Where is Bulgaria? Volga Bulgaria
It began about 100,000 years ago, during the Paleolithic era. At the end of the 9th century and at the beginning of the 10th century, the first - Volga Bulgaria - arose here. For quite a long time it was the only developed state in the Far East of Europe. Presumably, the Bulgars were the earliest Turkic group, which in the process were among those who advanced into Europe.
Persian and Arab geographers considered Volga Bulgaria to be the northernmost Muslim country in the world. The date of adoption of Islam in this country is considered to be 922. It was then that the Caliph of Baghdad sent a group of the future embassy to the city of Bolgar, which included builders and preachers of Islam. Due to the fact that the state was constantly under pressure from its powerful neighbor, the king of Bulgaria Almush was forced to convert to Islam and become a loyal subject of Caliph Bogdad. In this way, he was able to strengthen the defense of his country, becoming an ally of the Arab Caliphate. But there were also Bulgars who refused to accept Islam. This group, led by Prince Vyrag, separated. This gave impetus to the emergence of the Chuvash nation. Subsequently, the people adopted Christianity and became the only Orthodox Turkic people.
During the period of its development, Volga Bulgaria achieved a lot. According to written sources of that period, this state was called the country of a thousand cities. The largest cities were considered Bilyar and Bolgar, which in terms of area and population exceeded such cities of that time as London, Kyiv, Paris, Novgorod. For example, Bolgar was three times larger than Paris. In its central part stood the royal palace and the Cathedral Mosque. Already at that time, bathhouses with tap water were built in the city. Residential buildings had heating and sewerage. In addition to the above, the state was also called the country of reason. And these are not empty words. Sciences such as medicine, history, astronomy, and mathematics have achieved great development here.
Volga Bulgaria reached its greatest prosperity during the reign of Emir Gabdulla Chelbir. During this period, the Bulgars were quite strong in the art of war. This is confirmed by the fact that the Volga Bulgars are the only people who were able to defeat the troops of Genghis Khan in 1223. After this, the Mongols unsuccessfully stormed the Bulgarian state for 13 years. Only in 1229, having gathered all their forces at the Yaik River (Ural), the Mongols were able to defeat the Bulgars and Cumans and began to rapidly advance across the territory of the state, and in 1936 it was completely devastated. Some of the Bulgars fled and found protection with the Grand Duke of Vladimir.
Already in 1240, the Bulgarian state became part of the Golden Horde. For a long time there were mass uprisings of the Bulgars. According to M.G. Khudyakov, the plunder of the capital - the city of Bolgar - and the movement of the cultural and political center to Kazan put an end to hopes for the return of the former state. is now firmly entrenched in these lands. The remaining indigenous people had to adapt to the new authorities. Gradually, mixed Bulgar-Tatar families were created, but all newborn children were considered Tatars. There was, so to speak, the “eradication” of such a nationality as the Bulgars, and the emergence of a new one - the Volga Tatars.
As for him, he just died. Many scientists have tried to find in the modern Tatar language at least a few words close to the Bulgarian origin. However, here it is necessary to take into account one more nationality - the Chuvash. If you remember, this is precisely the part of the Turkic group that did not accept Islam and separated. They are the ones who speak the archaic Turkic language, which is unlike any other language. And when comparing the ancient chronicles of the Volga Bulgars and the Chuvash language, you can find many identical words. In a word, the Chuvash language is as close as possible to the Bulgarian language.
Kazan Khanate (Kazan kingdom , Bulgarian Vilayat; tat. Kazan khanlygy, Qazan xanlığı, قزان خانلغی) is a Tatar feudal state in the Middle Volga region that existed from 1438 to 1552.
It was formed during the collapse of the Golden Horde on the territory of the Bulgar ulus, presumably as a result of the capture of Kazan in 1438 by the Golden Horde khan Ulu-Muhammad. In 1552, after the capture of Kazan by Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the Kazan Khanate ceased to exist, and its territories were annexed to the Russian Empire.
Foundation and territory of the Khanate
In the fall of 1437, the former Golden Horde khan Ulug-Muhammad migrated to the Volga, where the following year he captured the city of Kazan, expelling Prince Ali Bey from there. Having taken Kazan, Ulug-Muhammad declared himself an independent khan, thereby founding a new military-feudal state. Next to Old Kazan, poorly equipped and poorly fortified, the new khan built New Kazan, which became the capital of the new khanate (according to other sources, New Kazan was founded back in 1402 by Altyn-bek, and under Ulug-Muhammad it was significantly expanded and strengthened).
The Kazan Khanate became isolated on the territory of the Kazan ulus (former territory of Volga Bulgaria). During its heyday (in the second half of the 15th century), the territory of the Kazan Khanate significantly exceeded the size of Volga Bulgaria and approximately reached 700 thousand square kilometers.
The Khanate occupied the middle reaches of the Volga and almost the entire Kama basin. In the east, the Khanate bordered on the Nogai Horde so that the latter included almost all of Bashkiria (within its modern borders), in the west its borders reached the Sura River basin, in the north - to Vyatka and Perm land, and in the southwest - along According to some researchers, almost to modern Saratov, according to others (Pokhlebkin V.V.), they reached modern Volgograd. Thus, the Kazan Khanate, in addition to the Volga Bulgaria, included the lands of the Votyaks, Cheremis, partly Bashkirs, Mordovians and Meshchers.
