Article - HISTORY OF THE GIRAY’S HOUSE

From the Juchi ulus of the Great Horde to the Crimean Khanate

In the middle of the 15th century, the powerful Chinggisid empire did not disappear. Great Ulus, great state, better known to historians as the Golden Horde, not broken up about camping. The land came under the authority of the rulers of the Crimean Khanate-bey - direct descendants of Genghis Khan. The administrative center, which was previously in the capital of the Great Horde, Saray, moved to the city of Kyrym. From now on, the Crimean Khan begins to rule over his huge empire from here.

Historians still continue to wonder: why the Great Horde was inherited by ulus beys of Crimea? After all, they, unlike their relatives, had never previously claimed supreme power in the Horde.

How did it happen and who are the Crimean ulus-beys? What kinship were they with Genghis Khan and his immediate descendants? How did they conquer the supreme power of the Horde and form a new state and a new dynasty?

The history of the Giray’s dynasty is more amazing than it might seem at first glance. After all, not a single source before 1441 mentions the name "Giray". Even now we do not know for sure whether this name was proper or whether it belonged to a certain genus. It is only known that in history the first Giray was Haji - a direct descendant of Genghis Khan.

He was one of the famous and revered monarchs, who was destined to change the Horde world, modernize the outdated system, approve new laws and principles of government.

But before talking about Haji Giray, you should look about 200 years ago to build a chain of events and to find out , when and under what circumstances were the ancestors of the historic arena Haji Giray .

It is well known that Haji kept an ancestry from the first son of Genghis Khan - Jochi.

Jochi Khan had numerous offspring, the second son Batu Khan and his descendants inherited the throne of the Great Horde in Sarai, but the descendants of the thirteenth son of Juchi Tukai-Timur were given control over the Crimean ulus-yurt , which had been part of the Chinggisid empire from the middle of the XIII century. It happened in 1260 in the reign supreme Horde Khan's grandson Batu Khan - Mengu-Timur. It was Mengu-Timur who officially approved the Crimean ulus for his relative Uran-Timur, the son of Tukai-Timur, who laid the foundation for hereditary power not only on the peninsula, but also on the adjacent mainland of the northern lands of the Black Sea basin.

About Uranium Timur there is no a lot information. A number of researchers are lean towards that under his rule Italians officially concluded in 1266 an agreement on the establishment of trading posts on the peninsula. The agreement stipulated that all trade operations should be carried out in the city of Solkhat, wherever caravans of goods arrived from the East.

It was under the ulus-beys that Solkhat began to be called Kyrym . Very soon this name was transferred to the entire peninsula. There is a version that " Kyrym " is translated as "fortress".

For the first time, the toponym " Kyrym " is used by the Arabic writer and geographer-scientist at the turn of the XIII- XIV centuries Abu-l-Feda. But this place name and even today remains a topic of debate in the scientific community, because there are many hypotheses and none of them satisfactory solution has not yet received.

According to the chronicles, there was a khan's palace in the city, supposedly built during the reign of Batu Khan. But there are never lived khans of the Great Horde. It served as a residence for the governors of the Crimean ulus-yurt Uran-Timur and his descendants.

Both cathedral and quarter mosques operated here. Madrasahs rose separately. And this was not accidental, because a whole galaxy of scientists lived in Solkhat, and they were under the special patronage of the governors or, as they were sometimes called in sources, the khans of Crimea.

In turn, the Khans have spared no resources, creating conditions for the cultural and intellectual elite not only Solkhat, but and all Ulus-Yurt. Very soon, large scientific and religious centers began to open throughout the peninsula, where scientists could engage in scientific research. In short, the Crimean rulers were not passive masters trusted their region, they have done entirely to Crimea prospered.

So also in the city functioned Tekie dervishes, inns, baths, public libraries and other public institutions. Among the state institutions of those years in the city was the Mint. The first coin of the Horde period, which was minted here , dates back to 1266/1267. But apart from everything, Solkhat under Khan Uran-Timur became the center of international trade.

The clan of Uran-Timur formally ruled in the rank of emirs - khan's governors, but in reality, in their hands, power was concentrated in the Northern Black Sea region and the Crimea. Uran-Timur made sure that the Crimean throne passed only to his heirs, from father to son. This went on for about a century. Each of the khans of Crimea was a descendant of Timur Uranus and sought to perpetuate his name in the history of the Crimea. A vivid example is the majestic Uzbek mosque. It has survived to this day and is considered the oldest surviving religious building of the early XIV century in Crimea. Next to it are the ruins of the madrasah of the same name.

