The formation of a Slavic-Turkic state began here - Danube Bulgaria.

In 626, the Bulgar Khan Kubrat, who converted to Christianity from the Patriarch of Constantinople, freed himself from the power of the Kagan and created the so-called Great Bulgaria in the Black Sea and Azov steppes. However, the Bulgars did not have enough forces to control such a vast territory, and in the second half of the 7th century they were forced to cede the southern steppes to the Khazars, an ethnically related North Caucasian people. One of the Bulgar hordes retreated to the north and settled on the middle Volga and lower Kama, where later, having subjugated the surrounding Finnish tribes, they formed a vast state - Volga Bulgaria. Another horde went to the Eastern Azov region (our chronicles know it under the name of the Black Bulgars). The third temporarily isolated itself in the so-called Angle, between the Dniester and the Danube, under the protection of swamps and rivers.

Around 670, in search of new lands for settlement, this last horde, led by Khan Asparuh, crossed the Danube, defeated the Romans and invaded Moesia on their shoulders. The local population, already basically Slavic (representatives of the so-called Union of Seven Slavic Tribes), recognized his power over them without resistance; the dissatisfied simply moved to neighboring lands. Apparently the tribute demanded by the Bulgars was preferable to the Slavs over the infamous Byzantine tax system. In 716, Byzantium, after a series of unsuccessful military conflicts, finally recognized the independence of the Bulgarian state (the First Bulgarian Kingdom with its capital in Pliska) and undertook to pay an annual tribute to the Bulgarian khans. From that time on, the Northern Balkan lands were finally separated from the empire, and Byzantine writers of the 8th - 9th centuries. They completely lose even the correct geographical understanding of them.

Under Tsar Krum (803 - 814), the borders of Bulgaria expanded significantly due to Byzantine possessions: Sofia was captured in 809, Adrianople was taken in 813. His successor Omurtag (814 - 831) conquered the Slavic tribes of the Timochans and Branichevtsy, captured the cities of Sirmium and Singidunum, which led to the formation of the Bulgarian-Frankish borderland.

In 865, the Bulgarian Tsar Boris I (852-889), successfully playing on the contradictions between Western and Eastern churches, adopted Christianity according to the Greek rite, and five years later achieved the ecclesiastical independence of Bulgaria from the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The resettlement of Clement and Naum (disciples of the Slavic educators Cyril and Methodius) to Bulgaria led to a vibrant flourishing of Slavic culture within the framework of Christian society. The translation they carried out into Church Slavonic language the main biblical books, as well as the works of the holy fathers, laid the foundations of Slavic literature.

Boris's son, Simeon (893 - 927), educated in Constantinople, ruled in true imperial style. He subjugated almost all of Serbia, Macedonia, part of Thrace and significant areas along the Danube, expanding the territory of the Bulgarian kingdom from the Adriatic Sea in the west to the Black Sea in the east. Although his repeated attempts to take Constantinople failed, in 927 Simeon nevertheless declared himself “king of the Bulgarians and Greeks.” Under him, the capital of the Bulgarian state moved from Pliska to Preslav, which was built on the model of Byzantine cities. The reign of Simeon culminated in the compilation of the first Slavic code of law.

First Bulgarian Kingdom (VII-X centuries)

New at first public education- Bulgaria - consisted mainly of two ethnic groups: the nomadic Bulgars, who assumed the functions of political domination and organizing the military security of the country, and sedentary Slavic tribes, who voluntarily agreed to support the newcomers in order to free themselves from subordination to the emperor. Perhaps memories of the period of relatively mild Hunnic rule played some role in the peaceful subjugation of the Slavs to the Bulgars, for the Bulgars were one of the main tribes in the motley Hunnic horde.

