Moxammat Amin of Kazan
Encyclopedia
Möxämmät Ämin or Möxammädämin (c. 1469 – 1518) was the khan
of Kazan Khanate in 1484-1485, 1487–1495, and 1502-1518. Möxammädämin was the son of İbrahim
and Nur Soltan, older brother of Abd al Latif
, and younger half-brother of İlham (Ghali).
The death of Ibrahim left Kazan
with two rival factions. The "eastern" faction wanted Ghali, Ibrahim's son from Nogay's wife, Fatima, to occupy the throne. The "western" faction wanted the 10 year old Möxammädämin to become khan. With the help of the Nogay Horde, Ghali took the throne, while Möxammädämin fled to Moscow
. Möxammädämin's mother, Nur Soltan, became wife of Meñli I Giray
, khan of the Crimean Khanate
. Meñli I Giray was an ally of tsar
Ivan III of Russia
in his fight against Akhmat Khan
of the Big Horde. Ivan III received Möxammädämin warmly, and gave him the town of Kashira
. Ivan III also offered him help in his fight against Ghali.
In 1480, Akhmat Khan suffered a fatal defeat during the great standing on the Ugra river
. Ghali did not participate in Akhmat's raid, but some Nogays did. In 1482 Ivan III sent an army to Kazan. For the first time in the history of Muscovy the army had cannon
. When the army reached Nizhny Novgorod
, Ghali asked for peace. Two years later another army was dispatched to Kazan. This time Ghali was deposed, and Möxammädämin became khan. He appeared to be too young for an effective ruler. A year later he was replaced with Ghali again. The internal disaccord between nobility and the khan continued to grow. A group of Kazan nobles sent a letter to Ivan III: We released Mahmet-Amin to you in case if Aleham does us foul, you would let Mahmet-Amin back to us. When Aleham found out of this, he asked as to a feast where tried to slay us, but we ran to the steppe. Ivan III sent another army to Kazan. In April 1487 it besieged the city. On July 9 Kazan fell. Ghali was arrested and exiled to Vologda
, where soon died. His wife and children were sent to Beloozero
. A number of nobles were executed. Möxammädämin became khan again. Although formally Kazan Khanate remained independent, Ivan III started to use the title Duke of Bulgaria
among his other titles.
It was known that during this reign Möxammädämin was closely monitored by Ivan III. Möxammädämin corresponded with Crimean Khanate. All correspondence was sent through Moscow, translated into Russian for Ivan III to read. In 1491, when the Big Horde attempted to invade the Crimean Khanate, Kazan troops participated in a raid against it, together with Muscovy, Qasim Khanate
, and the Nogays.
In 1495, the "eastern" (Nogay) faction decided to replace Möxammädämin with Mamuq, khan from the Shaybanid dynasty of Siberian khans
. In the spring, Mamuq sent an army to Kazan. When Möxammädämin found out, he asked for help from Moscow. Ivan III dispatched an army. A number of Kazan nobles fled to Mamuq. Mamuq made an appearance of turning back, but when the Muscovy troops left Kazan, Mamuq quickly returned. Möxammädämin escaped to Moscow with his family. Mamuq took Kazan without a fight, and became khan. A year later, when he left Kazan to loot the nearby town of Arsk
, the Kazan people did not let him re-enter the city. The throne was open for contest again. This time qarachi
and particularly Qol Axmat asked Ivan III not to give throne to Möxammädämin, citing "abuse and dishonor to women" from him. The throne was given to Abd al Latif
. Möxammädämin was seriously offended. To amend it, he received Serpukhov
and Khotun in addition to Kashira.
poet. His son Möxämmädyar, born from his wife Şäwliäbikä, also was one of the most prominent Tatar poets.
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
of Kazan Khanate in 1484-1485, 1487–1495, and 1502-1518. Möxammädämin was the son of İbrahim
Ibrahim of Kazan
İbrahim khan was a ruler of Kazan Khanate . He was the son of Mäxmüd. He was crowned after Xalil's death and was married to his wife Nursoltan. In 1467–1469 and 1478 he participated in wars against Muscovy. After the treaty concluded with Ivan III all Russian prisoners of war were liberated...
and Nur Soltan, older brother of Abd al Latif
Ghabdellatif of Kazan
Ghabdellatif was the khan of Kazan Khanate in 1496-1502.Ghabdellatif was the youngest son of Ibrahim and Nur Soltan. When his father died in 1479, his mother married Meñli I Giray and moved to Crimean Khanate. Around 1490 Meñli I Giray sent Abdul to Muscovy for service, where he received town of...
, and younger half-brother of İlham (Ghali).
The death of Ibrahim left Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
with two rival factions. The "eastern" faction wanted Ghali, Ibrahim's son from Nogay's wife, Fatima, to occupy the throne. The "western" faction wanted the 10 year old Möxammädämin to become khan. With the help of the Nogay Horde, Ghali took the throne, while Möxammädämin fled to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Möxammädämin's mother, Nur Soltan, became wife of Meñli I Giray
Meñli I Giray
Meñli I Giray , also spelled as Mengli I Giray, was a khan of the Crimean Khanate and the sixth son of the khanate founder Haci I Giray....
, khan of the Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate, or Khanate of Crimea , was a state ruled by Crimean Tatars from 1441 to 1783. Its native name was . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
. Meñli I Giray was an ally of tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Ivan III of Russia
Ivan III of Russia
Ivan III Vasilyevich , also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and "Grand Prince of all Rus"...
in his fight against Akhmat Khan
Akhmat Khan
Akhmat Khan was a khan of the Great Horde between 1465 and 1481.In 1465, Akhmat seized power in the Horde by rising against his brother Maxmud of Astrakhan, who had been its ruler since 1459. In 1472, Akhmat entered into alliance with the Polish king Casimir IV against Ivan III...
of the Big Horde. Ivan III received Möxammädämin warmly, and gave him the town of Kashira
Kashira
Kashira is a town and the administrative center of Kashirsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Oka River south of Moscow. Population:...