The cathedral mosque was built in honor of the Khan of the Great Horde Uzbek, who officially approved Islam as the state religion. The author of the idea was the great-grandson of Uran-Timur, the hereditary emir of the Crimea, Chinggisid Tulek-Timur, and the closest relative of the Supreme Khan of the Horde.

Reign of Khan Uzbek, for a 28 years, the researchers called the golden age of the Great Horde - the highest political and economic prosperity time, the rise of the military power and urban development, strengthening of the international authority.

Khan Uzbek carried out large-scale reforms to introduce Islam into all spheres of human life, and created an efficiently working system of state power and administration. He enjoyed to get support and respect of his subjects. And, apparently, it was no coincidence that after a year and a half of his reign, the Crimean community reported that a cathedral mosque was built in the city of Kyrym with the mention of the name of Khan Uzbek.

The khan himself has never been to the city of Kyrym, and there is no evidence that it was he who allocated funds from the state treasury for such a large-scale construction of those years. In fact, the construction of the mosque was financed by the governor of the Crimean ulus-yurt, Khan Tulek-Timur, and the elders of the city were the initiators.

The mosque began to function in 1314. The first Imam that, read in the mosque preaching, was Sadeddin, about that referred the contemporary and traveler Ibn Battuta. Today, the project did not survive, nor the architectural drawings of worship, which, perhaps, originally was called differently, and, unfortunately, did not survive descriptions, to select and place covered the preparatory and construction work. And most importantly, why the mosque was built before the official adoption of Islam by Khan Uzbek. To be honest, it can be assumed that Uzbek was already an adherent of Islam.

The Uzbek Mosque belongs to the basilica type. Initially, it was crowned with a dome. But over time, the damaged dome was replaced by a gable roof, covered with tiles. A high minaret was built into the southeast corner of the mosque.

At first glance it looks like a mosque reserved strictly, and this is a special beauty. The main entrance is located on the north side. It is framed by a high stone portal with fine carvings and intricate patterns on carved capitals, harmoniously turning into Arabic script. The inscription contains: the date of construction, the name of Khan Muhammad Uzbek and the name of the architect. It was the local master Abdul-Aziz-Yusuf, the son of Ibraim.

Special interest is the interior of the temple. Once the walls of the mosque were faced with blue tiles and painted with floral ornaments. The floor was probably paved with marble slabs and covered with carpets. Today it is being replaced by stone slabs. The ceiling was made of wood, perhaps, it was covered with patterns. The room itself is divided into three naves by two parallel rows of 8-sided columns with stalactite capitals, longitudinally connected by pointed arches. Two rows of windows, lower and upper, gave more light and created a special atmosphere inside the room.

The old masters were excellent specialists in acoustics. They mounted special jugs horizontally into the walls of the mosque. And today only in the wall above the mihrab one can count five voices-holes.

But the most important decoration, of course, was and is the mihrab, located in the southern wall of the building. It is perfectly preserved. It is decorated with exquisite stone carvings and the inscription of a prayer from the Koran - "Aetul kursi". The architectural features of the construction once again confirm that such a mosque could only be built by a local craftsman who was well acquainted with the soil of the area and with building materials delivered from other regions of Crimea. In addition, the architect Abdul-Aziz-Yusuf lived his entire life in Solkhat and was buried in the center of the cemetery adjacent to the mosque. Therefore, the assumptions of the pre-revolutionary authors and the Soviet assertions that the architect of such a large-scale building was the exit from Bukhara do not stand up to any criticism. There is no written evidence of those years either.

Near the mosque of Khan Uzbek there was a madrasah with a majestic twelve-meter portal. The madrasah appeared later than the mosque - in 1332. It is mentioned in the writings of the famous Arab traveler Ibn Battut, who visited Crimea in 1333. It should be noted that this madrasah belongs to one of the earliest Crimean temples of science.

This time philanthropist and the initiator of the grand buildings of the Crimea made the first lady, the wife of Ulus Bey Tulek Timur - Inci hatun Kutlug Timur. We can make an assumption that Inj and Khatun herself was an educated and sophisticated Muslim woman, descended from a noble Crimean family, bey Kylburun. She personally chose the place where, had to be madrasas.

It is noteworthy that before the picks of the builders began to work, laying the foundation for the madrasah, this place was a craft district and noisy trading rows. Inji Khatun was not embarrassed. She was able to negotiate with the owners of shops and transfer them to another place, and vacant land used for grand at the time of the construction.

