Author: PhD. student Alexandru-Damian Anfile (“Nicolae Iorga” Historical Institute, Romanian Academy)
Keywords: Byzantine Empire, Golden Horde, Ilkhanate, diplomacy, missions, Nestorianism, Asia Minor, matrimonial policy
Abstract:
The present study presents the evolution of diplomatic relations between the Byzantine Empire and the Western Mongol states (The Golden Horde and the Ilkhanate) during the second half of the 13th century, which represents the last great era of Byzantine diplomacy. The Mongol conquest of the steppes in the Northern Black Sea, followed by that of Iran and Eastern Asia Minor, drastically altered the political context of the era. However, given its tradition of “defensive Imperialism”, Byzantium was able to establish diplomatic relations with the new conquerors, whose policy it tried to influence in favour of Christianity and stability in the case of Asia Minor. The main weapon used by the imperial court in Constantinople was the matrimonial policy, since the princesses who became wives of Mongol khans acted as the empire’s best agents of influence. The decline of both Byzantium and the Mongol states, which became obvious at the beginning of the 14th century, gradually ended these diplomatic relations, and unleashed the Turkish menace in Asia Minor, that would eventually bring the existence of the empire to an end.
Pages: 68-88