him local support. Sayid returned to the steppes. While Sayid was fighting on the Don Haji entrenched himself at Perekop. He tried to capture Sayid's steppe subjects and failed. Sayid's governor failed to break thru Perekop. Haji strengthened Perekop and awaited an attack. In 1445 Sayid unsuccessfully besieged Perekop. He retreated, was defeated, lost many men and horses and fled beyond the Don. Haji, supported by the Shirins and Baryns entered Crimea and became khan. (in August 1449?) Haji allied with Alexios I of Theodoro (1410–1447), gave him financial and military support and sent troops to help him re-take Kalamita/Inkerman from the Genoese. His son Meñli I Giray lived in Alexios's court and Alexios's heir was brought up in Stary Krim with Haji's children. Since he was fighting the steppe warlords he was necessarily a friend of the Lithuanians. In 1452 Sayid made a deep raid into Podolia almost as far as Lvov. Returning with many captives and much loot, Haji attacked him while crossing the Dnieper. He was surrounded and defeated, many of his soldiers went over to Haji and Sayid broke out with a few men. He went to Kiev and asked for Lithuanian help (sic). He was arrested and spent the rest of his life in Kovno. In 1453 the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople. Next year a Turkish fleet (56 ships under Demir-Khyakhi) approached Crimea to raid the Genoese ports. They landed at Kaffa in July but could not storm the fort. Three days later Haji Giray arrived with 6000 men and negotiated with the Turkish commander. We do not know what was said, but the next day the Turks withdrew, received supplies from the Genoese and headed out to sea. In 1456 Haji defeated Mahmud bin Küchük as he was crossing the Don after a raid on Russia. Mahmud was replaced by his brother Ahmed Khan bin Küchük and fled to Astrakhan. Many of his men took service with Haji and were settled on Haji's lands, further increasing his strength. It is said that in 1456 his son Hayder of Crimea briefly seized the throne, but this is not certain. He moved his capital from Stary Krim to the rock-fort of Chufut-Kale. (Mengli I Geray moved it down to the valley at Salachik and Sahib I moved it to Bakhchisaray). He died in August 1466 and was buried in Salachik which is now on the outskirts