. Ivan III also offered him help in his fight against Ghali.
In 1480, Akhmat Khan suffered a fatal defeat during the great standing on the Ugra river
Great standing on the Ugra river
The Great Standoff on the Ugra river The Great Standoff on the Ugra river The Great Standoff on the Ugra river ( in Russian, also (Ugorschina in English, derived from Ugra) was a standoff between the forces of Akhmat, Khan of the Great Horde, and the Grand Prince Ivan III of Russia in 1480, which...
. Ghali did not participate in Akhmat's raid, but some Nogays did. In 1482 Ivan III sent an army to Kazan. For the first time in the history of Muscovy the army had cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
. When the army reached Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
, Ghali asked for peace. Two years later another army was dispatched to Kazan. This time Ghali was deposed, and Möxammädämin became khan. He appeared to be too young for an effective ruler. A year later he was replaced with Ghali again. The internal disaccord between nobility and the khan continued to grow. A group of Kazan nobles sent a letter to Ivan III: We released Mahmet-Amin to you in case if Aleham does us foul, you would let Mahmet-Amin back to us. When Aleham found out of this, he asked as to a feast where tried to slay us, but we ran to the steppe. Ivan III sent another army to Kazan. In April 1487 it besieged the city. On July 9 Kazan fell. Ghali was arrested and exiled to Vologda
Vologda
Vologda is a city and the administrative, cultural, and scientific center of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the Vologda River. The city is a major transport knot of the Northwest of Russia. Vologda is among the Russian cities possessing an especially valuable historical heritage...
, where soon died. His wife and children were sent to Beloozero
Belozersk
Belozersk , known as Beloozero until 1777 , is a town and the administrative center of Belozersky District of Vologda Oblast, Russia, situated on the southern bank of Lake Beloye, from which it takes the name...
. A number of nobles were executed. Möxammädämin became khan again. Although formally Kazan Khanate remained independent, Ivan III started to use the title Duke of Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria, or Volga–Kama Bolghar, is a historic Bulgar state that existed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers in what is now Russia.-Origin:...
among his other titles.
It was known that during this reign Möxammädämin was closely monitored by Ivan III. Möxammädämin corresponded with Crimean Khanate. All correspondence was sent through Moscow, translated into Russian for Ivan III to read. In 1491, when the Big Horde attempted to invade the Crimean Khanate, Kazan troops participated in a raid against it, together with Muscovy, Qasim Khanate
Qasim Khanate
Qasim Khanate or Kingdom of Qasim was a Tatar territorial formation , vassal of Russia, which existed from 1452 till 1681 in the territory of modern Ryazan Oblast in Russia with its capital Kasimov, in the middle stream of the Oka River...
, and the Nogays.
In 1495, the "eastern" (Nogay) faction decided to replace Möxammädämin with Mamuq, khan from the Shaybanid dynasty of Siberian khans
Siberia Khanate
The Khanate of Sibir were the patrilineal descendants of Shayban , the fifth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. The Khanate had an ethnically diverse population of Siberian Tatars, Khanty, Mansi, Nenets and Selkup people. Along with the Khanate of Kazan it was the northernmost Muslim state....
. In the spring, Mamuq sent an army to Kazan. When Möxammädämin found out, he asked for help from Moscow. Ivan III dispatched an army. A number of Kazan nobles fled to Mamuq. Mamuq made an appearance of turning back, but when the Muscovy troops left Kazan, Mamuq quickly returned. Möxammädämin escaped to Moscow with his family. Mamuq took Kazan without a fight, and became khan. A year later, when he left Kazan to loot the nearby town of Arsk
Arsk
Arsk is a town and the administrative center of Arsky District of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, located on the banks of the Kazanka River, from Kazan, the republic's capital. Arsk is also a station on the Kazan-Agryz railroad. Population:...
, the Kazan people did not let him re-enter the city. The throne was open for contest again. This time qarachi
Qarachi
Qarachi was the highest level of noble within Turkic khanates of 14-16 centuries, such as Siberia Khanate and Kazan Khanate. The name could be applied to the member of the four extended families: Shirin , Barghen , Arghen , Qepchaq ....
and particularly Qol Axmat asked Ivan III not to give throne to Möxammädämin, citing "abuse and dishonor to women" from him. The throne was given to Abd al Latif
Ghabdellatif of Kazan
Ghabdellatif was the khan of Kazan Khanate in 1496-1502.Ghabdellatif was the youngest son of Ibrahim and Nur Soltan. When his father died in 1479, his mother married Meñli I Giray and moved to Crimean Khanate. Around 1490 Meñli I Giray sent Abdul to Muscovy for service, where he received town of...
. Möxammädämin was seriously offended. To amend it, he received Serpukhov
Serpukhov
Serpukhov is a city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, which is situated at the confluence of the Oka and the Nara Rivers. It is located south from Moscow on the Moscow—Simferopol highway. The Moscow—Tula railway passes through the town. Population: -History:...
and Khotun in addition to Kashira.
Poet
Möxammädämin was also a prominent Old Tatar languageOld Tatar language
Old Tatar language was a literary language used among the Muslim Tatars from the Middle Ages till the 19th century....
poet. His son Möxämmädyar, born from his wife Şäwliäbikä, also was one of the most prominent Tatar poets.