in 1265 berke khan sent the golden horde army under noghai to thrace, prompting to force the byzantines to release the mamluk envoy and the former seljuk sultan kaykaus ii. according to egyptian sources, michael agreed to send fabrics to the mongol khan in russia. when michael realized the importance of the mongols and became an ally of noghai, he used his help to defend himself against bulgaria when it tried to attack the byzantine empire in 1273 and 1279. a group of 4,000 mongol soldiers were dispatched to constantinople in 1282, just before the death of michael, to fight against the despot of thessaly.