It was a square building, faced with beautiful stone, with a large courtyard, facades oriented to the cardinal points. Login from the east and is decorated with beautiful high portal. All rooms, auditoriums, galleries were crowned with vaults. The external forms of the building were monumental, with a stepped silhouette of the walls. The courtyard was open and tiled. There was a fountain in the middle. On the south and north sides there were large rooms - auditoriums. Here the sokty students were engaged, they were taught by the best teachers in those days. It should be noted that Inji Khatun not only financed the construction of the madrasah, she was the patroness of Crimean scientists and sought to attract the best minds to the abode of science.

Forty years later, Inji Khatun passed away. Obviously, she bequeathed to bury her on the territory of her main brainchild. Her right was performed. The auditorium in the northern part of the madrasah was rebuilt into the founder's mausoleum, which was accompanied by a significant redevelopment of the building.

During the reign of Tulek-Timur, fountains were built in Solkhat and a charitable foundation was founded. Apparently led it Inji Khatun . The inhabitants of Crimea treated their rulers with respect, who left behind a worthy generation. The son of Tulek-Timur and Inji Khatun Kutlug-Timur inherited the Crimean throne of his father and, probably , with his wife Ir-Sultan Khatun continued the work of his parents. Confirm this miracle sohranivsh s camping and discovered archaeologist th Osman th Akchokrakly inscription above the main entrance of the village in a dilapidated mosque Sheikh Coy (near present-day TERM Simferopol). The unique building was erected by order of the Crimean Emir Kutlug-Timur, the son of Tulek-Timur.

And above the other door was the date of construction: the month of Shaban in 760, that is, the summer of 1359.

However, this iconic building is not really a mosque. In the first inscription it is called "dar-ul-hiffaz", that is, "the house of the hafiz". Hafiz are clerics who know the Koran by heart. They enjoyed indisputable authority and were the main ideologists of those years. That is, they could have influenced public opinion. They often paid camping advice, not only ordinary people but also members of the nobility.

In addition to the "house of Hafiz" in Sheikh Some name Kutlug Timur carved font and at the plate on, built in the same 1359 in the village of Otuzy (modern Yemen Shebetovka about Sudak). These were far from the only architectural buildings erected at the behest and at the expense of the famous family of emirs, ulus-beys or khans of Crimea. The female half of the dynasty did not lag behind the khans. The wife of Kutlug-Timur, Ir-Sultan Khatun, continued the work of her mother-in-law, patronized the Crimean scientists, and the granddaughter of Kutlug-Timur Bai-Bugly Khatun founded a tekie Takhir bey.

The clan of the Crimean governors did not interrupt their dynasty. Of course, during the Great Troubles in the Horde and their lot trials fell, but they endured them with honor and almost never parted with their native Crimea. It is important to note that they have always strived to rule according to the laws and traditions of the region. The first rule for every ulus-bey is to respect the rights and freedoms of the local population. In addition, almost all the descendants of Uran-Timur had spouses from noble families of the Crimeans, and their children gradually became Crimeans who selflessly loved their homeland.

As already mentioned above, all the ulus-beys of the Crimea were direct descendants of Genghis Khan and could claim the throne in the Horde. However, not one of them even thought about it until the circumstances changed.

In 1359, after the assassination of the last khan of the Batu Berdibek clan, a fierce struggle for the throne broke out in the Chinggisid Empire. I touched it and Krymsk th yurts and. In the second half of the XIV century, the Uran-Timur clan lost power.

The hereditary ulus-bey or the Khan of Crimea Tash-Timur, the great-grandson of Tulek-Timur, did not want to put up with this situation. To return the throne that belonged to him, he teamed up with his relative , Khan Tokhtamysh.

Tokhtamysh, back in 1380, having enlisted the support of the Samarkand ruler, Emir Timur, proclaimed himself to the khans of the Great Horde. Historians believe that with the coming to power of this khan, the Troubles in the Horde ended.

Tokhtamysh and Tash-Timur were united by a common ancestor - the thirteenth son of Jochi Tukai-Timur. Both were Chinggisid’s, both had every right to the horse power. But the relatives managed to agree and divide the spheres of influence. They probably entered into an agreement to support each other in the confrontation with external enemies, so very soon Tash-Timur again occupied the ancestral palace in the Crimean Solkhat.

There is information that in the early 1390s an embassy arrived in Solkhat from the Lithuanian prince Vitovt. According to a written source of the late 16th century called "Risale-i-Tatari-Leh", Vitovt asked Tash-Timur for military assistance against his enemies, and the khan immediately sent several thousand of the best askers under his command.