The assimilation of the Bulgar Turks into the Slavic environment occurred very quickly. Already in the decrees of Tsar Krum, no distinctions were made on ethnic grounds. Among his associates were persons with Slavic names. Thus, Krum’s ambassador to Constantinople was the Slav Dragomir. Subsequently, the role of the Slavs in the elite of the Bulgarian kingdom only increased, and by the end of the 10th century. Bulgaria turned into a predominantly Slavic state.
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LESSON #2

Ancient Turks and early states

Great Bulgaria

During the advance of the Huns to the west, the Bulgarians, along with other Turkic-speaking tribes, came to the Black Sea and Azov steppes. Here were the possessions of the Turkic Khaganate. The Bulgarians found themselves in the position of vassals. Under the leadership of the ruler Kubrat, they achieved independence in 632. An independent state arose - Great Bulgaria. (see map )

KUBRAT-KHAN SIGNET RING

KUBRAT KHAN

The capital of Great Bulgaria was Phanagoria, an ancient city on the Taman Peninsula.

Crafts and trade were concentrated here. The main occupation of the Bulgarians was nomadic cattle breeding.

The history of Great Bulgaria turned out to be short. Kubrat's sons violated his covenant not to separate from each other and to live in friendship and harmony. After the death of their father, they began to struggle for power and divided the land among themselves. The state collapsed.

Kubrat's son Asparukh was forced to take his subjects to the banks of the Danube. Here the Bulgarians, having conquered the Slavs, created a new state in 681 - Danube Bulgaria.

Most of the Bulgarians, together with Batbay, another son of Kubrat, remained on their indigenous lands. Soon they occupied the Crimean peninsula, the steppes and forest-steppes of the Dnieper region. It was in these steppes, near the village of Pereshchepino in the vicinity of the city of Poltava, that a treasure of gold and silver dishes, precious weapons and jewelry was discovered. “Treasures of Kubratkhan” - this is how this treasure is usually called, on which the name of the founder of Great Bulgaria is preserved.

BULGARIAN SILVER VASE GOLD RINGS ORGANS

WITH AN IMAGE OF KUBRAT KHAN AND KUBRAT KHAN.

Great Bulgaria -the first own state of the Bulgarians, who became one of the ancestors of modern Tatars. It existed for a short time, did not even have time to become properly stronger and therefore did not have a significant impact on the course of history.

Great Bulgaria.

Preliminary remarks.

Based on the works of G.V. Vernadsky and other historians of the 19th-21st centuries.

Great Bulgaria founded by Kurt (Kubrat), in last years his

BULGARIANS

reign was independent as from the Avars and from the Turks. After the failure of the Avar raid on Constantinople (626), the threat of danger from the west was definitely over. The situation in the east was not so favorable for the Bulgars. During the first attack on the North Caucasus lands

oud to the Turks after which they penetrated into Taurida,

oud to the Turkswanted to establish control over the Utigurs, after which they penetrated into Taurida,

After Thaspar's death, a crisis arose due to the lack of a clear succession mechanism. Before his death, Taspar bequeathed to leave the throne to Toremen. But Toremen, the son of Mukan Kagan and his younger wife, was considered low-born and the nobility decided not to install him as Kagan. Under pressure from Shetu (the future Baga-Ishbara Khan), the nobility bowed in favor of Amrak, the son of Taspar. Toremen plotted to displace the newly-minted kagan and take the throne; he and his servants publicly insulted the kagan, remaining unpunished. Deciding not to take risks, the council of the Turkic nobility proclaimed the brave, enterprising Shetu kagan. Toremen received the title of Abo Khan and left for the north. Shetu became Baga Yshbara Khan. Subsequently, these disputes led to civil war in Turkic

participation there in civil war. For for almost twenty years the Turkic state was weakened oh because

