THE IMPORTANCE OF MIDDLE VOLGA CITIESIN COMMODITY AND MONEY RELATIONS OF THE GOLDEN HORDE

Abstract

The Volga River, which played a decisive role in the economic development of the Volga-Bulgar state, was one of the important communication points of the northern branch of the Great Silk Road. The Volga River flows into the Caspian Sea and provides a link with China, as it is on the main trade route through the Caucasus with Iran, Turkestan and Khorezm. Also, the largest branch of the Volga - Kama (Chulman) provided a connection between the Zhaiyk River and Western Siberia. Trade that began in the VI century between the Scandinavian countries and the Sassanids across the Volga, with the participation of Russians in this trade, developed and contributed to the fact that in the IX-XIII centuries the Volga Bulgars played a large role in international trade. At the beginning of the XII century, as a result of the Mongol invasion, the state of the Volga Bulgars lost its independence and became part of the Golden Horde state.
Economic and trade ties, weakened by the Mongol invasion, were revived and developed again with the creation of a new state. Especially in the 40-50s of the XIII century, the cities of the Middle Volga region played an important role in the development of economic and commodity- money relations of the Golden Horde. Evidence of this is the minting of Jochid coins, wide circulation of money, treasures of precious jewelry, cauldrons and other items indicating the volume and scale of internal trade.