Probably, it was about a military confrontation that broke out between the cousins Vitovt and Jagiello, the king of Poland. In 1392, the war ended in favor of Vitovt, he defended his patrimony and received the crown of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

And the Crimean askers returned home, but not for long. Tash-Timur, at the head of the army, set off for modern Dagestan. Here he joined up with Tokhtamysh's army. The allies came forward to meet the recent patron of Tokhtamysh, and now the enemy - the Samarkand emir Timur.

Perhaps, if Tokhtamysh had been a talented military leader, the army of the Samarkand emir Timur could have been stopped on April 14, 1395 on the banks of the Terek. But that did not happen. The Horde Khan suffered a fiasco and retreated.

Tokhtamysh took refuge in the Bulgar city. As for Tash-Timur, he and his people left for Crimea. Having repulsed one of the troops of Emir Timur who had invaded the peninsula, he proclaimed himself an independent khan of Crimea. In the same year, a coin with the name Tash-Timur was minted in Solkhat.

The rule of Tash-Timur in the status of an independent khan of Crimea was marked by stability, until the next year Tokhtamysh invaded his lands with a handful of associates. It is unlikely that Tash-Timur was glad of such a guest. After losing the throne in Saray and leash ivshis stable income, Tokhtamysh demanded double tax Genoese, whose factories were located in Kef and Sudak. Neither the Genoese nor Tash-Timur liked this.

Probably Tash-Timur offered Tokhtamysh leave Crimea, recalling, who is the ruler of the Crimea. The offended, defeated Khan of the Horde went in search of new allies, this time to Kiev, which belonged to the Lithuanian prince Vitovt. The rest of the Tatars who came with Tokhtamysh, Vitovt ordered to settle between Kanev and Cherkassy. And Tokhtamysh gave ownership of the city of Lida in the principality of Lithuania .

It was naive to believe that the ambitious Tokhtamysh would forgive Tash-Timur. The Khan of Crimea himself did not count on this. But he could not imagine that Tokhtamysh would find the necessary arguments and conclude an agreement on mutual assistance with Vitovt.

Arriving in Kiev, Tokhtamysh was received by the Lithuanian prince. And soon they came to a mutually beneficial agreement. Vitovt, who already had a strong army equipped with pishchal and cannons, will help Tokhtamysh regain the throne in Sarai.

In exchange, Tokhtamysh will cede the Moscow ulus to Vitovt. But before going to Sarai, Tokhtamysh insisted on starting the return of the lands of the Great Horde from the Crimea. In the summer of 1397, the Lithuanian-Tatar army set out from Kiev and on September 8 approached the Crimea.

Tokhtamysh's motives were clear: he needed to sort out relations with Tash-Timur, to remind that not so long ago he was the supreme khan of the Horde. It seemed that Tokhtamysh was a success.

But other heroes of those turbulent events were already in a hurry to Crimea - Chingisid Temur-Kutlug, who took the throne in Sarai, and the Horde commander Edigi. Both were devoted to an alliance with the Samarkand conqueror and saw Tokhtamysh as an enemy.

The opponents were related to each other. Tokhtamysh, Timur-Kutlug and Tash-Timur were united by a common ancestor Tukai-Timur, and Edigey was married to Tokhtamysh's daughter Janika khanim. But family ties only strengthened the general enmity, because everyone claimed absolute power. Clashes tr e sides were inevitable. A small detachment of Khan Timur-Kutlug and Edigey then lost to Tokhtamysh, and this gave him confidence. He immediately sent ambassadors to Solkhat to Tash-Timur with the demand to recognize him as the supreme khan again. But he received a categorical refusal. In order not to completely sever relations between recent allies and relatives, Prince Vitovt intervened. Not reliably known, whether he Vytautas in 1397 in the Crimea, but that he has made efforts to ensure that the Tash-Timur ceded the throne in the Crimean yurt Tokhtamysh.

It would seem that under the circumstances, the relationship between the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vitovt and the Khan of Crimea Tash-Timur should have deteriorated. However, circumstances took a completely different turn. None of the source does not provide a clear th and clear th answer as well: at that time in these days of autumn 1397 happened in the Crimea? As Vytautas managed to keep the relationship with Tash-Timur, and why Tokhtamysh remained in the Crimea, and Tash-Timur Sun e is forced to set off to Lithuania? However, be that as it called and it was, and Vytautas gave Tash-Timur their land in the heart of their possessions - in the capital Trakai. Khan of the Crimea in the actual expulsion accompanied and family, tribal aristocracy and the actual part of the Crimean Tatars. The khan was followed by another inhabitants of the Crimea - the Karaites.

