The territory of Crimea was conquered and controlled many times throughout its history. The Cimmerians, Greeks, Scythians, Goths, Huns, Bulgars, Khazars, the state of Kievan Rus', Byzantine Greeks, Kipchaks, Ottoman Turks, Golden Horde Tatars and the Mongols all controlled Crimea in its early history. In the 13th century, it was partly controlled by theVenetians and by the Genovese; they were followed by the Crimean Khanate and theOttoman Empire in the 15th to 18th centuries, the Russian Empire in the 18th to 20th centuries. In the 19