THE GREEK-ARMENIAN FACTOR OF THE JOCHID ULUS IN EUROPEAN HISTORIOGRAPHY

Abstract

The article analyzes the perception of Greek and Armenian presence in the Jochid Ulus as reflected in European historiography. Based on a review of sources and Western scholarly works, it explores the social, economic, and religious aspects of the lives of Armenian and Greek communities in the Golden Horde. Particular attention is given to issues of adaptation, assimilation, and interaction with the Mongol administration and the Islamized elite. Armenians predominantly retained religious autonomy and operated within urban trade and crafts, while, according to European sources, Greeks more frequently joined military structures within the khan’s entourage, partially converted to Islam, and participated in the administrative system. The article examines interpretations of these processes within the European academic tradition, identifying key narrative models and assessments of the roles played by Greeks and Armenians in the multiethnic structure of the Golden Horde(Ulus of Jochi).