Golden Horde established on the Volga

1242

Returning from central Europe, Batu Khan settled his army in tents near the lower Volga and founded the Ulus of Jochi, later known as the Golden Horde. From Sarai on the river, he would collect tribute from the Russian principalities for two centuries. The Horde's control over the Volga trade routes made Sarai one of the largest cities in the medieval world, rivaling Cairo and Constantinople.