599-603 – SPLIT AND DISCOVERY OF THE TURKIC KHAGANATE

Western kagan Kara-Churin and eastern kagan Zhangar. In 597, the Turkic kagan Yun-Ulug asked for help from Kara-Churin, since the Chinese decided to make Khan Zhangar kagan and had already lured many Turks to his side. This year, Kara-Churin defeated the Volga tribes and began to move troops to the east. In 599, Chinese generals were able to defeat the army of Kara-Churin. The death of Yun-Ulug removed the last obstacle to Kara-Churin on the path to the Kagan throne and at the end of 599, without convening a congress of the Turkic nobility, he proclaimed himself Kagan. Zhangar was proclaimed kagan with the support of Chinese troops. Zhangar was entirely dependent on the Chinese emperor and lived under the protection of Chinese troops, who protected him from Kara-Churin. In 599, the elderly Kara-Churin headed the collapsing Khaganate. The Chinese immediately went on the offensive and sent Shi Wansui to attack the Kagan. Kara-Churin avoided battle and sent his son to attack the Eastern Turks, but arriving Chinese reinforcements forced the Turks to retreat. In 601, Kara-Churin seized the initiative and defeated the Chinese general at Khinan. Zhangar and the Chinese generals opposed Kara-Churin; they set up camp on the northern bank of the Yellow River, north of Ordos. A Turkic detachment under the command of Sygin crossed the river and, with a deft maneuver, captured cattle and people from Zhangar. Chinese generals Yang So and Liang Mo caught up with the Turkic detachment and recaptured their prey, other Chinese detachments set off along other roads, across the line. Despite the defeat, another Turkic detachment attacked Zhangar's headquarters a second time. In 603, in the rear of Kara-Churin, an uprising of the Tele tribes broke out, which defeated the military leaders of Kara-Churin. The Eastern Turks, seeing the defeat of Kara-Churin, began to leave him for Zhangar, and the Tatabs joined them. ABOUT future fate Little is known about Kara-Churina. According to Chinese information, he, abandoned by the majority of his subjects, fled to Togon, where he died or was killed.

THE AGE OF THE KHAGANATES

603-630 GG. – EASTERN TURKIC KHANATE

The power of the Turkic state soon began to crumble. There is a weakening of the Turkic Kaganate, the main manifestations of which are the intensification of internecine wars, the aggravation of social contradictions, the advance of China on the borders of the Kaganate, and wars with neighboring countries. In 603, the Turkic Khaganate collapsed into the Western Turkic Khaganate and the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. Initially, the rulers of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate were subordinate to the Chinese emperors (Zhangar Khagan). Zhangar Kagan was a loyal vassal of the Chinese Sui Empire until his death. In 608, Zhangar visited Luoyang and returned to headquarters, where he soon died. His son Shibir Kagan became the heir. Unlike previous kagans, Shibir Kagan was not elected at a congress of princes, but was appointed by the Chinese Emperor Sui Yan-di. In 615, Zhangar Kagan's son Shibir Kagan regained independence from the Chinese Empire. Since 615, a series of wars took place between the Eastern Turkic Khaganate and the Chinese Empire. In 617, the Sui Empire virtually ceased to exist. Unexpectedly, the Turks again became the most powerful force in East Asia, and in 619 Shibir Kagan died. The heir was his brother Chulo Kagan, who died in 620. After Chulo Kagan, Kat Il Khan was elected ruler. In 621-624 he waged war against the Chinese Tang Dynasty. After the truce of 624-625, the war between the Turks and China resumed until 626, when a new truce was concluded. In 627, the Seyanto, Uighurs, and Bayyrku rebelled against Kat il-khan. As a result, Kat il-khan was captured by the Chinese, and the Eastern Turkic Khaganate ceased to exist.

603-704 GG. – WESTERN TURKIC KHANATE

In 603, the Turkic Khaganate collapsed into Western and Eastern. The borders of the Western Turkic Kaganate were located from the Sea of ​​Azov and the Don to the eastern spurs of the Tien Shan and northeastern India. The core of the state was the region of Dzungaria, inhabited by the Dulu tribes, and the Western Tien Shan with the Nushibi tribes. Ruled by kagans from the Ashina dynasty. The capital became the city of Suyab (near the city of Tokmak in Kyrgyzstan), and the summer residence was Ming-Bulag (near the city of Turkestan). The center of the state was in Semirechye. In the first period of the existence of the Western Turkic Khaganate, there was a certain anarchy within the Khaganate. It is also worth noting that at this stage the rulers of the Western Turkic Khaganate were dependent on the Chinese emperor. In the second period (610-630), the Western Turkic Kaganate became an independent state and an active player in the global geopolitical field. In the third period (630-704), civil strife took place in the Western Turkic Kaganate, where two tribal groups, Dulu and Nushibi, fought, who supported certain representatives of the Ashina clan. The last real independent ruler of the Western Turkic Kaganate was Hallyg Yshbara-Jagbu Khan (653-657), who achieved the reunification of the Kaganate for a short time. He got involved in an unequal war with the Chinese Tang Empire, which led to the loss of independence of the Khaganate. From 657 to 704, the Western Turkic Khaganate existed within the framework of the fourth period, when it was actually part of the Tang Empire.

