Pages: 741-770

The article primarily focuses on the historical geography of the Crimean territories of the Genoese Gazaria. The Genoese Gazaria is the totality of the Genoese possessions on the lands of the Golden Horde, especially in the coastal areas of the Northern Black Sea, where the medieval toponym “Gazaria” was used to embrace the whole state of the Golden Horde. In general, there were no clear state borders in the Genoese Gazaria: those were coastal zones under the rule of the khans of the Golden Horde, where the Genoese would be given separate quarters in the cities and would enjoy autonomous rights, or would establish their settlements on the coast. The Crimean peninsula was an exception in this system, there the Genoese settled a whole system of cities and rural districts, with clear political and administrative borders. The domain of the Genoese on the Crimean peninsula developed into independent political and administrative system during a long and gradual process, which took a hundred years: from the origin of the main regional center in Caffa (around 1275) to 1387. The author addresses historical geography of the various administrative parts of the Genoese Gazaria on the Crimean peninsula: the rural district of Caffa, Consulates of Soldaia, Cembalo and Vosporo, and possessions on the Southern Coast of the Crimea, the Kerch Peninsula and the Tarkhankut Peninsula. He also analyzes findings of a study into the historical topography of the four fortified Genoese cities — Caffa, Soldaia, Cembalo and Vosporo.

Keywords: Crimea, Genoese Gazaria, Caffa, Campania of Caffa, Soldaia, Cembalo, Consulate, historical geography, historical topography, archaeology

Information about author:

Sergei Bocharov. Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Butlerov St., 30, Kazan, 420012, Russian Federation; Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University.  Kremlevskaya St., 18, Kazan, 420008, Russian Federation.
E-mail: [email protected]