Mamai

Who was Mamai?

Mamai, of Borjigin descent, was a powerful military commander of the Blue Horde in the 1370s. The Horde controlled the lands in what is now the southern Ukrainian/Eastern Russia and the Crimean Peninsula.

Mamai became governor, sometime in the second half of the 1350s, of a territory that later would become the Crimean Khanate. During the rule of Berdi Beg Mamai was appointed as beqlar beg, a position simultaneously combining the duties of general of the army, minister of foreign affairs, and the head of the supreme court.

Upon the assassination of Berdi Beg by Qulpa in 1359, Mamai associated himself with one of the coalitions formed to depose Qulpa. During that period of time the Golden Horde was in relative chaos; numerous regional governors were striving to become the Khan. Qulpa eventually was killed by Nawruz Beg who was himself assassinated less than six months later. Mamai, who was not a direct descendant of Genghis Khan, played a key role in promoting and supporting rival khans of the White Horde. In 1361 he supported Ğabdullah, son of Uzbeg Khan, who became Khan in Crimea.