The White Horde (Kazakh: Ақ Орда/Aq Orda, Tatar: Ак Урда/Aq Urda) was one of the uluses within the Mongol Empire formed around 1226, after the death of Genghis Khan and subsequent division of his empire. It was the western constituent part of the Golden Horde (the eastern part was the Blue Horde).[1][2]
Initially it covered the western part of the territory ruled by Jochi and included western Central Asia and south-western Siberia. Its first khan was Orda-Ichen, son of Jochi.[3] The capital of the White Horde was originally at Lake Balkhash, but later moved to Sygnaq, Kazakhstan on the Syr-Darya River.[4] But Seybanids lived along the coast of Syr-Darya in mid 13 th century.
When White Horde troops serving under Hulegu in Persia, their noble Kuli, who was a son of Orda, died in 1259/1260. In mid 13th century, White Horde elites supported Arik Boke and Kaidu because they were supported by Golden Horde khans such as Berke and Mengu Temur. But Kunchi had been sided with Yuan Dynasty and Ilkhan since 1280's. In 1300, Kuruichik desposed Bayan who fled to Tokhta. Kaidu and Duwa saw their chance and supported him. By 1315, Bayan had reoccupied most of his ancestors lands. And their family began herding around Syr-Darya.
Their khan Chymtai sent his brothers to take Golden Horde throne during the Great turnmoil that began in 1360. But they all murdered before reaching success. Members from White Horde (sometimes it is the same as Blue Horde), Khizr and then his son Arab Shaykh enthroned in Golden Horde by force[5].
In 1364, during the Blue Horde's period of anarchy, (1357-1380), Urus Khan, eighth khan of the White Horde, became a contested khan of both the Blue Horde and the White Horde. He extruded the members from the House of Khizr. Urus died in 1377, and when his nephew Toqtamish wrested control of the White Horde from Urus's son Timur-Malik in 1378 [6], he regained control of the Blue Horde as well. Toqtamish consolidated the two hordes, becoming the Khan of the Golden Horde.
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