610-618 GG. – RULE OF THE WESTERN TURKIC KHAGAN SHEGUY

Shegui, son of Yang-Soukh-tegin, grandson of Kara-Churin Turk - Kagan of the Western Turkic Kaganate from 611/612 to 618. In 598, Kara-Churin Turk installed his grandson Sheguy to rule in Shasha, in the area where present-day Tashkent is located. After the flight of Taman Kagan, he was elected khan by the Nushibi tribes. During the reign of Sheguy, there were periodic clashes with Shibir Khan Turk-shad - the Eastern Kagan. These clashes did not bring any benefit to the Western Khaganate. Shegui made Altai the eastern border of the Kaganate and extended his power to the entire Tarim basin and the eastern Pamir region. The short-lived heyday of the Western Turkic Kaganate became a time of maximum territorial expansion of the new state, rapid enrichment and growing influence of the military-tribal nobility, which united the forces of the tribes under the auspices of the Kagan power for almost continuous and always successful campaigns. Under him, the state strengthened and stabilized.

618-630 – REIGN OF THE WESTERN TURKIC KHAGAN TON-JABGU

Ton-dzhabgu is the son of Yang-Souh-tegin, the son of Kara-Churin Turk. His reign is considered to be the heyday of the Western Turkic Kaganate. In 619, he subjugated the Kibi and Seyanto tribes. After that, he conquered East Turkestan, Samarkand and the borders of his state reached the territory of modern Pakistan. Ton-jabgu tried to conclude an alliance with China against the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, wooing the Chinese princess. In 626, Ton-Jabgu's troops captured Tbilisi. From 626 to 630, Turkic troops were able to capture many Caucasian possessions, which were allies of Iran. Ton-jabgu carried out administrative reform and appointed his representatives - tuduns in the region to monitor and control the collection of tribute. It is believed that he issued his coins with the Sogdian inscription - Tun Yabgu Kagan. He was killed by the rebel tribes of Dulu, led by his uncle Kyulyug-Sibir Khan.

632-671 GG. – BULGARIAN KHANATE

A short-term unification of Turkic-speaking Bulgar tribes (632-c.671), which arose in the steppes of Eastern Europe shortly after the unrest in the Western Turkic Khaganate and the weakening of the Avar Khaganate. The main territory was located in the Black Sea and Azov steppes. The basis of the association was the Bulgar tribe Kutrigurs. Khan Kubrat (632-665) managed to unite his horde with other Bulgar tribes of the Utigurs (who were previously dependent on the Turks) and Onogurs. The unification of the Bulgar tribes was started by Khan Organ, Kubrat’s uncle. Nicephorus, 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 them out of their 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.” After the death of Kubrat, the territory of the Bulgar Kaganate was divided by his five sons: Batbayan, Kotrag, Asparukh, Kuber, Altsek. Each of Kubrat's sons led his own horde, and none of them individually had enough strength to compete with the Khazars. During the clash with the Khazars that followed in the 660s, the Bulgar Kaganate ceased to exist.

internal strife between the khans. The Utigurs took advantage of this situation and managed to free themselves from Turkic control. However, the Turks retained their possessions in the eastern part of the North Caucasus, as well as and in the lower Volga region. IN result internal discord in Turkestan the western group of Turks broke away from the main khanate in Turkestan. The Western horde of the Turks could not be very numerous, and local tribes conquered by her, to a large extent maintained their self-government. Ethnic the composition of the tribes of the North Caucasus was very mixed. TO original various racial traits were added to the Japhetic basis, introduced by new tribes who came to this territory, such as Sarmatians, Hunno-Bulgars and Ugrians. During the fifth and sixth centuries one of these mixed tribes became known as the Khazars. Along with other local tribes The Khazars recognized Turkic rule over themselves around 570. Soon they became loyal supporters of the Turkic state and gradually mixed with the Turks. By the time the Western Turkic horde in the North Caucasus separated from the main horde in Turkestan, the Khazars already constituted main basis North Caucasian state, which soon became known as Khazar Khaganate. Thanks to geographical location, the Khazars, like the Alans before them, were destined to play

