| “ | No one has ever used biological weapons like Jani Beg.
— Mankind: The Story Of All Of Us, History Channel
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” |
Jani Beg, also called Djanibek Khan, was a khan of the Golden Horde.
After putting two of his brothers to death, Jani Beg crowned himself in Saray-Juk. He is known to have actively interfered in the affairs of Russian principalities of Lithuania. The Grand Princes of Moscow, Simeon Gordiy, and Ivan II, were under constant political and military pressure from Jani Beg.
Jani Beg commanded a massive Crimean Tatar force that attacked the Crimean port city of Kaffa in 1343. The siege was lifted by an Italian relief force in February. In 1345 Jani Beg again besieged Kaffa; however, his assault was again unsuccessful due to the outbreak of the Bubonic Plague among his troops. It is thought that Jani Beg's army catapulted infected corpses into Kaffain an attempt to use the Black Death to weaken the defenders. Infected Genoese subsequently sailed from Kaffa to Genoa, introducing the Black Death into Europe.
In 1356, Jani Beg conducted a military campaign in Azerbaijan and conquered the city of Tabriz, installing his own government there. He also inserted Jochid dominance over the Chagatai Khanate, attempting to unite the three khanates of the Mongol Empire. After accepting the surrender of Shaikh Uvais, Jani Beg boasted that that three uluses (districts/nations) of the Mongol Nation under his control. Soon after this, Jani Beg faced an uprising in Tabriz resulting in the power of the Jalayirid Dynasty, an offshoot of Illkhanate and, ultimately, in the death of the Khan.
Battle vs. Ivan the Terrible (by Impaler5150)[]
Jani Beg and 4 of his Mongols travel to Russia to take it over. Ivan and 2 of his Russian soldiers exit the castle to confront them while the other 2 are high above the castle wall. Jani has one of his Mongols fires a carcass over the castle wall, hitting and killing 1 of the 2 Russians.
(4-5)
Ivan's paschal soldier fires a shot, killing Jani's right hand Mongol.
(4-4)
Another carcass flies over head, but before it hits the other Russian soldier, he's able to fire off the steel crossbow, killing a Mongol.
(3-3)
Ivan and his remaining Russians runs at the Jani and his Mongols cross paths finally. But the Mongol archer kills the Russian Pischal soldier.
(2-3)
Ivan's bardiche carrier kills the Mongol archer.
(2-2)
The bardiche carrier and the Mongol pitchfork spear carrier meet up and parry. The pitchfork carrier stabs the bardiche carrier in the jugular, killing him.
(1-2)
Ivan immediately impales the pitchfork carrier with his sablia.
(1-1)
Ivan and Jani finally parry 1-on-1. Ivan slices down, stunning Jani, knocking him to the ground. Ivan runs at Jani to kill him, but as Ivan gets to him, Jani lifts up his Mongol sabre, impaling and killing Ivan.
(0-1)
Jani gathers up all the carcasses to collect for the next battle. The other Mongols finally meet up with him to carry onto the next mission.
Expert's Opinion[]
Jani Beg was victorious over Ivan the Terrible due to better armor, being better at long range, & also the biological warfare.