Ukek

Ukek ( Tatar: Ükäk [ y'kæk ] ), or even Ukaka, was the third largest city of the Golden Horde during the 13th and 14th century. The city lay on the Volga, near present-day Saratov. Beginning of the 14th century, the city was one of the economic and political centers of the Golden Horde, before it was destroyed in 1395 by the Mongol troops under Tamerlane ( Timur Lenk). The ruins of palaces, mosques, homes and businesses are still partially preserved today.

Geography

Ukek lay on the right bank of the Volga River at the mouth of the river Uwekowka. The city was located exactly in the middle between the capital of the Golden Horde Sarai and Bolgar, the ancient capital of the Volga Bulgars. Ukek extended over more than 3.3 km in north-south direction and 1.4 km in east-west direction. Thus, the city covered an area of ​​almost 205 hectares.

Today, the ruins of the city are located about 10 km south of the Russian city of Saratov. Still exists near the ruins of a settlement called Uwek field. Another settlement near the ruins field is the village Neftjanoi.

History

Several medieval chroniclers wrote about Ukek, so that information about the city are still plentiful today. Chroniclers about the Ukek reported were: Abu l - Fida, Ibn Battuta, Nizam al-Din Shami, Sheref -ad -din Iezdi, probably William of Rubruk and Marco Polo. The latter mentioned in his travel reports, the city Ukek and visited this city possibly. The city's name is also found on several medieval maps, including from the years 1367 ( Dominico & Francisco Pizzigani ) and 1459 (Fra Mauro ).

After the death of the Mongol Great Khan Ögedei to Batu Khan, Khan of the Golden Horde moved to the military campaigns against the Russian Grand Duke Yuri II, the Hungarian king Béla IV and the Kipchaks in winter 1242/43 in the Volga Delta back. The sub-tribes of the Golden Horde ruled in the time to the whole Volga - Don region between the Caspian Sea and Ukek, the former frontier town to the realm of the Volga Bulgars.

An exact time of city foundation can not be determined from the sources known today, but it is assumed that the formation between the years 1240 and 1250 happened. This Ukek would be one of the oldest cities of the Golden Horde.

The destruction of the city is assumed for the year 1395. The official historian of Tamerlane describes how these plunders the region during the persecution of his enemies and returns richly laden. In later records such as those of the English explorer Anthony Jenkinson of 1558 only ruins of a city with a stone fortress and grave stones are described.