The “Kazan Chronicler” says that, having won a victory over Kazan, Tsar Ivan IV ordered “to take into his sacristy the royal treasures [that is, the khan’s]… the royal crown, and the staff, and the banner of the Kazan kings, and other royal weapons.” (PSRL, vol. 19, column 467). But from this phrase of the chronicler it follows that the trophies were symbols of the khan’s power, and it is unlawful to consider them symbols of the state.
Reliable information about the fate of the named attributes of the khan’s power has not been preserved, and descriptions of the khan’s banner have not survived to this day. It can be assumed that the banners were made of silk fabrics, taffeta or damask, and the edges of the banner were trimmed with fringe (chuk). There were probably image stripes and inscriptions and sayings. Naturally, in the absence of reliable evidence, the desire to unravel the “mystery” of the khan’s banner and, in general, the attributes of khan’s power causes and will in the future cause all sorts of assumptions and disputes.
Administrative structure
The Kazan Khanate consisted of four darugs (districts) - Alat, Arsk, Galician, Zureisk (Chuvash). Later, a fifth daruga was added to them - Nogai. Darugs were divided into uluses, which united the lands of several settlements.
Population
Ethnic composition
The population of the Khanate was multi-ethnic, and consisted of the following peoples: Tatars (“Kazanlylar”, “Kazanstii Tatars”), Chuvash (approx. 200 thousand people), Mari (Cheremis), Mordovians, Udmurts (Votyaks, Ars) and Bashkirs. There was a notable Armenian-Kypchak community in Kazan from the time of the Golden Horde until the Russian conquest. The main population most often called themselves kazanli, or based on their religion - Muslims. The total population is about 400 thousand people; in the middle of the 16th century it was about 450 thousand people
The main population, in connection with the establishment of the Tatar dynasty of khans of the Golden Horde on the khan’s throne, gradually acquires the name “Tatars”.
Control
Relations with the Moscow Principality
Internal political strife in the Kazan Khanate was led by two main groups: the first advocated maintaining vassal relations with the neighboring Principality of Moscow, the second consisted of supporters of the policies of the Crimean Khanate and sought a policy independent from its neighbors. The struggle of these groups determined the fate of the Kazan Khanate over the last 100 years of its existence. [ ]
The Moscow principality more than once tried to subordinate Kazan to its influence. Back in 1467, Russian troops made a campaign against Kazan to place Tsarevich Kasim on the Kazan throne. In the third quarter of the 15th century, there were pronounced contradictions between states, expressed in the clash of interests of Moscow and Kazan in the lands of the Upper Volga region. In the 80s In the 15th century, the Moscow government actively intervened in the struggle for the Kazan throne and often sent troops to Kazan in order to place its protege on the Kazan throne. The result of a long struggle was the capture of Kazan by Moscow troops in 1487 and the establishment of Khan Muhammad-Emin, loyal to Moscow, on the Kazan throne. The khan, disliked by the Moscow government, was overthrown. However, during the entire relatively peaceful period of the reign of the Moscow protege Muhammad-Emin, there were repeated protests in the Khanate by the nobility, supported by the Nogai Murzas, with the goal of placing the Tyumen prince on the throne. Ivan III was forced to make concessions to the Kazan nobility, allowing him to remove Muhammad-Emin and place his brother Abdul-Latif on the throne.
Conquest by Moscow
After attempts to place a khan loyal to Moscow at the head of Kazan, Ivan IV undertook a series of military campaigns. The first two were not successful, and in 1552 the Grand Duke besieged the capital of the Khanate for the third time. After the explosion of the city walls with gunpowder planted in secretly made tunnels, Kazan was taken by storm, a significant part of the population was killed, and the city itself burned down. The Kazan Khanate ceased to exist, and a significant part of the Middle Volga region was annexed to Russia. In memory of the capture of Kazan and the victory over the Kazan Khanate, by order of Ivan the Terrible, St. Basil's Cathedral was built on Red Square in Moscow.
After the capture of Kazan and before the territorial-state reform of Peter I in 1713, the conquered Kazan Khanate became a vassal state formation. The Kazan kingdom became part of Russia and was headed by the Russian Tsar, who received the title "Tsar of Kazan". Administratively managed by the so-called. by order of the Kazan Palace in Moscow. Also created, the Kazan Archdiocese was immediately designated as the third most important in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Old Great Bulgaria (Bulgaria)(Greek Παλαιά Μεγάλη Βουλγαρία ) - an association of Bulgar tribes ( - approx.), which arose in the steppes of Eastern Europe. The main territory was located in the Black Sea and Azov steppes. The territory of the Bulgarian Union did not have clear boundaries and extended from the Lower Don to the foothills of the Kuban and from Taman to the interfluve of the Kuma and Eastern Manych. The basis of the unification was the Bulgar tribe Kutrigurs, which managed to free themselves from the power of the Avars, whose power was undermined by an unsuccessful attempt to capture Constantinople ().
