Sahib I Giray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sahib I
Khan of the Tatar Kazan Khanate
Reign	1521–1524
Predecessor	Shahgali
Successor	Safa Giray
Khan of the Tatar Crimean Khanate
Reign	1532–1551
Predecessor	İslâm I Giray
Successor	Devlet I Giray
Born	1501 Crimea
Died	1551 Crimea
Dynasty	Giray dynasty
Father	Meñli I Giray
Religion	Sunni Islam
Tughra

Sahib I Giray (born 1501, died 1551) was an important leader in the 1500s. He ruled as the Khan of Kazan for three years and later as the Khan of Crimea for nineteen years. His father was Meñli I Giray, a powerful Crimean Khan.

Sahib became Khan of Kazan with help from his brother. Later, he was forced out by Russian forces. He then became Khan of Crimea with support from the Ottoman Empire. During his time as Khan, Crimean soldiers fought alongside the Ottomans and in the North Caucasus region. The Crimean Khanate was very strong during his rule, and also during the reigns of Devlet I Giray and Mehmed II Giray.

Who Was Sahib I Giray?

Sahib I Giray was part of the Giray dynasty, a ruling family. His grandfather, Hacı I Giray, started this dynasty. Sahib's father was Mengli Giray. He also had brothers named Mehmed I Giray and Saadet I Giray.

Sahib's Family Life

Sahib I Giray had two known wives: Fatima Sultan and Khanbike Sultan. Khanbike was the sister of a Circassian prince.

He had one known son named Emin. Emin served as Sahib's Kalga, which meant he was Sahib's deputy and chosen heir. Other Kalgas during Sahib's rule were his nephew Islâm I Giray and another nephew, Ahmed.

When Sahib was young, around 1510, he traveled to Moscow and Kazan with his stepmother, Nur Sultan. Later, during his brother Mehmed I Giray's rule, Sahib was held captive for a long time.

Sahib as Khan of Kazan (1521–1524)

The Khanate of Kazan was often unstable. Its leaders, called Khans, would switch between supporting Russia and opposing Russia. To be a Khan, one had to be a descendant of Genghis Khan, which Sahib was.

After the previous Khan, Mohammad Amin, died, a group in Kazan wanted Sahib to rule. However, Russia put their own leader, Shahgali, in charge. In the spring of 1521, Sahib entered Kazan at the request of the anti-Russian group, and Shahgali fled.

Sahib's brother, Mehmed of Crimea, had helped Sahib become Khan of Kazan. Mehmed then tried to take over the Khanate of Astrakhan in 1523. But the Nogais feared Mehmed's growing power and killed him. Sahib's brother, Saadet I Giray, then became the new Khan of Crimea. Saadet was more careful and focused on ruling Crimea, so he didn't give much help to Sahib in Kazan.

In the summer of 1521, Sahib and his brother Mehmed raided Muscovy (the area around Moscow). Sahib attacked Nizhny Novgorod and Vladimir. They then joined forces and raided the outskirts of Moscow, taking many captives.

In 1522, Sahib raided eastern Muscovy again. Russia sent forces to Kazan in 1523, and they built a fort called Vasilsursk. Sahib responded by raiding Galich and taking many prisoners.

Sahib asked the new Crimean Khan, Saadet, for weapons and soldiers, but Saadet refused. In 1524, Sahib declared himself a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, hoping for support. But it didn't help. Russia sent a large army against Kazan, and Sahib fled. Safa Giray of Kazan became the new Khan of Kazan.

Sahib's Return to Crimea (1524–1532)

In the summer of 1524, Sahib returned to Crimea. At first, Saadet, the Khan of Crimea, imprisoned him. But Sahib was released and helped Saadet fight against their rebellious nephew, İslâm I Giray. For several years, Sahib served as Saadet's Kalga (deputy).

Sahib as Khan of Crimea (1532–1551)

In May 1532, Saadet I Giray decided to step down as Khan and moved to Istanbul. İslâm I Giray briefly became Khan. However, the Ottoman Sultan did not approve. In the fall, the Sultan appointed Sahib as the new Crimean Khan. Sahib arrived with Turkish soldiers and was recognized by the Crimean nobles.

İslâm, who had ruled for five months, became Sahib's Kalga. But in 1534, İslâm rebelled. Sahib drove him out of Crimea. Sahib's son, Emin, then became Kalga. In 1537, Sahib forced İslâm out of his stronghold, and İslâm was later killed.

Changes in Crimea

As Khan, Sahib made some important changes. He founded a new capital city called Bakhchisarai, which was about 2 kilometers from the old capital. He also improved the harbor of Gozlev (now Yevpatoria), giving the Khanate its own important port.

Sahib also tried to reduce the power of the most powerful nobles and give more influence to lesser nobles. He also tried to encourage the Nogais, a nomadic group, to settle down.

When Sahib went to war, he had a special guard of musketeers (soldiers with guns), wagons, and field artillery. But the main fighting force was still the cavalry (soldiers on horseback) from the different tribes.

Military Campaigns

• In 1538, Sahib joined forces with the powerful Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent to fight against the ruler of Moldavia. This led to the Ottomans taking control of Ochakov.
• In 1539, Sahib marched to the Taman peninsula to punish the Circassians for attacking Muslims. He returned with some loot.
• In the winter of 1539-1540, Sahib and his son Emin raided Lithuania and possibly Muscovy. They were successful, but their troops suffered from the cold on the way back.
• In 1541, Sahib and Emin raided Muscovy again. They planned to cross the Oka River, but arguments delayed them. The Russians blocked the river with artillery, so the Crimeans returned home with little loot.
• In 1542, Sahib and Emin went back to the North Caucasus to deal with the Circassians who hadn't kept their promises. They won a battle and returned with much loot.
• In 1544, Sahib helped a Kabardian prince against his rebellious subjects. The Tatars defeated an attack and returned with many captives.
• In 1545, Sahib's forces captured Astrakhan.
• In 1546, 10,000 Nogais attacked Crimea to get revenge for Astrakhan. The Crimeans surrounded them near Perekop and defeated them using artillery and musket fire. Sahib ordered many prisoners to be executed after the battle.

Sahib's Downfall and Death (1551)

Before 1551, Sahib had asked for his nephew, Devlet I Giray, to be sent from Istanbul. Sahib wanted Devlet to become Khan of Kazan, but secretly, he wanted to control a potential rival.

In 1551, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent ordered Sahib to march against Persia. This was much farther east than Crimean forces usually went. Sahib said his warriors were not ready for such a long journey. The Sultan began to doubt Sahib's loyalty and decided to replace him with Devlet.

Sahib was told that Devlet would become Khan of Kazan. Sahib was ordered to march against a Circassian tribe that had rebelled and was attacking pilgrims. Before leaving, Sahib sent a large force under his son Emin to guard against an attack while he was away.

Sahib crossed to the Taman Peninsula, chased the rebels, won a battle, and took many captives. Meanwhile, Devlet arrived by land with Ottoman soldiers and cannons. He sailed to Gozlev (Evpatoria) and captured Bakhchiserai, Sahib's capital.

When Emin heard about this, he marched south. But his entire army switched sides to Devlet. Emin was killed. When Sahib learned of the coup, his own army abandoned him. He was imprisoned in the fortress of Taman and killed by his great-nephew, Bulyuk Giray, on Devlet's orders. All of Sahib's children and grandchildren were also killed by Devlet's command.

Devlet I Giray then became the new Khan of Crimea. Sahib was buried with honors near Bakhchisarai.