Volga Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria or Volga-Kama Bolghar, is a historic state that existed between the
7th and
13th centuries around the confluence of the
Volga and
Kama rivers in what is now the
Russian Federation. Today, Republics of
Tatarstan and
Chuvashia are considered to be descendants of Volga Bulgaria in terms of territory and ethnicity.
Encyclopedia
Volga Bulgaria or
Volga-Kama Bolghar, is a historic state that existed between the
7th and
13th centuries around the confluence of the
Volga and
Kama rivers in what is now the
Russian Federation. Today, Republics of
Tatarstan and
Chuvashia are considered to be descendants of Volga Bulgaria in terms of territory and ethnicity.
Origin
First-hand information on Volga Bulgaria is rather sparse. As no authentic Bulgar records have survived, most of our information comes from contemporary
Arabic,
Persian,
Indian or
Russian sources. Some information is provided by excavations.
It is thought that the territory of Volga Bulgaria was originally settled by the Finno-Ugric peoples. The
Turkic Bulgars moved into the area in about 660 AD, commanded by Kotrag Khan, Kubrat's son. Some Bulgar tribes, however, continued westward and after many adventures settled along the
Danube River, in what is now known as
Bulgaria proper, where they merged with or were assimilated by the
Slavs, adopting a
South Slavic tongue and an
Eastern Orthodox faith.
Most scholars agree that the Volga Bulgarians were subject to the great
Khazarian Empire. Sometime in the late 9th century unification processes started, and the capital was established at
Bolgar city, 160 km south from modern
Kazan. Most scholars doubt, however, that the state could assert independence from the Khazars until the latter were annihilated by
Svyatoslav of Rus in 965.
Heyday
A large part of the region's population was
Turkic and included
Bulgars, Suars, Barsil, Bilars, Baranjars and part of Burtas . Modern Chuvashes and
Kazan Tatars descend from the Volga
Bulgars, although linguistic evidence suggests that the Chuvashes represent an earlier Turkic ethnos , which may be connected to the
Huns. Another part comprised Finnic and Magyaric tribes, from which Bisermäns and
Tatars probably descend.
Commanding the
Volga River in its middle course, the state controlled much of trade between Europe and Asia prior to the
Crusades . The capital,
Bolghar, was a thriving city, rivalling in size and wealth the greatest centres of Islamic world. Trade partners of Bolghar included from
Viking, Bjarmland,
Yugra and Nenets at the north to
Baghdad and
Constantinople in the south, from Western Europe to
China at the East. Other major cities included Bilär, Suar , Qasan and Cükätaw . Modern cities
Kazan and
Yelabuga were founded as Volga Bulgaria's border fortresses.
Some of the Volga Bulgarian cities still haven't been found, but they are mentioned in Russian sources. They are: Asli , Tuxçin , Ibrahim , Taw Ile. Some of them were ruined after and during the Mongol invasion.
The Russian principalities to the west posed the only tangible military threat. In the 11th century, the country was devastated by several Russian raids. Then, at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, the rulers of
Vladimir , anxious to defend their eastern border, systematically pillaged Bulgarian cities. Under Slavic pressure from the west, the Bulgars had to move their capital from
Bolghar to Bilär.
Decline
Main article: Mongol invasion of Volga BulgariaIn September 1223 near Samara an advance guard of
Genghis Khan's army under command of
Uran, son of Subedei Bahadur, entered Volga Bulgaria but was defeated by the Gabdula Chelbir khan. In 1236, the
Mongols returned but it took them five years to subjugate the whole country which in that time was in internal war. Henceforth Volga Bulgaria became a part of the Ulus Jochi, later known as the
Golden Horde. It was divided into several principalities; each of them became a vassal of the Golden Horde and received some autonomy. By the 1430s, the
Khanate of Kazan was established as the most important of these principalities.
See also
References
