Volga Bulgaria comes closer to modern Bulgarians

published on 12/13/11 1:42 PM

Photo: Архив

Having combined a multitude of cultures, Volga Bulgaria, or Volga-Kama Bolghar, is a geographical and historical state formation that has been stirring the interest of scholars recently. One of these scholars is Bulgarian historian Georgi Vladimirov who presented his new richly illustrated book Volga Bulgaria and the Kazan Khanate: legends and tales of the nations inhabiting the Middle Volga basin”.

“Until recently, the idea of Bulgarian readers of Volga Bulgaria was of an exotic place since the Middle Ages", Georgi Vladimirov explains. "Only in recent years many researchers have started talking more about it. Modern Tatarstan is actually a successor of the old territories of Volga Bulgaria, whose cultural heritage is now claimed by several ethnic groups - modern Tatars, Bashkirs and Chuvash. Each of these nations has contributed to the colorful palette that Volga Bulgaria was during the Middle Ages.”

Having originated in the Middle Volga Basin in the late 9th and early 10th century, Volga Bulgaria became the focal point of different cultural traditions, as it was also a major trading post on the Silk Road. The Bulgars at that time mixed with the existing Finno-Ugric population in these lands, and in the early 10th centiry, in order to consolidate their state formation, they adopted a liberal type of Asian Islam. Due to its strategic position, Volga Bulgaria suffered severe blows from the incursions of the Mongols striving to reach the heart of Europe, and later it came under their power within the newly created Khanate of the Golden Horde. After its collapse, the traditions that Volga Bulgarians perpetuated in the region can be detected and tracked in the Kazan Khanate, which originated in the mid-15th century and lasted until the mid-16th century when it was destroyed by the armies of Ivan the Terrible. Thus, the cultural model of Volga Bulgarians existed for centuries, despite the historical vicissitudes.
That is why the book is entitled this way – it marks the beginning and end of a cultural model. In each of the legends, the historical memory for the rise and fall of former Volga Bulgaria has been preserved, the author summarizes. These stories fill in the missing historical sources, telling us about the past. This type of alternate history offers unexpectedly good answers to seemingly difficult historical issues.

”In these legends, readers will come across popular myths and symbols from our own mythology, such as the myth of sacrificing a person when building a new structure. This is a famous legend that tells how, in the construction of the city of Kazan, a great magician told the ruler that a person should be buried in the foundations of a city so that it might survive for centuries. As the first man who appreared at daybreak was the prince, the builders took pity on him and buried a dog in the foundations of the city instead. When the king heard the news, he was happy because his son was still alive, but he was also sad because he saw in this a sign that his city would not survive and would eventually fall into foreign hands.”

The studies by Georgi Vladimirov are the result of the good cooperation with researchers and academic institutions of the Republic of Tatarstan. He also gave the idea for organizing an international scientific meeting on the issues related to Volga Bulgaria in the territory of modern Bulgaria.

English version by Rossitsa Petcova

По публикацията работи: Maria Peeva

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Volga Bulgaria comes closer to modern Bulgarians

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