The Mongol Impact on the Political History of the Byzantine Empire

Abstract

This paper examines the significant role of the Mongols in the political history of the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Michael VIII (1261–1282). Specifically, it focuses on the impact of Mongol uluses — the Īlkhānid state and the Golden Horde — on the foreign policy of the Byzantine Empire at that time. As the Īlkhānid state consolidated its political influence in Asia Minor and the Golden Horde established political dominance in the Balkans, Byzantium strategically adjusted its foreign policy to engage with these emerging Mongol uluses by recognizing their crucial role in regional affairs. Michael VIII, who reconquered Constantinople from the Latin Empire in 1261, aimed to restore the former power of the Empire. Therefore, he actively cultivated political and marital alliances with both rival Mongol uluses, leveraging their influence to strengthen Byzantium’s position in Anatolia and the Balkans. The authors argue that the Mongol-Byzantium alliances were mutually beneficial, enhancing the Byzantine Empire’s geopolitical standing. The alliance with the Īlkhānid state provided security to the eastern fronts of the Empire, while the political alliance with the Golden Horde bolstered the political initiatives of the Byzantine Empire in the Balkans from the 1260s to the 1280s. Moreover, the involvement of the Īlkhānid state and the Golden Horde in the foreign affairs of Byzantium made the Mongol factor a global phenomenon. It strengthened the intricate political and economic links connecting the Mongol world, Byzantium, and Mamluk Egypt.