In fact, the migration of Crimean Tatars and Karaites to Lithuania remains not entirely clear. Available sources are sketchy and do not fully reveal the reasons for this unusual migration. Until today, the question remains: why did Tash-Timur, who fought for the Crimean yurt for most of his life, left for Lithuania? Was it a necessary measure or his own desire? However, Tash-Timur took refuge with Vitovt and was warmly received by the Lithuanian side. It is likely that a two -sided agreement was concluded between the two leaders, in line with the interests of Lithuania and Crimea. Vitovt allocated one of his residences to his friend and ally, and resettled the Crimeans who came with him in his principality. Until now, their descendants live in Lithuania.

So, the 90s of the XIV century were full of historical events. The heroes of those years waged a fierce struggle for power, for status and for land. Recent allies became enemies, and opponents, pursuing their interests, united in political alliances. No one then thought could admit that the string of endless battles, battles and intrigues prepared the way for cardinal changes in the Horde world. And a small part of the Crimeans who moved to Lithuania will give a new dynasty and new rulers of the Great Horde, who will be destined to build a completely different state, whose language, laws and traditions will leave an imprint on this Eastern Europe and will remain to this day. But before this happens, a boy will be born in the family of Tash-Timur's son Giyas-ad-din, whom the then world will recognize very soon as Hadji Giray. After the birth of Khadzhi, the name of Khan Tash-Timur disappears from the pages of the chronicles; probably, in Lithuania, he is our e l eternal rest.

Tash-Timur had numerous offspring, but on the historical scene of those years played a significant role only a few sons - Ali-Gias ad- Din and Devlet Birdie. Brothers my whole life laid on the struggle to restore e their rights to Krymsk s yurts. However, it was Haji's job to end this struggle. It is he who will put an end to strife in the large family of Chinggisid’s, and will finally secure for himself and his descendants the title of the supreme khan of the Great Horde and exalt the still recent provincial Crimean ulus-yurt, turning it into an independent state. All this will be possible thanks to his talents - the talents of a person who was to change the course of history. At first glance, the story of Haji may seem confusing and woven from legends and traditions. Of course, you can be skeptical about some of them, but there is some truth in them. Sun is, that it is known, the Prince - Chinggisid, the future Great Khan of the Great Horde and Crimea was born in Trakai family Gias ad-Din, son of the hereditary Khan Crimean yurt Tash-Timur , and Asiya Khatun , daughter of a noble Crimean nobles.

Almost nothing is known about the birth and early years of Prince Haji. Only one thing is clear - the future Crimean Khan was born approximately in 1397. It can be assumed that up to ten years he lived in Trakai with his mother. Here he received his primary education.

At the same time, his father Giyas ad-Din, together with his brothers, by force of arms tried to restore the status quo of his parent in the Crimean yurt. It is known as well, that they took part on the side of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas in the Battle of the Vorskla River in 1399 and in the Battle of Grunwald in 1410.

Haji's mother made sure that her son not only comprehended book sciences, but also knew how to wield a blade, a sword about m, a lance, shoot straight from a bow and stay in the saddle. In short, from a young age she prepared warrior in producing n e m endurance, agility, courage. And most importantly, Asia tirelessly repeated that he was birth as a Chingisid and was called by the Almighty to rule the Great Ulus.

There is a legend that Khadzhi was taken by his father on one of the campaigns as a teenager. Giyas ad-Din died in a fierce battle. Then maybe his uncle Devlet Birdie, so as not to endanger his nephew, ordered the faithful servant to take him to a safe place, namely, the Sufi, former mentor of GIS-al-Din and ally Tash-Timur Devlet Gel'd allegedly was in this time in the steppes of the Northern Black Sea region. The Sufi warmly received the son of his pupil. The prince lived in the Devlet-Geldi family for about seven years. The former mentor of his father now became his atalik (named father) and took part in the further education of the young man, honoring him as a future monarch.

