To begin.....the two decades of the 1240s and 1260s are pivotal to the discussion....the 1240s saw the Mongol Empire expanded by conquest into Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, and as far south as Romania. The 1260s saw the empire expand to its maximum limit in the Middle East.
OTL, the Mongols gradually abandoned Tengriism (spell check on that word) in favor of Islam. Gradually, in Persia, the Mongols were absorbed into the general population...to rise again several times...most notably under Timur (Tamerlane). In Russia, the Christian populations gradually threw off the 'Tatar yoke', then began to conquer the fragmented Golden Horde, with the Crimean Khanate being the last European piece of the old Mongol Empire conquered in 1783 (they had been a protectorate of the Ottoman Empire).
Now, what if instead of converting to Islam....the Golden Horde had converted to Greek Orthodox Christianity. Would the Horde's feuds with the Ilkhanate in support of the Horde's Mameluke allies have taken on a religious dimension? Could a Western crusading force join with a Horde army and capture Jerusalem? Would the Mongols in Russia have been absorbed more and driven out less if they were Christians? What of the relations with the other Mongol states, such as the Yuan Empire, and Chagatai Khanate?
If you would like to make a map of how you think a Christian Golden Horde would relate, please do
OTL, the Mongols gradually abandoned Tengriism (spell check on that word) in favor of Islam. Gradually, in Persia, the Mongols were absorbed into the general population...to rise again several times...most notably under Timur (Tamerlane). In Russia, the Christian populations gradually threw off the 'Tatar yoke', then began to conquer the fragmented Golden Horde, with the Crimean Khanate being the last European piece of the old Mongol Empire conquered in 1783 (they had been a protectorate of the Ottoman Empire).
Now, what if instead of converting to Islam....the Golden Horde had converted to Greek Orthodox Christianity. Would the Horde's feuds with the Ilkhanate in support of the Horde's Mameluke allies have taken on a religious dimension? Could a Western crusading force join with a Horde army and capture Jerusalem? Would the Mongols in Russia have been absorbed more and driven out less if they were Christians? What of the relations with the other Mongol states, such as the Yuan Empire, and Chagatai Khanate?
If you would like to make a map of how you think a Christian Golden Horde would relate, please do