650-969 – KHAZAR KAGANATE

Founded by the Khazars, led by a prince from the house of Ashina. He controlled the territory of the Ciscaucasia, the Lower and Middle Volga regions, modern North-West Kazakhstan, the Azov region, the eastern part of Crimea, as well as the steppes and forest-steppes of Eastern Europe up to the Dnieper. The center of the state was initially located in the coastal part of modern Dagestan, and later moved to the lower reaches of the Volga. Part of the ruling elite converted to Judaism. A number of East Slavic tribal unions were politically dependent on the Khazars. Initially, the Khazars were one of the many nomadic tribes that moved from Asia during the Great Migration. They spoke one of the early Turkic languages ​​and belonged to the tribes of the Oghur group, the first of which appeared in Europe in 463. The earliest reliable news about the Khazars is considered to be a mention in the list of tribes listed by Pseudo-Zachary in 555. The rise of the Khazars is associated with the history of the Turkic Khaganate. As a significant military force, the Khazars were first mentioned in connection with the Iranian-Byzantine war of 602-628, in which the Khazar ruler Dzhebukagan became the main conductor of the Turkic-Byzantine alliance directed against Iran. In 627, the Khazar army plundered Caucasian Albania and, uniting with the Byzantines, took Tbilisi by storm. Beginning in 630, numerous internecine clashes led to the collapse of the Western Turkic Khaganate. The result of this was the emergence of two new political entities on its periphery in the steppes of Eastern Europe. Great Bulgaria arose in the Black Sea region, founded by Khan Kubrat in 632, and in the Caspian region - Khazaria. The Khazars did not show themselves at first. By the end of the 7th century, the Khazars controlled most of the steppe Crimea, the Azov region and the North Caucasus. In 737, the Arab commander Marwan ibn Muhammad (the future caliph), at the head of an army of 150 thousand, suddenly invaded Khazaria simultaneously through Derbent and Daryal. The troops stormed the Khazar capital of Semender and reached the city of Al-Bayda, where the Kagan's headquarters was located. The Kagan fled deep into his possessions. In pursuit of him, the Arabs went further north than ever before: all the way to the Don and Volga. The Khazar army was defeated, and the Kagan sued for peace. In exchange for retaining the throne, he promised to convert to Islam. The geopolitical consequence of the Arab onslaught was the movement of the population of Khazaria from the dangerous Caucasian borderland to the interior regions - the Don region, where the Alan tribes settled, and the Volga region. A new Khazar capital, Itil, arose in the lower reaches of the Volga, which soon turned into a large trading center. Dagestan with its old capital Semender turned from a central region into the southern outskirts of Khazaria. Around 740, one of the Khazar military leaders, Bulan, converted to Judaism. At the beginning of the 9th century, a descendant of Bulan, Obadiah, took the second post in the state after the Kagan and concentrated real power in his hands. From that moment on, a system of dual rule was established in Khazaria, in which the country continued to be nominally headed by the Khagans from the old royal family of Ashina, but real governance was carried out on their behalf by beks (kings) from the Bulanid clan. It is very likely that the establishment of a new order was accompanied by internecine clashes. Part of the Khazars, known as Kavars, rebelled against the ruling dynasty and, after the suppression of the rebellion, went over to the Hungarians. At the end of the 9th - first half of the 10th centuries, the Khazar Kaganate weakened, but still continued to remain an influential state. In 965-969, the Khazar Kaganate was defeated by the Russians and Oguzes

important role in international politics in Asia Minor. As we have seen, the Byzantine Empire in 626 was subjected to

simultaneous attack by Avars and Persians. Emperor Heraclius needed allies and quickly realized the opportunity use of the Khazars against the Persians. As a result a Byzantine envoy was sent to the Khazar Khagan with a proposal for alliance against Persia. Interests of Byzantium in this matter coincided with the interests of the Khazars, And kagan with readiness agreed to the alliance. In 627 he he himself led his army to Iveria

1 Do you know what the locals call their country? Sakartvelo - this is the beautiful word Georgians call their “baby”. And all because the Kartvelian people previously lived here. The name “Georgia” came to our lips much later, from the 17th century.