But where Haji went after he left the Sufi's house in about 1415 remains unknown. We can assume that for some time he roamed the expanses of the Steppes, or returned to the friendly Lithuania, where the sun is, still living his mother Asiya Khatun. However, four years later, there was a change, change the position of e offspring kind Tash-Timur. In 1419, the powerful Edige died. Hadji Devlet Birdie's uncle took advantage of this circumstance. He stood at the head of the Crimean yurt, and his cousin Khan Muhammad ascended the throne in the Horde. After Devlet Berdi established himself in the Crimea, he immediately announced his victory to Prince Vitovt and not only. The messengers left the residence of the new khan of the Crimean yurt - Kyrym - for all the nearest principalities and kingdoms. A rich embassy was even equipped for the Egyptian sultan. This interesting episode was not ignored by historians, who noted that Devlet Birdie was not alien to the fine arts. True, in Cairo his florid style remained incomprehensible. The head of the embassy had to convey in words that the ruler of the distant Crimea informed the Egyptian sultanate that he - Devlet Berdi - restored justice, regaining the throne of his ancestors, and that now Saray is ruled by his brother Mohammed and they have a common enemy in the East - Borak.

It can be assumed that the years of Devlet Birdie's rule were successful both in domestic and foreign policy. Speaking about this Khan of Crimea, it is difficult to avoid another important event.

In 1426, John IV Comnenus, the son of the Emperor of Trebizond, fled to Crimea, who managed to convince Khan Devlet Berdi to support him in the confrontation with his father. The political union was sealed by a marriage between John himself and one of the khan's daughters. But then, could Devlet Berdi himself and his family members have assumed that through this marriage he would become the great-great-grandfather of the Shah of the Persian Empire Ismail I, the founder of the Safavid dynasty.

Khadzhi was also a witness to his cousin's wedding. Probably, he joined his uncle's court in Kyrym in 1419. By that time he was about 22 years old. However, his name will appear on the pages of history a little later, but for now the young man did not waste time. Having inherited diplomacy from his father, he managed to win the trust and sympathy of the powerful Crimean beys, and most importantly, a noble maternal relative, respected by all Janika khanim, the ruler of the city of Kyrk-Era. It was this lady, the daughter of Khan Tokhtamysh and the widow of the temnik Edige, who enjoyed indisputable authority among the Crimean population, who supported her nephew. More precisely, she made a bet on him and was not mistaken.

Perhaps further events would have developed differently if Devlet Birdie had not considered that, by birthright, he could well claim the Horde throne in Sarai. Therefore, when his rival Chinggisid Borak in 1427 seized power in the capital Sarai and expelled Muhammad, who found refuge in Lithuania, Devlet Berdi with his army came to the Volga and recaptured the throne of the great Khakan. He hastened to proclaim himself a great khan. And that was his fatal mistake. Within a few months, and according to other sources - just three days later, Borak made a new attempt to recapture the Horde throne. This time the son of Tash-Timur was not lucky. Devlet Birdie died under the walls of the city of Saray.

Probably, going to the Volga, to the center of the Horde, Devlet Berdi left his nephew Khadzhi to manage the Crimean ulus instead. The latter, after the death of his uncle in 1427, involuntarily found himself in the center of the events taking place. The local tribal aristocracy thought about officially electing Khadzhi as their khan. But she didn't have time to do it. Today historians would not have any questions about the date of the formation of the Crimean Khanate, if the throne remained for Khadzhi. But Muhammad, better known as Ulu-Muhammad, a great- uncle and at the same time a rival of the young prince, reappeared on the historical arena. In 1428 he returned and, supported by the strong clans Mangyt, Kongrad and Shirin, managed to capture not only the entire Great Ulus, but also the Crimea. And if earlier he was ready to recognize his cousin Devlet Berdi as the khan of the Crimean Ulus independent of the Horde, now he considered that Crimea is a part of the Great Chinggisid state, and he did not intend to endure any new khans.

At the beginning of October 1428, on the day of a total solar eclipse, Hadji Girai left his homeland and went with his family to Lithuania.

In 1433, Khadzhi returned to the Crimea. This time he came with the army of the Lithuanian prince Sigismund. He was joined by local beys from the Shirinsky and Arginsky clans. But face this time had not the old Ulu-Mohammed, and with a strong horde of Seid Ahmed, grandson and Khan Tokhtamysh.

The Lithuanian army, at that time one of the strongest in Europe, wavered in front of the Horde. Khadzhi again had to return to Lithuania, to the city of Lida, given to him by the Lithuanian prince Sigismund. And although Seyid-Ahmed did not hold out on the peninsula for long, and another Horde challenger, Kuchuk Muhammad, who expelled him, considering that the deed was done, went to roam with his horde in the Black Sea steppes, Khadzhi was in no hurry to leave Lithuania and conquer the virtually empty grandfather's throne. He preferred to wait for more favorable times. And they came. Crimean beys and murzas, headed by the influential Tegene Shirin bey, themselves came to Lithuania to ask Khadzhi to take the title of Crimean Khan again.

