Sarai (city)
Sarai (also Saraj, Saray al - Mahrus - " gottbeschütztes house," Old Sarai, Sarai - Batu, derived from the Persian سرای Saray "house", "residence" ) was a medieval city, the capital of the Golden Horde and one of the largest Eurasia cities of the Middle Ages.
Alt- Sarai
Alt- Sarai was founded after returning from the expedition to Hungary in 1242 by Batu Khan and was on the Akhtuba, a tributary of the Volga River, about 120 kilometers upstream from today's Astrakhan on the area of the village Selitrennoe Rajon Chara in Bali. Their population is estimated at up to 600,000, the area of the city, 10 km along the river stretched, was 36 square kilometers. Among its residents to Mongols, Kipchaks, Alans, Circassians, Russians and Bulgarians were also Byzantines and Italians. After the subjugation of the principality of Vladimir - Suzdal by Batu Khan in 1238 the armies of the rulers had to travel to Sarai, to receive from the Khan of the Golden Horde the title of prince.
Saraj - Batu was the economic and commercial center of the Golden Horde and was located on the Silk Road. Every people lived in his own district. In each district there was everything necessary for life - school, church, bazaar, graveyard. In addition to the separation by nationality, there was the breakdown by occupation - the Forging, jewelry, glass blowers, metal artisan district. The majority of the buildings consisted of bricks. The town had a sewerage and water supply.
1261 an eparchy was established in Saraj - Batu.
New Sarai
Latest under Jani Beg (around 1342 ) was the capital 180 km upriver to New Sarai ( Saray al - Jadidah ) at today's Kolobovka (formerly Carev ) laid. This town, appearing for the first time in 1310, according to Frähn on the coins was probably built under Uzbek Khan in the 1330ern the capital. Another term is Sarai Berke. But it is not clear whether this is equivalent to new or Alt- Sarai.
1366 Old Sarai was sacked and burned by the Russian Uschkuiniki, 1395 New Sarai by Timur. Both cities but disappeared in the 15th century by the coins.
Archeology
Over decades of excavations in Sarai - Batu were archaeological layers of the 14th - 15th Discovered century, but not from the 13th century. There is a version of AW Patschkalow which from the city of Sarai at first was in what is now the village of Krasny Yar - where finds of the 13th century were made - and was moved only around the year 1330 on the territory of the present village Selitrennoe.