Final answer:
The Golden Horde influenced Russia by shaping its political structure, economy, and the rise of strong centralized power in Moscow.
The established trade routes during the Pax Mongolica continued to facilitate trade long after the Horde's decline. The legacy of the Golden Horde includes influencing Russian autocracy and the eventual independence and centralization of power.
Step-by-step explanation:
Impact of the Golden Horde on Russia
The Golden Horde had a profound impact on Russia in terms of its political structure, economy, and culture. The Mongol rule enforced a tributary system, which saw the rise of Moscow as a powerful state due to its role in collecting and forwarding tributes. The Mongols facilitated trade by maintaining the yam, an ancient network of trade routes, which persisted long after their rule ended. This trade network was a critical element of the Pax Mongolica, ensuring the flow of goods and ideas across the Eurasian continent.
The Mongols' direct rule over the Slavic peoples included the installment of Mongol overseers to ensure continuity of tribute and suppression of rebellion. The local governance sometimes remained in the hands of local Turkic and Slavic leaders, who were tasked with enforcing Mongol law (yassa), taxation, and conscription of labor and soldiers. As a result of Mongol governance, Russia absorbed administrative and military practices that influenced its autocratic rule in later centuries.
The legacy of the Golden Horde in Russia can also be seen in the rise of Russian autocracy and the eventual centralization of power in Moscow. When the Golden Horde's control began to wane, the Russian princes successfully defied their overlords in 1480, thereby inaugurating a new era of Russian sovereignty. The legacy of this period in Russian history set the stage for the development of the Russian Empire, affecting its social, political, and economic structures for centuries to come.