The term “Ancient Great Bulgaria” was taken from Byzantine sources, where it denotes the area of residence of the main Bulgar groups before their settlement in the 2nd half. VII century.
Story
Creation of the State
Perhaps the unification of the Bulgar tribes was started by Khan Organ, Kubrat’s uncle. Nikephoros (IX century), describing the events of 635, noted: “At the same time, Kuvrat, a relative of Organa, the sovereign of the Hun-Gundurs, rebelled again against the Avar Kagan and all the people who were around him, subjecting him to insults, drove away from his native land. (Kuvrat) sent envoys to Heraclius and made peace with him, which they maintained until the end of their lives. And Heraclius sent him gifts and awarded him the rank of patrician.” Freed from the rule of the Western Turkic Khaganate, Kubrat expanded and strengthened his power, which the Greeks called Great Bulgaria.
“In the 7th century. The Gunnugundur tribe appears in the field of view of history, which Nikephoros, Theophanes, and after him Constantine Porphyrogenitus also call Bulgarians. In all likelihood, this is the same tribe that was previously known under the name Onogur and was located east of the Sea of Azov, between the Don and the Kuban, where, according to the “Cosmography” of the anonymous Ravenna, the country of Onogoria was marked and where later temporarily obscured his utigurs.
There is information about Ancient or Great Bulgaria of Kubrat in the works of Theophanes and Nicephorus, who undoubtedly borrowed them from the same earlier source. In the Chronicle of Theophanes, this information is more complete and begins with a geographical description, in which absolutely incredible confusion reigns. It says here: “On the other side, on the northern shores of the Euxine Pontus, behind the lake called Meotian, from the ocean side, the greatest river Athel (Volga) flows through the Sarmatian land; the Tanais (Don) river approaches this river, coming from the Iberian Gate in the Caucasus Mountains (Daryal); from the convergence of Tanais and Atel, which diverge in different directions above Lake Meotia, the Kufis (Kuban) river emerges and flows into the Pontic Sea near the Dead Gate, opposite Cape Ram's forehead. From the said lake, the sea, like a river, connects with the Euxinian Pontus at the Cimmerian Bosporus, where murzulia and other fish are caught. On the eastern shores of Lake Maeotia beyond Phanagoria, in addition to Jews, many peoples live. Beyond that lake, above Kufis, in which the Bulgarian koist fish is caught, is ancient Great Bulgaria and the Kotragi, who are related to the Bulgarians, live.”
Despite the confusion, this description allows us to get a certain idea of Great Bulgaria and its location. It is not difficult to understand that it was located on the eastern side of the Sea of Azov, above Kufis-Kuban. True, the Kuban is confused here with the Don, which, according to Feofan, originates in the Caucasus, while in reality the sources of the Kuban are located in the Caucasus. The confusion with Kuban does not stop there. According to Theophanes, Kufis flows into the Black Sea near the Dead Gate. These are the famous Necropiles, the current Karkinitsky Bay, washing the Crimean Peninsula from the northwestern side. This means that Kufis Feofan should be identified not with the Kuban, but with the river flowing into the Black Sea west of the Crimea, i.e. with the Dnieper or, more likely, with the Bug, which in ancient times, like the Kuban, was called Hypanis and therefore was sometimes confused with Kuban. If Kufis Feofan is not the Kuban, but the Bug, then Great Bulgaria should be placed not to the east of the Sea of Azov, near the Kuban, but to the west of it. “By Great Bulgaria,” concludes F. Vestberg, “we should mean the lands from the Sea of Azov to the Dnieper approximately,” and equally, we add, from the Don to the Kuban. It covered not only the Azov Bulgarians, but also the Northern Black Sea Kutrigurs."
Kubrat's reign
Monogram from the Pereshchepinsky treasure
Kubrat (Kurt or Khuvrat) was born c. . Kubrat ascended the throne. Kubrat received the rank of patrician from the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius.
Greater Bulgaria under Khan Kubrat was independent from both the Avars and the Khazars. But if from the west the danger had passed completely due to the weakening of the Avar Kaganate, then from the east there was a constant threat. While Kubrat was alive, he had enough strength to keep the Bulgar tribes in unity and resist danger.
Bulgars in Vojvodina and Macedonia
Kubrat's fourth son, Kuber (Kuver), with his horde Kuber moved to Pannonia and joined the Avars. In the city of Sirmium, he made an attempt to become the Avar Kagan. After an unsuccessful revolt, he led his people to Macedonia. There he settled in the Keremisia region and made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the city of Thessaloniki. After this, he disappears from the pages of history, and his people united with the Slavic tribes of Macedonia.
Bulgars in Southern Italy
Excavations in the necropolis of Vicenne Campochiaro near Boino, which date back to the 7th century, among 130 burials, there were 13 persons buried with horses (parts of them)
Volga Bulgaria is a state located on the territory of the Middle Volga and Kama region in the X-XIII centuries. It occupied a fairly large territory and was known for its numerous cities. Today, historians and archaeologists have information about more than 2 thousand Bulgar settlements, which are located in the Penza, Ulyanovsk and Samara regions of Russia, in Tatarstan and Chuvashia.
