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Mongol Invasion Of Volga BulgariaThe Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria lasted from 1223 to 1236. In 1223, after winning the battle of Kalka, a part of Mongol troops under Mongolian general Subedei's and noyon Jebe's command was sent to invade Volga Bulgaria. However, the Mongol cavalry was caught in ambush and was defeated near the Zhiguli hills on the Volga's right bank. In 1229, the Mongols under Kukday's and Bubede's command defeated Bulgar frontier-guards at the Ural River. In 1232, the Mongol cavalry smashed the southeastern part of the Bashkirs lands, as well as some parts of Volga Bulgaria. In 1236, the united Mongol forces, led by Batu, besieged and seized Bolghar, Bilr, Suar, Cktaw, and other cities and castles. The cities' inhabitants were killed or sold to slavery. The defenses of Volga Bulgaria were weakened as there different duchies had not been united. Volga Bulgaria became the part of Jochi's ulus of the Golden Horde. It was divided into different duchies; later each of them became the vassal of Golden Horde and received some autonomy. According to some historians, over 80% of the country's population was killed during the invasion. The remaining population mostly relocated to the northern areas (modern Chuvashia and Tatarstan). Some autonomous duchies appeared in those areas. Steppe areas of Volga Bulgaria was settled by nomadic Kipchaks and Mongols, and the agricultural development went down. The cities of Volga Bulgaria were rebuilt and became trade and craft centers of the Golden Horde. Some Bulgarians, primarily masters and craftsmen, were forcibly moved to Saray and other southern cities of the Golden Horde to work there. Bulgaria also stayed a center of agriculture and handicraft of all of the Golden Horde. The population of Volga Bulgaria was mostly Muslim. Under influence of Bulgarian culture, more and more nomadic Mongols and Kipchaks were converted to Islam. On the other hand, the language, used by Muslims of the Golden Horde, transformed into the Kipchak language, which all Muslim Volga Bulgars adopted. As a result of later mixing of the Kipchak and Bolgar languages, the modern Tatar language developed. Some of Bulgaria's non-Islamic population kept the Bolgar language, which was influenced by the Mari language that was in common use on the territories they relocated to. This lead to the development of the modern Chuvash language. Some historians apologize that during Mongols rule, population of Volga Bulgaria did not change in ethnic ranges and stayed Bolgar and partly Finnic. Alternatively, some apologize, that some Kipchaks were forcibly relocated to Bulgaria's land. Undoubtedly, some Bulgars were forcibly relocated to the territory of modernAstrakhan Oblast, the population of which was previously nomadic. The language of literature in the Golden Horde became Old Tatar language. Volga Bulgaria's Muslim community preferred to call themselves Muslims (Mselmannar), but used the word Bolghar to distinguish themselves from nomadic Moslem Kipchak. They did not call themselves Tatars until the 19th century. Russian sources also originally distinguished Volga Bulgars from nomadic Tatars, but later the word "Tatar" became synonymous with "Turkic Muslim". To distinguish between themselves, they started to use names of the khanates: the population of Khanate of Kazan called themselves the people of Kazan (Qazanlı); this name was also used by the steppe Tatars and by the Russians. After the conquering of all Tatar lands commonly naming became Tatar and it was used also for Volga Bulgars, what was ancestors for the most numerous part of Russian Tatars Volga Tatars. Only In 19th century Volga Tatars adopted this name, because it was only name could be used for Tatars as for nation: Mishar's and Siberian Tatars' ancestor was not Volga Bulgars in mass. In the beginning of 20th century Russians preferred to use to all nations their own name. So word Tatars stayed to use only for Volga Tatars, what are genetically Volga Bulgars. But still today some doesn't distinguish Tatars between their extinct and assimilated conquerors. In the middle of 14th century some duchies of Volga Bulgaria became more independent and even coined own money. They was ruled by Bulgar nobles. In 1420s Kasan Duchy or Kasan Ulus under Ghiasetdin became independent on Golden Horde in fact. In 1440s all lands with Volga Bulgar population was included to Khanate of Kazan, which was ruled by Mongol dynasties. Khanate also included Mari and Chuvash lands, Bashkir, Udmurt and Mordvins territories' rulers was vassals of Kazan. There were a peoples that traditionally were under Volga Bulgaria's economical and cultural influence.
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