2 It is interesting that the inhabitants of the country became Christians much earlier than the Ukrainians, back in 319.

3 Did you know that in distant history with Spain, Georgia had the same name - Iberia?

Sakartvelo was the first country where ancient human remains were discovered. They were found in 1991, but they date back to almost 2 million years ago. They were even “called” by names - Mzia and Zezva.

and besieged the city of Tiflis(Tbilisi)Irakli, from my side, headed to Tiflis (Tbilisi)from Lazika, famous

subsequently as the western part of Georgia. The allies met in the vicinity of Tiflis, and Irakli treated the kagan to a luxurious feast, after which he gave the kagan his golden dinner service. Siege of Tiflis, however, continued two months without results. Tired of inaction the kagan returned home, leaving Irakli military corps - forty thousand people, according to sources. Probably, this corps consisted mainly White Ugrians (Saragurs), who were vassals of the Khazars. Anyway, in the Slavic translation of the chronicle of George Amartol

Georgy Amartol
Georgy Amartol. Miniature from the Tver copy of the “Chronicles of George Amartol”, 1st half. XIV century
Date of Birth:	9th century
A country:	Byzantium
Occupation:	historian

it was stated that White Ugrians helped Heraclius in his war against Persia. Other Ugric horde, Onogurs, was part of Great Bulgaria under the rule of Khan Kurt, as already noted. Thus, Ugric tribes of the North Caucasus in this period divided in his commitments between the Khazars and the Bulgars. Bye Kurt was alive, He had enough strength to withstand the onslaught of the Turko-Khazars. After his death, however, Great Bulgaria was divided by his sons, Also just as the Hunnic Empire was divided after the death of Attila. Every of Kurt's sons found himself now at the head of his own horde, and none of them there was not enough strength, to cope with the Khazars. Under the onslaught of the Khazars, the Bulgar hordes were forced to leave their former inhabited places and look for safer regions. One of the hordes consisting mainly from the Kutrigur clans, moved to the north and finally settled in the area of ​​the middle Volga and Kama.

reflects the Turkic origin of the former ruling clan; but the new nation is generally Slavic in language and civilization.

GREAT BULGARIA
VELIKA BULGARIA

Great Bulgaria. Bulgaria. A union of tribes of different origins, mainly Turkic and Finno-Ugric, which existed for a short time (632-c. 671) in the Black Sea and Azov steppes.

The basis of the unification was the Proto-Bulgarian tribe Kutrigurs, which, with the involvement of the Slavs and remnants of the Antes, managed to free themselves from the power of the Avars, whose power was undermined by another unsuccessful attempt to capture Constantinople (626).

The Kutrigur Khan Kubrat (632-665) managed to unite his horde with another Bulgarian tribe of the Utigurs (who were previously dependent on the Turks), as well as with Ugric tribe Onogurs (possibly Khunnogurov, Hungurs, from where Hungary - Ugria, Hungary). This is how Great Bulgaria arose. Among the Bulgarian tribes, the Dulo clan strengthened. In 619, the Bulgarian leader Organa converted to Christianity in Byzantium. Organa left his throne to his sister's son Kubrat. Kubrat was born ca. 605 and was brought up at the court of the Byzantine emperor. In 632 Kubrat ascended the throne. Kubrat married in 635 the daughter of a wealthy Greek, Evdokia. Kubrat received the rank of patrician from the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius.

Great 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 Bulgarian tribes in unity and resist danger. But after his death, Great Bulgaria was divided by his five sons, Batbayan, Kotrag, Asparukh, Kuber, Altsek. Each of Kubrat's sons led his own horde, and none of them individually had enough strength to compete with the Khazars. As a result of the onslaught of the Khazars, the Bulgarian hordes were divided, and Great Bulgaria ceased to exist. The Bulgars took part in the Great Migration of Peoples, influencing the formation of peoples that have survived to this day. Around 665 Kubrat died. Presumably his burial was found near the village of Malaya Pereshchepina, Poltava region of Ukraine. Many gold and silver items and a seal with a monogram (in which Kubrat’s name can be read) were recovered, which are now stored in the Hermitage.