Settlement of the Volga region
The history of Volga Bulgaria goes back a little over 300 years, but the settlement of the territory of the future state by Turkic-speaking tribes began much earlier. Their migration was caused by the defeat of Great Bulgaria, stretching from the North Caucasus to the Black Sea, by the Khazars. One part moved to the Balkans, where Danube Bulgaria was created, and the other in the 7th century. occupied the region of the middle reaches of the Volga. 100 years later, another group of Turkic-speaking tribes appears on the territory of the Middle Volga region. The last wave of migration dates back to the 9th century. and is associated with the defeat of the Khazar Kaganate by the Pechenegs.
By the time the Bulgarians arrived, the Middle Volga region was already inhabited by Finno-Ugric peoples, but the former were able to subjugate them to their influence.
The emergence of Volga Bulgaria
The first steps towards the consolidation of the Bulgar tribes of the Volga region were taken in the middle of the 9th century. However, the policy of centralization and unification of disparate groups into a single state was most clearly manifested in the activities of Elteber Almush, who came to power in 895.
Almush managed to take control of four rulers and create a combat-ready squad. From the beginning of the 10th century. Elteber begins to mint his own silver coin. In addition, he regulated the collection of tribute, which was paid to the Khazars by the Volga tribes.
By the 10th century The first written mentions of Volga Bulgaria as a single state date back to the present time, but actually until the middle of the 10th century. the population of the Volga region was dependent on the Khazars.
Bulgaria and the Khazar Khaganate
It is still unknown when the Bulgars came under the control of the Khazars. The Volga region, located on important trade routes, dates back to the 8th century. was an important point in the policy of expansion pursued by the Khazar Kaganate. Volga Bulgaria, founded on these lands, also could not help but interest this state.
From the 10th century the economy of the Khazar Kaganate relied only on trade and broad connections with other countries. In the 10th century The level of the Caspian Sea rose significantly, and most of the surrounding area was flooded. At a time when the Volga Bulgaria began to play an important role in the international arena, the main occupations of the Khazars (fishing and farming) lost relevance. Modern researchers see the reason for the Khazar Kaganate’s interest in the Volga lands precisely in the high level of development of the productive forces of Bulgaria, whose economy was based not only on trade, but also on agriculture, cattle breeding, crafts and hunting.
Religious question
In the matter of creating and strengthening the state of Volga Bulgaria, religion occupied the most important place. Turkic-speaking tribes brought to the Volga region the foundations of an original pagan faith, the origins of which can be seen in Zoroastrianism.
Almush, realizing the need to strengthen the position of the young state, at the beginning of the 10th century. establishes close ties with Baghdad. In 922, Caliph Ali al-Muqtadir sent an embassy to Volga Bulgaria, which included the famous Arab traveler and writer Ibn Fadlan. In the same year, Islam was proclaimed the official religion of the state.
The significance of the Bulgars' adoption of Islam
Islam in Volga Bulgaria was a consolidating element. It was under the auspices of this religion that the first rulers managed to unite previously separated tribes. In addition, the adoption of Islam as the state religion also played an important political role. It was from this moment that Volga Bulgaria became part of the Muslim world, which made it possible to establish close economic and trade ties with other eastern countries. Archaeological data indicate that after the adoption of Islam, the level of literacy of the population increased, scientists, historians, doctors, lawyers and theologians appeared. This was due to the introduction of Arabic writing instead of Turkic runes.
Socio-political system
The society of Volga Bulgaria can rightfully be considered early feudal. But the development of feudal relations was hampered by remnants of the tribal system. Ibn Fadlan testified in his diaries that the Bulgars depended on the ruler of the state, the governors of individual regions and the nobility, but there was no enslavement of the peasants by private individuals - feudal lords. Everyone who worked on a plot of land managed the harvest independently, while paying an annual tax in kind to the state. In addition, the local feudal nobility exploited peasants from the Mari, Mordovian and Udmurt tribes. They were burdened with tribute and were ruled by governors from Volga Bulgaria, who maintained their squads on their territory.
Political structure
Volga Bulgaria is a classic example of an early feudal monarchy. Until the middle of the 10th century. the state was headed by Elteber, subordinate to the Khazar ruler. After the defeat of the Turkic troops by the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav, the title of the head of the Volga Bulgaria was changed to that characteristic of Islamic countries. The emir pursued an independent foreign and domestic policy. This position was hereditary and passed from father to eldest son.
Economic development
Bulgarian tribes in their homeland were actively involved in cattle breeding. The economic system of this people changed after the formation of the Volga Bulgaria state. The main occupations of the local population of the Volga region before the arrival of the Turkic-speaking tribes included farming and hunting. This led to the synthesis and borrowing of the basics of economic management and created the prerequisites for the development of the economy of the young state. The main branch of rural production was plow farming. The main tool of the peasant was the plow, which was called “aga”. Steam cultivation of the land was also actively used - two-field and tripolye. The traditional fallow system was typical for the outskirts of the country, and the slash system was typical for forest areas. Cattle breeding, often represented in a nomadic form, played a major role in the economy. The Bulgars bred cows, goats, sheep, horses, etc. In addition, hunting was widespread in forest areas.
