable as they were harmful.
Venetian reports sent from caffa to the republic’s government in 1344–
1345 constantly accuse the Genoese of trading with the Mongols, breaking
the joint boycott, and do not forget to mention that this illicit activity
also went against the declared will of the khan, and was sometimes
even carried out by the very Jochid officials entrusted with enforcing the
embargo.273 for all that these sources offer yet further historical proof of
just how far a merchant can distribute his wares, we should not be misled
by the actions of caffan Genoese in trading with Jochid subjects against
the will of practically all major powers in the region, the Golden horde
itself and Venice. all parties involved in the conflict imposed restrictions,
one way or another, and while these did not create an impermeable bar-
rier, they will have certainly caused a significant drop-off in trade in the
Northern Black Sea lands.
the same Venetian reports which mention the cracks in Janibek’s
embargo also mention its main effects: large quantities of goods built up
in the interior of the Golden horde, prohibited for export, either local pro-
duce or asian wares brought across the cuman steppe.274 these reports
273 Morozzo della rocca, “Notizie,” pp. 279–280: Homines Ianue publice et pallam faci-
unt mercaciones isto imperio in Caffa, al Tosso et al Cibano, al Pesse, a Sençorco et omnibus
cartaribus, et si per dominum Imperatorem proybitum non esset, quia ipse non vult quod
mercaciones firent, et ille que fiunt furtive fiunt contra voluntatem domini Imperator, certe
Ianuenses in hoc anno consecuti erant maximam utilitatem, quia, sicut apparet, ipsi erant
dispossiti et sunt ad dictas mercaciones exercendam, non habendo aliquod respectum ad (a)
liquod pattum quod dominacio vestra habeat cum commune Ianue; p. 281: In istis contratis
est multa blada, et de nova et de vetera, sed dominus Imperator non permittit eam traere
aliquo modo, sed per aliquod navigium Genuensium extraitur de nocte et furtive; p. 292: Et
quod Taycoga, qui est capitaneus exercitus domini Imperatoris in partibus Caffe per illas
mercaciones que fiebant in partibus Tossi et Cibani, dimitendo ipsas transire, fuerat lucratus
infinitam pecuniam; further accusations on pp. 290–291.
274 Morozzo della rocca, “Notizie,” p. 279: Iterum dicunt dicti quod caminum Inperii de
medio [= china] sit aparatum. Hoc non possimus scire pro certo, sed tantum bene videmus
quod aliquis iudi Armini et allia gens qui de Sorgati veniunt in Gaffa dicunt quod in Sorgati
sit una magna quantitas sirici et, si ita esset quod tanta quantitas seda quanta ipsi dicunt
esse in Sorgati, nobis videretur signum quod esset ita verum quod caminum esset apertum;