Mongolian-Byzantine relations and the effects of Mongolian invasion on Byzantine politics

In this study, the political relations between the Mongols, which emerged as an empire in the 13th century, and the Byzantine Empire, which had internal and external problems, were examined. Anotolia and Balkan lands have hosted plenty of big and small states and elements in the historical process. These regions were of great importance for the Byzantine Empire in terms of military, political and economic continuity, and Empire fought serious struggles with Seljuks in Anatolia and the states that were mostly ruled by the Turks in the Balkans in order to keep these regions. While the Byzantine Empire was transformed into the Nikea Empire as a result of the Fourth Crusade, the occupation movements that started with Genghis Khan in the Near East and continued with her successors later affected a large part of Anatolia and Europe. Ilkhanids, one of the Mongol branch states, dominated the Seljuk Turks, who lived their golden age in Anatolia until then, and this ancient geography. On the other hand, the Golden Horde State, another Mongolian branch state, became the undisputed strongest state in the region by dominating all the formations in the region, starting from Eastern Europe to the Balkans. Political relations between the Mongols, who left deep traces in world history, and the Byzantine Empire, where the need for political support was deeply felt and that under pressure in all respects, began in such a chaotic environment. The empire wasn't directly affected by the invasion, as it lost most of its lands in Anatolia and Europe beforehand. Howewer, the changing order after the invasion and its geographical proximity to the said regions affected the empire both positively and negatively. In this study, in which the events are mostly evaluated through Anatolian and Balkan geographies, the political events in the mentioned geographies are evaluated in the axis of the Byzantine Empire and Mongolian branch states. In this way, it is aimed to contribute to the future studies by considering the political history of a wide geography starting from Central Asia, and Northeast Europe, Southeast Europe and like Anatolia.