In 1441, Haji Girai solemnly set off from Vilna to the capital of the Crimean yurt - Kyrym.

With the support of the Crimean Tatar aristocracy, Khadzhi finally took the throne in Kyrym and proclaimed himself an independent khan. He fulfilled the wish of his grandfather Tash-Timur, but went even further. In the same year, a coin with the name and title of Khadzhi Giray “The Supreme Sultan” was minted at the khan's residence in the city of Kyrym.

Having come to power, he justified the hopes and aspirations of both the nobility and the common population. First of all, he began a large-scale foreign and domestic policy aimed at strengthening his state and improving it. The appanage princes in the controlled territories recognized the sovereignty of Khadzhi, and then his descendants.

The first Crimean Khan Hadzhi Giray, as from now on he began to be called in all labels and letters, was known as a peaceful ruler. His powerful army set out on campaigns only when diplomacy became powerless.

In 1449, the Crimean Khan moved his capital from the city of Kyrym in the east to the central part of the peninsula - to the city of Kyrk-Er. There was already a mosque, public buildings and Muslim quarters. From that time on, Kyrk-Er became the capital of the Crimean Khanate. And very soon, on the slopes of Cape Burunchak, the construction of the khan's residence begins as a symbol of monarchy - the Devlet Saray palace.

Haji Giray simplified the complex system of ancient laws and customs. He distributed positions and estates to his vassals, thereby tying the most noble families to himself. In order to protect the border territories from external threats, he brought the heads of the nomadic Nogai tribes closer to him, appointing seraskirs - military leaders from among them. Thus, he created a special category of subjects responsible for the military might of the young state.

The Crimean Khanate was dominated by democratic features. So, in the state council - Divan - together with the khan, the heads of four noble Beys' families had great powers. The khan's name was mentioned first in the Friday prayer, and in the cities of Kyrym and after in Kyrk-Er, there was a mint where a coin with the khan's tugra was minted.

Introducing innovations in the administrative and cultural life of the state, the first Crimean khan erected a significant number of mosques and madrassas, actively cultivated Islam and himself performed the hajj to Mecca. Emphasizing the tolerance of the Muslim faith, he allocated considerable funds for the needs of Christians and Jews living in the territory of the khanate.

Remembering the support of the Lithuanian princes Vitovt, Sigismund and Casimir IV, the successor to the Horde inheritance, Haji Girai, strengthens friendly relations with Lithuania as a sign of gratitude, and according to other sources, at the request of the Lithuanian princes themselves, he grants a label with a golden seal for the right to own vast territories. which were part of the Great Horde. It was about the territories of modern Ukraine. The label said that "Kiev with all income, land, water and property", as well as a number of cities in Kiev, Chernigov, Smolensk, Bryansk and many others right up to Novgorod, Khadzhi Giray transferred into the possession of his allies. In return, the Lithuanian princes, and then the Polish kings, were obliged to pay an annual tax for the use of these lands to the state treasury of the Khanate. In other words, these lands were not donated or transferred into ownership. The label issued annually by the khan only confirmed a long-term lease. And it was issued only after the previously agreed amount of tax entered the treasury.

The Crimean-Lithuanian alliance was beneficial to both sides, first of all, it was directed against Haji's rivals. After all, there was still a real threat from Khan Seyid-Akhmed, who was waiting for a convenient situation to remove Haji Girai from the Crimean throne. Therefore, in Kyrk-Yer, the need has ripened to eliminate this external threat.

And in 1452, the Crimean Khan had such a case. The cause of the collision was the devastating campaign of Seyid-Ahmed in the Lithuanian lands. Prince Kazimir called on his Crimean ally to strike back together. This time, Haji Girai inflicted a crushing defeat on the Horde on the banks of the Dnieper. Seid-Akhmed fled from the battlefield, but ended up in Lithuanian captivity, where he remained with his sons until the end of his life. The defeat of the Horde had consequences that were important for the khanate - there was no longer a dangerous contender for the Crimean throne, and the neighboring states recognized the legitimate authority of Hadji Girai. The symbols of Genghis Khan's power, which were in the tent of Seyid-Ahmed - the throne of the great Khakan and the banner - were solemnly transported to Kyrk-Er.