Crafts
Crafts played an important role in the life of the local population. Volga Bulgaria as a whole was characterized by an early separation of crafts from agriculture. A significant part of the craftsmen lived in large cities, which were already in the 10th century. become huge centers of metalworking, pottery and jewelry production.
As a rule, artisans made agricultural implements, weapons, various jewelry, ceramics, shoes, clothing, etc. Leather and jewelry from Volga Bulgaria were widely popular abroad.
Trade
The development of domestic trade was hampered by the subsistence nature of agriculture, when the population was interested in producing products and products for themselves, and not for sale. With the development of commodity-money relations, the role of exchange in the life of the Bulgars grows significantly.
Volga Bulgaria occupied an advantageous geographical position (the center of the Great Volga Route), so Russian, Khazar, Byzantine and other merchants came to the country. They imported raw materials (gold, silver, iron, tin), metal products, weapons, jewelry, Chinese silk and mirrors, spices, etc. The main export goods were furs, honey, wax, leather, fish, livestock, and wheat.
It should be noted that during trade non-monetary exchange was used, but since 903 metal coins - dirhams - began to be minted for the first time by Almush.
Cities
The capital of Volga Bulgaria was in the city of Bolgar. Its heyday occurred in the 11th-12th centuries, when it was the largest economic, political and cultural center of the state. The city is located at the mouth of the Kama River - at the crossroads of international trade routes. Thanks to this, Bolgar became an important merchant center.
Bilyar is the second most important city in Volga Bulgaria, which lay on the banks of the river. Maly Cheremshan. In connection with the military threat emanating from the strengthened Vladimir-Suzdal principality, in the 12th century. the capital of the state is moved to Bilyar. Since that time, in written sources it has been referred to as the “Great City”.
The development of trade contributed to the strengthening of such Bulgarian cities as Suvar, Oshel, Balymer, Iski Kazan, Kashan, Dzhuketau, etc., which were not only economic centers, but also strategically important fortresses.
Relations with the Vyatichi in the 10th century.
After the successful campaign of the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav against the Khazar Khaganate, the Bulgars began their expansion into the lands of the Vyatichi, who lived in the upper reaches of the Oka. This river was an important trade route. Control over it would make it possible to make huge profits. The Turkic tribes managed to establish close trade ties with the Vyatichi, which did not weaken even after the Kyiv protectorate was established over them.
After the death of Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich, Rus' entered into a period of civil strife. The struggle was especially active between his sons, Yaropolk and Vladimir. At this time, the Vyatichi, with the support of the Volga Bulgaria, refused to pay tribute to the Kyiv prince and raised several powerful uprisings.
In the 10th century The ruler of Bulgaria married the Vyatic princess - the daughter of Yaropolk. Such a dynastic union would have allowed their son to claim the throne of Kiev, but for the Volga state it was beneficial only from the point of view of establishing control over the upper reaches of the river. Oka.
Relations with Kievan Rus in the 10th century.
In 985, the “Eternal Peace” was concluded between the Bulgarian ruler and Vladimir the Great. This date marks the beginning of close relations between the two states. In addition, by signing this agreement, Vladimir renounced his claims to the Volga trade route. “Eternal Peace” is a significant achievement of Bulgarian diplomacy, since the basis of the economy of this country was precisely trade activity.
After the conclusion of the agreement, an embassy arrived to Vladimir with an offer to convert to Islam and make it the state religion. It should be noted that after the defeat of the pagan reform, the prince was in search of an optimal religion. The main choice was between Byzantine Christianity and Islam, which was professed by Volga Bulgaria. Religion, according to Vladimir, was intended to consolidate society and increase the importance of Rus' in the international arena, so he refused the embassy offer and adopted Byzantine Christianity.
Volga Bulgaria and Kievan Rus in the 11th - 13th centuries.
Peaceful trade relations between states were interrupted for several centuries by short-term wars. Back at the end of the 10th century. Vladimir the Great made an unsuccessful campaign against the lands of the Bulgars, and from the 11th century. Regular clashes with the northeastern Russian principalities begin.
The reason for these conflicts should be explained by the interest of both parties in control of the lands located on the banks of the river. Oka and its tributaries. In 1120, the Vladimir-Suzdal prince Yuri Dolgoruky made a successful campaign against the Turkic-speaking tribes, but his goal was not to seize any territories, but to plunder. As a result of several destructions of Volga Bulgaria by Russian squads in the 11th century. its capital had to be moved inland - to the city of Bilyar.
In 1220, the most important economic center of Bulgaria, Oshel, was destroyed. After this, Elteber sent his ambassadors several times to the Vladimir-Suzdal princes, but only in 1224 was peace made.
Mongol conquest
The territory of Volga Bulgaria was repeatedly subjected to raids by Mongol-Tatar hordes. In 1223, the Mongols managed to defeat the Russian-Polovtsian army in the battle on the river. Kalka, but Genghis Khan’s campaigns against the Volga region population in 1229 and 1232. were less successful.
