The Golden Horde had massive influence on other cultures as well. Presiding over an area that covered parts of modern Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Moldova, and the Caucasus, they were connected with both Muslims and Russians. The Horde gleefully terrorized the Russians, who actually ended up in a secluded Dark Age because of their Mongol neighbors. Muslims were luckier: The traditionally shamanistic Mongol leaders embraced and eventually adopted their religion.
