Karëm Berdi (Turki/Kypchak and Persian: éñÃÂàèñïÃÂ) was Khan of the Golden Horde on several occasions, in 1409, 1412âÂÂ1413, and in 1414.
Karëm Berdi was one of the sons of Tokhtamysh Khan, and the brother of his immediate predecessor JalÃÂl ad-Dën Khan. They were descended from Tuqa-Timur, son of Jochi, son of Chinggis Khan.
After the fall of their father, Tokhtamysh, his sons sought refuge at the court of the grand prince of Moscow, Vasilij I DmitrieviÃÂ, who refused to extradite them to their enemy, Edigu, a beglerbeg. During Edigu's attack on Moscow, Vasilij intended to use Tokhtamysh's sons to counterattack and undermine the enemy at its capital, Sarai. It was in this context, that Karëm Berdi took advantage of Edigu's distraction by the siege of Moscow to attack and expel Khan Pà «lÃÂd from the city in 1409. Although Karëm Berdi took the throne, Edigu abandoned the siege of Moscow and advanced on Sarai, driving out Karëm Berdi and restoring Pà «lÃÂd's (and his own) control over the city.
After the new monarch, Tëmà «r Khan, quarreled with Edigu and caused him to flee to Khwarazm, Tokhtamysh's sons saw an opportunity to recover their father's throne. With Lithuanian support, the brothers invaded the Golden Horde in 1411, drove Tëmà «r Khan out of Sarai, and placed JalÃÂl ad-Dën on the throne. Although the new khan contrived the elimination of his fugitive rival Tëmà «r, he was soon murdered by one of his own brothers. The circumstances of the murder and the identity of the fratricide, Sulá¹ÂÃÂn-Muḥammad or Karëm Berdi or Kebek or JabbÃÂr Berdi, are reported variously in the sources.
Karëm Berdi ascended the throne at the end of summer 1412 and reigned until at least spring 1413. His authority did not extend to Bolghar, which was held by Edigu, or Khwarazm, which was held by Edigu's son MubÃÂrak ShÃÂh before being conquered by the Timurid Empire in early 1413. Karëm Berdi reversed his brother JalÃÂl ad-Dën's policies toward the Russian principalities and Lithuania, having been insulted by the Lithuanian grand prince Vytautas during his time in exile. Thus, he received Vasilij II Vasil'eviàof Moscow graciously, and rescinded JalÃÂl ad-Dën's decision that Moscow should cede Nià ¾nij Novgorod back to the descendants of its ruling line; in exchange, Vasilij II bound himself to pay regular tribute, a promise he kept. Similarly, Ivan Mihajloviàof Tver' was also received graciously, the investiture of his brother with Tver' was rescinded, and the prince promised not to contend with Vasilij II. Breaking with Vytautas of Lithuania, Karëm Berdi sent an envoy to seek alliance with Sigismund of Hungary in 1413. In retaliation, Vytautas proclaimed a rival khan, called "Betsabul" in western sources, and provided him with support to make his bid for the throne of the Golden Horde. "Betsabul" attacked Karëm Berdi, but was defeated, captured, and beheaded. Undaunted, Vytautas now promoted Karëm Berdi's fugitive brother JabbÃÂr Berdi, who would be more successful. The complicated situation is interpreted as follows: Karëm Berdi was deposed by his brother Kebek ("Betsabul"?) in 1413, before defeating and killing him, briefly recovering the throne in 1414; not long afterwards, JabbÃÂr Berdi defeated Karëm Berdi, forcing his surrender in 1414, and later had him executed, perhaps as late as 1417.
According to the TawÃÂrëḫ-i guzëdah-i nuá¹£rat-nÃÂmah, Karëm Berdi had a son named Sayyid Aḥmad; he is mistakenly placed as a son of Tokhtamysh in the Muÿizz al-ansÃÂb. This Sayyid Aḥmad may have reigned briefly in 1416âÂÂ1417, but is to be distinguished from the khan of that name who ruled in the southwestern portion of the Golden Horde in 1432âÂÂ1459, who was a son of Beg á¹¢à «fë.