In 1236, Batu Khan gathered a huge combat-ready army and moved west. In the same year, most of the Bulgarian cities were destroyed. The “Great City” Bilyar also fell.
Batu's new campaign in 1240 completely undermined the economic life of Volga Bulgaria. As a result of these Mongol conquests, all important centers, including the capital, were destroyed, and the population of Bilyar was almost completely slaughtered.
Under the rule of the Golden Horde
In 1243, Volga Bulgaria became one of the provinces of the powerful Golden Horde. From then on, its rulers fell under vassalage to the khan and were obliged to pay him tribute.
At the same time, the period of Golden Horde rule was marked by a new cultural and economic prosperity of the Volga Bulgaria. This was largely facilitated by the proclamation of Islam as the state religion of the Golden Horde. And the former “Great City” Bilyar becomes the temporary residence of the khan.
Decline of Volga Bulgaria
As a result of internal strife in the Golden Horde, the territory of the Volga region came under the control of Bulat-Temir in 1361. From then on, the state of Volga Bulgaria ceased to exist and split into two principalities. In the 15th century the southern Bulgarian regions come under the control of Moscow, and the northern ones, with a center in Kazan, become the basis for the formation of a new state - the Kazan Khanate.
GREAT BULGARIA IN THE VOLGA REGION
Turkic-Bulgar tribes lived in the Volga region. They were constantly replenished by tribes that moved from the south and southwest. This is how quite a large people were formed. At the beginning of the 9th century, it was joined by related tribes that lived in the Middle and Upper Kama region and in the Vyatka-Kama interfluve. These tribes were called Esegels. In the 10th century, the Bulgar people consisted of Barsils, Esegels and the Bulgars themselves. These tribes included the Turkic-speaking part of the local Ugro-Finns, including Hungarians, Maris, Mordovians, and Udmurts. These people created the Great Bulgaria on the Volga or Volga Bulgaria. Its history goes back more than 500 years.
At first it was a union of autonomous entities. Sedentary Baranjar Muslims behaved somewhat separately. The Barsils lived on the right bank of the Kama, where it flows into the Volga. Their capital was the city of Bilyar. The central city of the Esegels was the city of Isla (Oshel). The Suvars (Savirs) lived south of the Barsils, occupying the left bank of the Volga. Their main city was the city of Suvar. It was located about 90 km from Bilyar. The right bank of the Volga in the southwest was occupied by the Burtases. The nomadic camps of the Kipchaks (Polovtsians) were located southeast of the Bulgars.
Suvars maintained their independence for a long time. But by the last quarter of the 10th century, the appanage princes recognized the supremacy of the Bulgar ruler. This is how a single state and a single treasury were formed. A general system has emerged for paying tithes on imports and exports, house taxes (house tax), etc.
Bulgaria from the very beginning became dependent on the Khazar Kaganate. Part of the population of the Kaganate gradually moved to the Bulgarian lands. The Khazar Kaganate itself was in decline. Therefore, Bulgaria gradually acquired more and more independence. After the collapse of the Kaganate, Bulgaria became an independent state. By the beginning of the 12th century, the lands of Bulgaria extended in the west to the Oka and in the east to the Urals. Bulgaria included vast areas from the upper reaches of the Vyatka and Kama to Yaik (Ural), as well as the lower reaches of the Volga. It included the territories of modern Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Mari El, part of the land of Udmurtia, Mordovia and Bashkiria, as well as some areas of the Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Perm, Penza, Nizhny Novgorod and Ulyanovsk regions. In fact, a significant part of the territory of the former Khazar Kaganate became part of Bulgaria.
Great Bulgaria in the Volga region pursued an active international policy. It had active connections with other states, including trade ones. Bulgaria enjoyed wide recognition from Muslim states. In the 10th century, Bulgaria minted its own coin, using it to pay foreign merchants. Trade in Bulgaria developed very rapidly. This was facilitated by Bulgaria's position on trade routes between Asia and Europe. Volga Bulgaria already in the 9th century became a trading center of Eastern Europe. There was active trade not only with the Russian principalities, but also with the Scandinavian countries, where furs and metals were sold. Bulgaria traded with Central Asia, the Caucasus, Iran, and the Baltic states. Trade caravans continuously traveled to Khorezm, Khorasan and back. Bulgaria had a good merchant fleet. She traded not only furs, fish, nuts, timber, and walrus teeth. Bulgar swords, chain mail, and codes processed in a special way (“Bulgari”) were in great demand. The jewelry, leather and fur products of the Bulgars were widely known. The merchants were convinced that “furs from these regions are warmer than furs from other countries.”
Taxes for the khan were not so large. So, they amounted to only one bull hide from each house. The Khan's behavior was very democratic. He appeared on the streets of the capital and in the bazaars without any security. People greeted him standing, removing their headdress. The khan usually sat at the festive table with his wife.
