... (2/2) Consequently he took the envoys on the most circuitous route to his capital imaginable, posting troops at every junction, thereby giving the impression that his empire was massive and crammed with soldiers. The Byzantines were always good at diplomacy!
Not sure they were convinced!!
Admittedly it didn't work in the long run. A few years later the Byzantines seem to have come to terms with the Mongol, although it's not clear under what terms.
Didn’t the emperor marry one of his daughters to Nogai?
Yes indeed, it was later emperors, but there were several marriages between women from the imperial family and leading Mongols.
Do you discuss that in your book?
Yes indeed, it makes an appearance
And then there was a massed withdrawal of mongols from the west to engage with a Succession "crisis" back in central Asia.