Barquq vs Tokhtamysh

Barquq, a Circassian Mamluk, seized the sultanate after deposing the young Sultan Hajji II. He was the first sultan of the Burji dynasty, named after the Circassian Mamluks stationed in the Cairo Citadel. This marked a shift from the Qalawunid dynasty.

Barquq purged rival Mamluk factions, particularly the Z

Barquq was deposed by a coalition of Mamluk rebels led by Mintash and Yalbugha al-Nasiri. He was imprisoned in the Cairo Citadel and later exiled to al-Karak. This rebellion temporarily restored the Qalawunid puppet Sultan Hajji II.

Barquq escaped from al-Karak and raised an army. He defeated the rebel forces and recaptured Cairo. He was restored to the sultanate and executed his rivals. This return solidified his control and ended the Qalawunid restoration.

Barquq faced the threat of Timur's invasion of Syria. He sent an army to defend Aleppo but avoided a direct confrontation. Barquq's diplomatic efforts and military preparations deterred Timur from invading Egypt, preserving Mamluk rule.

Barquq died in Cairo, likely from natural causes. He was succeeded by his son An-Nasir Faraj. Barquq's reign founded the Burji dynasty, which ruled Egypt until the Ottoman conquest in 1517.

Tokhtamysh, with the support of Timur, defeated the rebellious general Mamai and reunified the Golden Horde under his rule. He restored the Horde's authority over the Russian principalities, ending a period of fragmentation.

Tokhtamysh led a campaign against the Grand Duchy of Moscow. He besieged and captured Moscow, burning the city and massacring its inhabitants. The victory reasserted Mongol dominance over the Russian principalities.

Tokhtamysh invaded Timur's territory in Transoxiana, starting a war between the two Mongol rulers. Timur retaliated by invading the Golden Horde, defeating Tokhtamysh at the Battle of the Kondurcha River in 1391.

Timur decisively defeated Tokhtamysh at the Battle of the Terek River. The victory destroyed Tokhtamysh's army and led to the sack of Sarai, the capital of the Golden Horde. Tokhtamysh fled and never regained power.

After his defeat by Timur, Tokhtamysh fled to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He was killed in a skirmish with a rival Mongol faction near Tyumen. His death marked the end of the last attempt to reunite the Golden Horde.