A remarkable proportion of the old Russian aristocracy was descended from Mongol/Tatar ancestors. There is a very interesting bit on this, analysis of names and ancestries, in Orlando Figes, “Natashas Dance”.
As for the Mongols being the reason that Russia is screwed up, this is a very old argument. It goes back into the 17th century at least, in Russia.
Orlando Figes discusses this at length.
Another proponent of the theory was the late Richard Pipes, “Russia Under the old Regime”.
I guess the “new” idea is that Russia was not screwed up by the Mongols and they were a good thing. This is also an old idea. Also argued forever.
This is an interesting premise, but an overly narrow view of history that fails to capture the true history of the region. Putin and other Russian autocrats from the Romanovs on down have seen themselves as the heirs to Byzantium (Eastern Roman Empire). Even Mehmet the great crowned himself Caesar after the fall of Constantinople. Autocracy in the region flows from this history. The Kaiser in Germany and the Tsars in Russia were absolute monarchs long before the Golden Hoard and long after. The real angst in Russia is that Byzantium USED the Golden Hoard to pummel Russia when they challenged the Emperor and Patriach.
Years ago I read a book on Russian history that was written in the 70’s. The part about the Mongol occupation was Zip, Zilch, Nada, Nyet.
It came about because the warm period brought increased rain to the steppes, which created vast areas of grassland, allowing a large increase in the Mongol population, and allowing them to traverse vast distances, living off their animals, which lived off the grasslands.
But the climate alarmists claim the the Medieval warm period was a purely local phenomena. It does not fit their narrative of only recent warming.
Khan was a true alpha male and I’m glad there is a recent historic drive to rehabilitate his image,
He was an alpha who loved his people and lead with courage and wisdom
The Mongols did some of the most horrible killing ever done. Women, children... didn’t matter. They killed everyone in awful ways for spectacle.