248 chapter four
to the Seljuk sultanate, as proven for instance by the great expedition
of 1277.422
the crisis of 1264–1265 revealed the supreme importance of the Straits,
and the inability of the recently-formed coalition to impose a regime
there. It also shed light on the only way the great power on the steppe
could impose its will on this vital spot connecting the Black Sea to the
Mediterranean—which was by force of arms, against Byzantium. this
state of affairs spurred Sarai’s decision to create a tartar outpost on the
Danube, which would serve several purposes, not least among them to
keep watch from close at hand over the free navigation of the Straits.
4.3.2 A Guardian of the Straits: The Khanate of the Lower Danube
the mission of creating a vanguard on the Golden horde’s furthest South-
West frontier was entrusted to one of the most powerful personages in
Jochid history, Noghai, an emir of chinggisid blood.423 It is not known
when exactly the decision was taken to create this predominantly mili-
tary entity, any more than the date is known when it first became an
effective force. the final phase by contrast is much better known, when
the marcher lordship reached the peak of its development and its cap-
tain proclaimed himself khan in his own right, to the considerable detri-
ment of the Golden horde and of other polities in central and South-east
europe.
the initial phase is recorded by pachymeres, who although based some
way from the action, gave a detailed account of Noghai’s rise to power
and connects the process to the rupture in tartar-Byzantine relations in
1264–1265: “Now the [above-mentioned] uncle [of ‛Izz al-Dīn], coming to
constantin [tikh], tsar of the Bulgarians, or rather to his wife,424 revealed
to them his plans against the emperor (Michael VIII] and convinced them,
since they had long been inclined to this. then he sent word calling a
multitude of tokhars [= tartars], since—he said—they would quickly
win [battles and plunder] if they invaded together with himself and the
422 See above, p. 74 note 61.
423 cf. the genealogical source-work in Veselovskiy, Khan, pp. 22 ff., showing his
descent from Jochi via a lateral branch; this is so far the only monograph on the emir; cf.
also ciocîltan, “Khanat”.
424 Irina Lascaris, sister of the Byzantine emperor of Nicea John IV Lascaris (1258–
1261), who had been deposed and blinded by Michael VIII palaiologos, his former regent;
she nourished understandable resentments toward Michael (cf. FHDR, III, pp. 444, 445
note 10).