quality:corruption
Later relations with the Russian principalities

After the submission of the Russian princes and the resumption of their tribute, Tokhtamysh adopted more conciliatory policies toward them. Dmitrij of Moscow razed Rjazan' in vengeance for Oleg Ivanovič's collaboration with Tokhtamysh against Moscow, but suffered no punishment for it. Mihail Aleksandrovič of Tver' was invested as Grand Prince of Vladimir and visited Tokhtamysh's court with his son Aleksandr, but never succeeded in entering into possession of the Grand Principality, as Tokhtamysh soon forgave Dmitrij of Moscow. Dmitrij had submitted, surrendered his eldest son Vasilij Dmitrievič as hostage, and promised to pay tribute, duly dispatched in 1383. When Dmitrij Konstantinovič of Nižnij Novgorod died the same year, Tokhtamysh granted that principality to his brother Boris Konstantinovič, but gave Suzdal' to Dmitrij's sons Semën and Vasilij. In 1386, Dmitrij of Moscow's son Vasilij, hostage at Tokhtamysh's court, escaped to Moldavia and made his way to Moscow via Lithuania. Despite some tension, Moscow did not suffer any consequences. On the contrary, when Dmitrij left his son Vasilij the Grand Principality of Vladimir in his will in 1389, Tokhtamysh sanctioned it through his envoy, Shaykh Aḥmad. Semën and Vasilij of Suzdal' expelled their uncle Boris from Nižnij Novgorod, but he tracked down Tokhtamysh on campaign and returned with a new investiture from the khan in 1390. Russian recruits subsequently served Tokhtamysh in Central Asia. In 1391 Tokhtamysh sent his commander Beg Tut to ravage Vjatka, presumably in response to the depredations of the Ushkuyniks, buccaneers along the Volga; but the buccaneers launched a revenge raid on the area of Bolghar. Seeking cooperation against this and other threats, Tokhtamysh received Vasilij I of Moscow in his camp and invested him with the domain of Nižnij Novgorod despite the protests of its princes. Despite his sack of Moscow in 1382, Tokhtamysh had strengthened the power and wealth of its ruler in the end, helping set it on the path to annexing other Russian, and later Mongol polities.