As for the Crimean affairs, here, in addition to the khanate, there were also the Mangup principality and the trading posts of the Genoese republic. And if with the first, Haji Giray had developed peaceful good-neighborly relations since 1428, then a conflict arose between the Genoese consuls from Kafa and Haji Giray due to the limitation of Genoese influence on the peninsula. However, by 1441 it was settled, and the Tatar-Genoese relations acquired a loyal character. Kafa agreed not only to pay an annual tribute, but also provided its port to the Khanate for international trade. Vessels loaded with expensive fabrics, spices, weapons and other goods for the Crimean Tatars approached Kefa, as it was now called. In the 50s, the Crimean Khan established good relations with the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed Fatih, the famous conqueror of Constantinople. But, despite this, in 1454, Haji Giray defended the Genoese colonies, when the Ottoman squadron headed by Kapudan Pasha Demir-Kyahya approached the Kafa shores and intended to storm the fortress. As a result of negotiations with Haji Giray, the Ottoman commander-in-chief withdrew his ships, and the Genoese, in gratitude for their salvation, increased their annual tribute to the Khanate - about 20,000 lire. The climax was for Haji Giray in 1465, when he managed to defeat the army of another rival Chinggisid - Mahmud's second cousin - and become the ruler of the entire Great Ulus. From now on, the Crimean Khanate became the only and indisputable heir to the once powerful state of the Genghisids - the Great Horde.

Haji Giray was well known in Central Europe as well. After the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks, Pope Paul II tried to organize a new crusade in order to free Byzantium from the infidels and to proclaim the creation of a new Latin Empire. In its aspirations, the Vatican went so far that in 1466 the papal nuncio arrived at the court of the Crimean khan with an offer to take part in this event. Hadji Giray knew well that the crusade was another financial operation for the Vatican, and chose to refuse, referring to the fact that this state of affairs does not correspond to the wishes of his friend, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, who, in turn, is friendly with the Ottoman Sultan. In addition, he emphasized that the common Muslim faith forbids waging war against fellow believers. This incident confirmed that Western Europe not only recognized the new state, but also reckoned with its opinion.

In domestic politics, the first Crimean Khan began to consolidate his state. He encouraged in every possible way the desire of many nomadic families to lead a sedentary lifestyle. He gave them land holdings - estates, which from now on were their property and were inherited. He encouraged the development of agriculture, crafts, trade, which met the requirements of the development of the state's economy. All this is reflected in the document of the first Crimean Khan, published by him in Kyrk-Er in 1453.

In addition, the founder of the Crimean Tatar state initiated a number of reforms that required the peaceful development of the country - they related to administrative, economic and cultural construction.

During the reign of Haji Giray, the first seaport in the khanate functioned in Inkerman. The first Crimean merchant ships were built and repaired here. They safely ply in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas, transported valuable goods and passengers.

By the time of the final ascension to the throne of the ancestors, Haji Giray managed to show his qualities in the fire of battles. He was extremely popular among the people, was respected and respected. Haji was a handsome man full of charm. During his lifetime, he received the nickname Melek (Angel) among the people. Perhaps because he possessed an extraordinary mind, talent as a politician and an incredible attractive force that could captivate others with him.

But Khadzhi became not only the first Crimean khan and united under his rule the lands and peoples of the Great Horde. It was with the return of his lands that he began to be referred to as Hadji Giray.

Where the new name came from remains unclear. Previously, the name Giray did not occur in the history of the Chinggisids. Only a legend has survived, to which historians are quite rightly skeptical: when Khadzhi re-established himself on the Crimean throne, a Sufi Devlet-Geldi, a man who was an atalyk khanu , an educator named by his father, came to him with congratulations . Haji turned to the elder with the words: "What mercy are you counting on?" And then Devlet-Geldi asked his former pupil to add the name of his tribe - "Giray" to the name of Khan Khadji . Hadji agreed to his request and from that time began to be called Hadji Giray.

The founder of the Crimean Khanate and the ancestor of the first and only dynasty, Haji Giray, for 39 years of his reign, managed to create an independent state from the provincial Juchi ulus of the Great Horde. He died at the end of 1466 and was buried in Kyrk-Er.

Thanks to Haji Giray, the Crimean Khanate entered the list of the largest states in world history. He left behind eight sons. The elder Devletyar was to inherit the throne. However, he died while his father was still alive, and the khan did not manage to declare another son heir. After the death of Haji Giray, a power struggle broke out between his sons. As a result, the sixth son was established. He continued his father's tradition. He will go down in history as Mengli Giray.

Summing up, we note: the Giray’s and their ancestors from the Genghis Khan clan in the male line were the hereditary rulers of the Crimea and the Northern Black Sea region, connected with this land by blood ties along the female line. These were strong and courageous people who were destined to rule the Great Empire for another three hundred years.