The Role of the Crimean Khanate as a Guarantor of the Power Balance in the Black Sea Region at the turn of the 16–17th centuries

The article analyzes the geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. The Polish Commonwealth, the Crimean Khanate and the Moscow were the key players in the region. The Moscow pursued an aggressive policy. It was able to capture the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates, thereby significantly increasing the territory of the state and taking control of the Silk Road. Territorial gains gave the Moscow a chance to transform into an unlimited monarchy. At the same time, the Crimean Khanate lost the chance to win the championship in the region. The Girei’s short-sighted policy allowed the Moscow to seize the Tatar khanates. Crimea did not understand the danger posed by the Moscow in time. Crimea was pushed to the periphery of Eastern Europe and became even more dependent on the Ottoman Porte. Instead, Istanbul was well aware of the threat posed by Moscow, but it was not supported by Crimea, and internal problems prevented the Porte from stopping the Moscow in time. Crimea saw a threat not in the Moscow, but in the Ottoman Empire. At the same time, Bakhchisarai didn’t notice the weakened Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which he considered strong enough to be a counterweight to the Moscow. This situation gave the Crimean Khanate a chance to be an arbiter, a guarantor of the balance of power system in Eastern Europe. The Polish-Tatar conflict was hindered by the weakness of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, as well as attacks by the Zaporozhian Cossacks on the Crimean Khanate and the Ottoman Empire. Thus, Crimea had ceased to be a player for the legacy of the Golden Horde since 1593. It was limited to receiving annual gifts from Poland and the Moscow. The Khanate in no way used the Moscow turmoil of the beginning of the 17th century to its advantage. All this led to the Moscow becoming a superpower at the beginning of the 18th century and gaining a dominant role in Eastern Europe, and later the Moscow captured the Crimean Khanate and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.