Thus, before the Mongol invasion, Bulgaria was a powerful kingdom with rich cities. The travelers claimed that the inhabitants of this country are a single people who “hold Mukhamettov’s law more tightly than anyone else.” As the state strengthened, the unification of related tribes grew stronger. This is how a single nation was formed. Therefore, in the 10th century they speak of only two names for the people: Bulgars and Suvars. And in the 11th century they speak (in particular, chronicles) of only one Bulgarian people. The population of Bulgaria led a sedentary lifestyle. It ran a highly developed economy. Agriculture was well developed. In the 10th century, the Bulgars already used ploughshares for plows. Their Saban plow made it possible to plow with soil rotation. Hoes and shovel forgings made of iron were also used. The Bulgars grew wheat, millet, barley, oats, peas, etc. In total, there were more than 20 types of cultivated plants. The Bulgars were also engaged in gardening and gardening, beekeeping, as well as hunting and fishing. Travelers of the 12th century noted that the Bulgars consumed “a lot of honey, and their fish was large, varied and very tasty.” They noted that the Bulgars are the hardiest of people in relation to frost. This was explained by the fact that their food and drink consisted mostly of honey.
The Bulgars developed the following crafts (productions): jewelry, leather, bone-carving, and metallurgy. They processed copper. Bulgar pottery was widely known in all Russian principalities. In the capital of Bulgaria alone there were about 700 different workshops. Bone-carving production was widely developed.
The Bulgars made not only iron tools, but also iron battle armor. They began smelting cast iron long before Western Europeans. Cast iron was widely used in production, as were copper, silver, gold and their various alloys.
They were built from stone, brick and wood. In construction, the Bulgars were recognized masters. They were often invited to Russian principalities to build temples, large buildings, etc. And now you can see Bulgarian elements in the churches of the Vladimir-Suzdal region: a fairytale bowl, herbs, animals, birds, etc. are used in the design.
Bulgaria was a country of cities, of which there were about two hundred, together with fortified fortresses. The first capital of the country, the city of Bulgar, was located near the confluence of the Volga and Kama. The city itself consisted of two parts. In both parts of the city there were residential areas and a large number of workshops of potters, metallurgists, bone carvers, tanners and others. The city of Bulgar was famous for its baths. They were built no later than the 8th century. In the 10th century there were three such public baths in the city. One of them was 30 m long and six meters high (Ak Pulat bathhouse). There was also a public bathhouse, Kyzyl Pulat, as well as a bathhouse for commoners. A swimming pool was built in the Ak Pulat bathhouse. As in Rome, the baths were a kind of clubs.
The city of Bulgar grew before our eyes. Paris, London, Damascus and others were significantly inferior to the Bulgar both in population and in area. It is not for nothing that an Arab researcher of the 10th century wrote that in this city “everyone is Muslim, 20 thousand horsemen come out of it. With every army of infidels, no matter how many there are, they fight and win.”
Bulgar was a large trading center. There were many foreign merchants here. Seven kilometers from the city was the main point of foreign trade - Aga Bazaar. Camel caravans and trading ships arrived here. Here foreign merchants met each other - Indian, Chinese, Iranian, Arab and others. There was currency in circulation (including Bulgarian). Bulgarian merchants appeared not only in Scandinavia, the Baltic states and Rus', but also in Constantinople, Baghdad, and North Africa.
Volga Bulgaria also had a second capital. This was the city of Bilyar, which was located at a distance of about a hundred kilometers from Bulgar (to the east). Bilyar became an even larger city than Bulgar. It was located on an area of seven million square meters. In the 13th century its population reached 70 thousand people. At that time this was a lot. For comparison, let's say that even in the 15th century, cities with 30 thousand inhabitants were considered large.
The layout of the city was very unique and attractive. It consisted of a citadel, an inner and an outer city. Posads stretched around the outer city. The citadel itself had a square shape. It was oriented according to the countries of the world. The citadel had wooden defensive walls. The width of the walls reached ten meters. Watchtowers were built in the corners. A white stone temple with 24 columns was built inside the citadel. Its dimensions were 44 by 26 meters. The temple had two large halls. They were focused on the Muslim holy city of Mecca. A dizimama house was built near the temple. It was two-story, brick. In the citadel itself, granaries were built, as well as public wells.
The inner city was located directly around the citadel. Rich merchants and artisans lived here. The city was clearly planned. It was lined with beautiful streets that opened from squares. The squares had beautifully designed ponds. The streets were lined with brick and wooden houses.
The outer city was located around the inner city. It was inhabited by warriors and people of lesser means, such as middle-class merchants and artisans. Countless workshops and houses of artisans were located here. Foreigners also lived here. A large caravanserai was intended for foreign merchants.
The outer city was surrounded by a fortified rampart. Its length reached 10 kilometers. There were settlements around the entire circumference of the outer city. They were surrounded by a fence around the outer side.
The city was equipped with water supply and sewerage systems. Excess water from the city was drained by a sophisticated drainage system. The city also had central underfloor heating. By the way, in other Bulgarian cities there was a heating system for heating residential buildings. They also had plumbing systems. Residential buildings in cities were above ground. They were drowned in white.
The largest cities of Bulgaria were Suvar, Oshel, Burtas. The remains of the city of Burtas are currently located on the territory of the modern Penza region. Many of the cities at certain times were the capitals of principalities. Cities such as Zhuketau (Zhukatin), Kasham, Nukrat, Tukhchin and others were built. A well-fortified fortress with a white-stone mosque was located near the modern city of Yelabuga.
