Golden Horde!

[Prince Cobra]

Normal level, Early Byz Campaign. This time I am not an aggressive person. How do you usually avoid Golden Horde in MTW/VI? As the Byzantines, I hold Georgia and Armenia but Khazar is in posession in the huuge Novgorod Empire that reaches Bavaria. In fact the Russians are the only people that now bother me. How perfect, it would have been if any divine wind comes and takes the Russians away?

So I control the Balkan peninsula, Naples, Sardinia, Corsica, the Minor Asia + Edessa and Antioch, Iberia (without Leon (rebels), Portugal (Spanish), Aragon and Navarra (also rebel)) and Marocco.

Novgorod rules everything from Khazar to Bavaria. The common border is the lightly defended Georgia/Khazar only. At least for now.

Hungary (my friendly dynasty died ), half of Germany and France are rebels (a result of the crumbling Spanish Empire).

Northern Africa and Asia is patched with the remnants of the Almos, Spains, the Eggys and the Turks (stranded in Syria and the only faction I am at war with now).

With 31 000 florins (in 1185 they were 59 000, about 1200 they were near 20 000), 16 000 income (trade&normal taxes) and 11 000 expenditure, three provinces specialised into Varangian guards (Constantinople, Nicaea and Greece), 3 and 4 star assassins, full control on the Mediterranean. I can make Proniai and the Byz Lancers in Nicaea, though I still rely on my royal line for the Kataphraktoi. I am also very pious person and prefer to build churches (and monasteries and even reliquery) than armourers. :prays:

Now, how can I easily avoid the Horde and concentrate on more important issues?

It's 1210.

P.S. I hesitate whether I should abandon Armenia or not... and if yes, when to do that. Poor people, they love me! (200 loyalty)