Astrakhan Khanate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Khanate of Astrakhan
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| 1466–1556 | |||||||||||||||
Astrakhan Khanate in 1466–1556
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| Capital | Astrakhan (Xacitarxan) | ||||||||||||||
| Official languages | Chagatai language, Kypchak | ||||||||||||||
| Common languages | Kipchak languages | ||||||||||||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | ||||||||||||||
| Government | Khanate | ||||||||||||||
| Astrakhan Khan | |||||||||||||||
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• 1466
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Makhmud Astrakhan | ||||||||||||||
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• 1554–1556
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Darwish Ghali | ||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||
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• Established
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1466 | ||||||||||||||
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• Russian conquest
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1556 | ||||||||||||||
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| Today part of | Russia | ||||||||||||||
The Khanate of Astrakhan was a Tatar state that broke away from the Golden Horde. It existed during the 15th and 16th centuries. This khanate was located near the mouth of the Volga river, where the modern city of Astrakhan is today. Its rulers, called khans, believed they were direct descendants of Toqa Temür. He was the grandson of the famous Genghis Khan.
Mahmud bin Küchük started the Khanate around the 1460s. The capital city was Xacitarxan, also known as Astrakhan in Russian records. The Khanate's land included the lower Volga valley and its delta. This area covers much of what is now Astrakhan Oblast and parts of Kalmykia. To the south was the Caspian Sea, and to the east were the Nogai Horde.
Contents
A Crossroads of Trade and Cultures
The area where Astrakhan was located was a very important place. It was a natural center for trade. Goods traveled north and south along the Volga River to Persia. East and west trade routes also crossed here, north of the Caspian Sea.
For many centuries, different Turkic-speaking tribes lived in this region. They formed early states like Old Great Bulgaria (from 632 to 668) and the Khazars (from about 650 to 969).
The Golden Horde's Legacy
After the Mongol conquests, the western steppes became part of the Golden Horde. This large empire lasted from about 1240 to 1502. In the 15th century, parts of the Golden Horde began to break away and form their own states.
- In 1438, the Khanate of Kazan was formed.
- In 1441, the Khanate of Crimea became independent.
- In 1466, the Astrakhan Khanate was established.
- By 1480, Russia also became fully independent from the Golden Horde.
The last part of the Golden Horde ended in 1502. The people living around Astrakhan then became part of the Nogai Horde.
Who Lived in Astrakhan?
Most people in the Astrakhan Khanate were Astrakhan Tatars and Nogais. Merchants played a big role in the economy. They traded goods between different regions. These included Muscovy, Kazan, Crimea, Central Asia, and the Transcaucasus area.
Social Structure
Society in the Khanate had different levels of nobility. From highest to lowest, these were:
The rest of the people were called qara xalıq. This term meant "common folks" or "the great creation" in Old Turkic. It was a standard way to refer to ordinary people.
Religion and Culture
The official religion of the Astrakhan Khanate was Sunni Islam. When Russia conquered the Khanate in 1556, Russian Orthodox Christianity became more common. However, even today, a group of Sunni Muslims still lives in the region. The Kalmyks, another group in the area, are mostly Buddhist.
Astrakhan's History
We don't have many detailed records about the Astrakhan Khanate. Historians often find it hard to know the exact dates and actions of its rulers. We mainly have a list of khans with some uncertain dates. There are also a few records of military actions and diplomatic events. Travelers' reports also give us some information.
The capital city was Xacitarxan, which the Russians called Astrakhan. This city was about 12 kilometers north of where the modern city of Astrakhan is now. After Russia conquered the area, the city and its name were moved to the current location.
Early Years and Independence
The Khanate is said to have started in 1466. However, it didn't become fully independent from the Golden Horde until 1502. In 1459, the Golden Horde ruler Küchük Muhammad died. His sons, Ahmed Khan bin Küchük and Mahmud bin Küchük, split the power. Mahmud was based around Astrakhan.
The Khanate was founded by either Mahmud or his son Qasim I. All the later khans of Astrakhan were descendants of Mahmud or his brother Ahmed. A traveler named Ambrogio Contarini visited the Khanate in 1476.
Challenges and Russian Conquest
The Astrakhan Khanate often had military and diplomatic dealings with the Crimean Khanate and the Nogais. Sometimes, they also interacted with the Circassians. Russia began to have diplomatic contact with Astrakhan around 1532.
Around this time, Russia was expanding eastward towards Kazan, which it conquered in 1552. Russia also gained power to control the Volga River between Kazan and Astrakhan. In 1551, Yamghurchi of Astrakhan agreed to be under Moscow's rule, but he soon changed his mind. He allied with Crimea and the Nogais instead.
Russia sent 30,000 troops to fight him. In 1554, Yamghurchi fled the city. Russia then put its own chosen ruler, Dervish Ali Astrakhani, in charge. But Dervish Ali also started working with the Crimeans. Russia sent more troops and took control of Astrakhan in 1556. They also destroyed a major trading center on the Volga.
In 1558, the city of Astrakhan was moved 12 kilometers south to its current spot. Later, in 1569, the Ottoman Empire tried to capture Astrakhan but failed.
See also
- Astrakhan Tatars
- List of Khans of Astrakhan
- List of Sunni Muslim dynasties