The Bulgars had a very progressive education system, which developed highly moral principles in the younger generation. Children and teenagers were taught hard work and respect for elders. Great importance was attached to the cult of ancestors. Everyone had to respect the place of eternal rest of their ancestors. There was a particularly respectful attitude towards fire. It was forbidden to spit on the fire, throw cutting or piercing objects into it, or generally show disrespect or contempt. Water was also perceived as one of the primary elements of the cosmos. The Bulgars were aware that water had protective, cleansing and fertile powers. According to the Bulgars, it is water that personifies the supreme deity - Tengre (Tangre). Tengre was the only deity in which the Bulgars believed. In the early period of their history, the Bulgars, like other peoples, went through the path of faith in many gods, gods and spirits. At the time described, the Bulgars were monotheists. Since the Bulgars believed in one god, they easily accepted Islam, in which “there is no god but Allah.” The generally accepted moral values of the Bulgar people fully corresponded to the moral requirements of the Koran.
Islam partially penetrated among the Bulgars during the Khazar Kaganate. The mass adoption of Islam by the Bulgars occurred in 825, almost 1200 years ago. Since 922, Islam became the state religion of Volga Bulgaria. In 921, the supreme ruler of Bulgaria, Almas Shilki, sent ambassadors to the Baghdad Caliph with a special mission to invite clergy who would procedurally correctly formalize the official adoption of Islam by Bulgaria. An embassy of such clergy arrived in Bulgaria in 922. A special prayer service was solemnly held in the central mosque of the capital. Here the official adoption of Islam by Bulgaria was proclaimed, which became the state religion.
A common state religion was supposed to contribute to the unity of the Bulgar people. This act was supposed to work to strengthen the security of the state, since Bulgaria from now on could count on help and revenue from other Islamic states. Indeed, the adoption of Islam as the state religion played such a role.
After the adoption of Islam, Bulgaria began to switch from runic writing to Arabic writing. The number of mosques grew rapidly, and with them schools. Written sources also testify to this. Thus, a 10th-century traveler notes that in the villages of Bulgaria there are mosques and primary schools with muezzins and imams. Gradually, schools and higher-level madrassas began to open. Over time, students from other Muslim countries also began to study in these schools. The Bulgars themselves also studied in famous educational institutions in Arabia and Central Asia. The sedentary Bulgar people had long-standing traditions of craving for knowledge and universal literacy. Islam also obliges us to study. Muslim hadiths say: “If this is necessary to obtain knowledge, then go even to distant China, for acquiring knowledge is the primary duty of every believer.”
As education developed, so did science. Talented scientists appeared in Bulgaria in various fields of science: mathematics, astronomy, medicine, history, etc. Astronomical observations were organized. They were carried out not only on the territory of Bulgaria itself. The works of the scientist Hajiahmet al-Bulgari, the philosopher Hamid bin Idris al-Bulgari and others were widely recognized. Books on medicines, oratory, and literary studies were published in Bulgaria, written by Burhanatlin bin Yusuf al-Bulgari. Tazhetlin Bulgari's books on medicine were also published. The works of Mahmut Bulgari, Khisamutdin Muslimi-Bulgari and others appeared. Bulgar thinkers and scientists gained worldwide fame and recognition. This fact is indicative. Akhmet Bulgari became the teacher of the Sultan of the Ghaznavid state in the 11th century. This state included modern Afghanistan, part of India, Iran and Central Asia.
Not only science, but also literature developed successfully. The most famous poet is Daud Saksin-Suari, who worked at the beginning of the 12th century. He came from the city of Saksin and belonged to the Suar people. The most widely known book of the poet is “The Garden of Flowers that Cure Diseases.” It consists of 67 sections. At the beginning of each section, the author gives a description of the life of a scientist or other famous person.
The outstanding poet of the 13th century, Kol Gali, is also widely known. His poem “Kissen Yusuf” (“The Legend of Yusuf”) received worldwide recognition. It has been read in Bulgaria for hundreds of years. Currently, the Kol Gali Prize has been established in Tatarstan.
Oral folk art occupied a large place among the Bulgars. To this day, many traditions and legends related to the life and struggle of the Bulgars, Burtases, etc. have been preserved. Fairy tales, etc., have been preserved.
Bulgaria sought to build friendly relations with the Russian principalities. In 985, an agreement was concluded between Bulgaria and Kiev. The parties agreed on eternal peace: “Then there will be no peace between us when the stone begins to float and the hops begin to sink.” In 1016, a trade agreement between Bulgaria and the Principality of Kyiv was concluded. Bulgarian merchants received the right to trade on Russian lands. In 1024, a terrible famine broke out in the Suzdal principality. The Bulgars saved the inhabitants from starvation. They provided bread to the hungry. 1229 was also a hungry year. The Russian chronicle says that the Bulgars “carried grain to all Russian cities and sold it, and provided great help.” The Bulgarian Khan at that time sent thirty ships loaded with grain as a gift to the Vladimir prince.
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