After the foundation of the Golden Horde in the middle of the XIII-th century the Byzantine enclaves in Tavrika – Theodoro, Cherson, Sugdaia, and Bosphoros (now Kerch)the last was under the dominion of Alanic princes - got the same status as Russian principalities. Their rulers paid tribute and got the yarlyks in Horde, but at the same time they were comparatively independent.
At the second half of the XIII-th century Genoese appeared in Tavrika after they have got the right for trade on the Black sea according the agreement with re-established Byzantium. They founded the town and port Kafa on the place of an ancient Alanic settlement Ardabda (now Feodosiya).