All I have found is some nonsense about Monghke-khan ceding the city to Republic of Genoa in 1266, which is obviously wrong because Monghke died in 1259. Anyway, the territory was at the time controlled by the Mongols / Golden Horde..
Does anyone know how the Genoese gained this colony or is there perhaps some good resource on this?
Additional question:
I was under the impression that trade republics like Genoa and Venice had many trade posts around the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea, which were basically well defended port cities.
Is this wrong? Did they control land beyond those small pockets?
I know Venice controlled Dalmatia, Corfu, Morea and Crete at various points, but I'm wondering specifically about the areas of Anatolia, the Black Sea and the Levant.