The eldest son Batbai remained in place, the second son Kotrag with his horde crossed the Don and settled opposite Batbai. The third son Asparukh with his horde went to the Danube and there founded Danube Bulgaria. Asparukh was buried on the territory of the modern city of Zaporozhye. The fourth son and his horde moved to Pannonia to the Avars, the fifth son went with his horde to Italy.

One of the hordes, consisting mainly of Kutrigur tribes, under the leadership of Kotrag, moved north and settled (VII - VIII centuries) on the middle Volga and on the Kama, where Volga Bulgaria subsequently arose. The Volga Bulgars are the ancestors of the Kazan Tatars and Chuvash.

Another horde, which included mainly Utigur clans, under the leadership of Khan Asparukh, went west and c. 650 stopped in the lower Danube area. The Slavic tribes, who had no experience in creating states, invaded the Balkans from across the Danube around the same time (VI-VII centuries) and fell into the sphere of influence of the Bulgarians. Having recognized Asparukh as their overlord, they joined the new state. Over time, the Bulgars merged with the Slavs, and from the mixture of the Asparukh Bulgars and the various Slavic and remnants of the Thracian tribes that were part of it, the Bulgarian nation was formed, which managed to create one of the first Slavic states, the Bulgarian kingdom.

Thus, an ancient union of tribes called the Bulgars took part in the formation of several peoples - Slavic, Turkic, Finno-Ugric, and also to some extent Roman and Germanic.

Great Bulgaria is a large, strong union of Turkic-speaking Bulgarian tribes from the Azov region. The state arose in the first half of the 7th century. and occupied the territory of the lower reaches of the Don and the Taman Peninsula. The capital of the state was the city of Phanagoria (a former ancient city on Taman). To others big city was Tamatarkha, later known as Tmutarakan.

Great Bulgaria was a semi-nomadic state, i.e. in the summer, the population roamed the steppes of the Azov region, and in winter time lived in cities.

After the death of the last ruler of Volga Bulgaria, Khan Kubrat in the 50-60s of the 7th century. the state is falling apart. The collapse of the state was also facilitated by the penetration of the Khazars. One of Kubrat's sons, Asparukh, with part of the Bulgarian tribes, goes to the Danube, where he subjugates the Slavs and subsequently creates a state - Danube Bulgaria. The main part of the Bulgarians, led by Khan Batbai, remained on their lands and became part of the Khazar Kaganate. Subsequently in the 8th century. part of the Bulgarians leaves the territory of the Azov region and appears in the Middle Volga region.

Historian's testimony:

“Krovat (i.e. Khan Kubrat), the owner of Bulgaria and Kotragov, died, leaving five sons, to whom he bequeathed never to disperse, because only in this way could they always rule and remain unenslaved by another people. But not for a long time after his death, his five sons came in disagreement and all dispersed. Each with the people under his control.”

Byzantine chronicler and historian of the 9th century.

Theophan the Confessor

From the document:

“But it’s time to talk about the beginning of the so-called Huns and Bulgarians and their situation. Near the Meotid Lake (Sea of ​​Azov), along the Kofis (Kuban) River, is located what was called in ancient times Great Bulgaria and the so-called Kotragi, their fellow tribesmen. During the time of Constantine (Constantine II, 641 - 668), who died in the west, someone named Kovrat (Kubrat), who was the sovereign of these tribes, changed his life (died), leaving five sons, to whom he bequeathed in no case to separate from each other friend, so that they would protect their power through mutual goodwill.”

From the writings of the Patriarch of Constantinople Nicophoros

(758-829) “Breviary” (“ Short story") about the Bulgarians.

From the works of historians:

“The Bulgarians, led by the energetic and talented Khan Asparukh, resisted the Khazars, but Batbai did not support his brother, and Asparukh, together with his Horde, migrated to the Danube. Batbay remained in the Azov region and submitted to the Kaganate. The size of Khazaria immediately doubled. The population of the Kaganate also increased. Moreover, the ethnic and linguistic proximity of this population with the tribes of the Khazar coalition led to their rapid merger into a single, fairly monolithic union.”

S.A. Pletneva