THE VOLGA BULGHARS BETWEEN WIND AND WATER (1220—1236)

Author(s): ISTVÁN ZIMONYI

Source: Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae , 1992/93, Vol. 46, No. 2/3
(1992/93), pp. 347-355
Published by: Akadémiai Kiadó

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23658459

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Acta Orientalin Academiae Scientiarum Hung. Tomus XLVI (2—3), 347-355 (1992/93)

THE VOLGA BULGHARS BETWEEN WIND AND WATER

(1220-1236)1
ISTVAN ZIMONYI

Düring its last years the Volga Bulghar Empire was thr
eastern Russian principalities from the West and by the M
East. It is my intention in this paper to analyze the Volga B
this dangerous predicament uptill the point when it was co
Mongol army in 1236.
Eirst, the Russian-Volga Bulghar relations must be look
long history beginning from the lOth Century. As their conn
on commercial interests a short summary of the Eastern Euro
and the role of the Volga Bulghars played in it is needed. T
Volga Bulghars was a transit centre from the lOth Century
Station of the Muslim merchants who come from Central Asia and Iran via
Khorezm to Eastern Europe. The Volga Bulghars kept a firm hand on th
northern commercial route to Beloozero and they had good nexus with t
Baltic trade through the Volga and Kiev, through to the Oka, Ugra and Desna
rivers. In the 12th Century the growth of the principality of Rostov-Suz
in East Russia created a new situation as it began to control the upper Vo
trade and by doing so eut off the Volga Bulghar merchant from the North a
this led to fréquent hostilities. Since the upper Volga was closed to the Vo
Bulghars, a new route had to be established to the North which was along the
Unzha river. As the mouth of the Unzha river was the most important straté
point on this route, the Russians tried to invade it and in the second half of th
12th Century they built a fortress called Gorodets between the mouths of th
Unzha and Oka rivers in order to control the trade (Martin 1980, 85-94;
Noonan 1983, 243-254). The struggle entered its décisive period at the begin
ning of the 13th Century. In 1205 the Russian fleet was sent to fight against the
Bulghars (PSRL 10, 50). In 1219 the Volga Bulghars attacked the Ustiug and

1 It was read at the XXIXth PIAC in Tashkent in 1986. From that time two
important books including several articles appeared in Kazan'. The first entitled "Volg
Bulgaria and Rus" published in 1986, the second, "Volga Bulgaria and the Mong
invasion" printed in 1988. There are numerous valuable articles in these 'Sbornik
but they have not affected the idea of this paper.

Akadémiai Kiadô, Budapest

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 348 I. ZIMONYI

Unzha to regain possession

Juri II the grand duke of
the Volga Bulghars whic
west of the Volga river
"Suzdal, having gained c
as well as possession of tr
control over Bulgar's m
In spite of this victory
Russians as it is stated
grand duke, Juri Vsevo
Bulghars. The Bulghars
not show mercy on them
sent an envoy to his bro
ordered him to go to Gor
his army. While in Omu
treaty. He did not pay an
negotiating a peace trea
The Bulghars were appreh
request their entreaty
accepted to follow an earl
fatherVsevolod and his gr
them to govern the Comp
their law and he himsel
As to the chronology o
started his préparation in
It is surprising that the V
if the statement is not
Bulghars had enough tim
other considérations.

Allsen in his work concerning the Mongol and Eastern Qipchaq wars
stated that the Ülbari tribe, the most significant power among the Easter
Qipchaqs, living in the région of the Ural river, was first invaded by the Mon
gols in 1219, and Sübedei defeated them according to the Yülan-Shih (Allse
1983, 9-10). The préparation of the Mongol invasion of the Khorezmia
Empire was in the background of this campaign. First, Transoxania wa

2 PSRL 10, 81. It is recorded under the year 6726 (1218 A. D.). PSRL 25, 116.
It inoludes the record word by word, but a year later (1219 A. D.). The conquest of the
Ustiug is written in the PSRL 1, under 1218.
3 PSRL 10, 83-86. It is dated to the winter of 1219-1220 but its parallel in PSRL 7,
126-128 is under 1220; the other ohronicles give shorter records and all are under 1220 c
PSRL 1, 444-445; PSRL 15, 330-331; PSRL 25, 116-117.
1 Cf. PSRL 15, 332; PSRL 25, 117.

Acta Orient. Hung. XLVI, 1992/93

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 THE VOLGA BÜLGHAES BETWEEN WIND AND WATEE 349

SuxdalfNizluii Noi^orod

rS!a^>-^79^?Ilajr 0fli{Bul,orGr.at
region ^ ; ,Bi|(arl Toior
Suvar

5ULGAF

-<
1229/ ) <:

Fig. 1. Eastern Europe in the early 13th Century

conquered, and in the spring of 1220 Chingiz-Khan pacified this territory "and
had already taken measures from the restoration of peaceful life" (Barthold
1977, 427). As the Volga Bulghars had commercial relation with Khorezm and
the Ülbari tribe was their neighbour, they must have known about the events

Acta Orient. Hung. XLVI, 1992/93

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350 I. ZIMONYI

of the Mongol campaign

Since the Volga Bulghar
the West at the same ti
peace treaty was a concl
the two powers in the Ru
But their clash of inter
for the Mordva territo
Bulghars. From 1226 t
Kuckin remarked that
concerned the power ov
the Volga Bulghars, as t
(Kuckin 1975, 44-45; Ha
territories was given to t
Oka rivers meet and her
1221 (Kuckin 1975, 44).
principalities in the Mo
mentioned that Pures w
prince wanted to attack
times by the Russians wh
ghars (Smirnov 1951, 47
Oka and Purgas was east o
This is corroborated by
in 1235, the two princes
There is no data of host
the famous Mongol gén
Russian army was defea
Mongols.6 In spite of the

5 Ceterum et Wedin et M
ouius duo principes fuerunt
6 The most detailed descri
"The report of the returning
and the Qipchaqs. Having d
plundered their country, th
the year 620 (A. H.). When t
for them in several places a
them after themselves so th
them from behind, they (Ta
direction. Most of them we
about 4000 men. They went t
of Qipchaq became empty of
The road was eut: the Tatar
ermine, sable, etc. of what
they returned to their coun
before" Ihn al-Athir 12, 388

Acta Orient. Hung. XLVI, 1992/93

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 THE VOLGA BULGHARS BETWEEN WIND AND WATER 351

Volga Bulghars, it can be supposed from the vague records that they
the peace treaty contracted in 1220 and renewed it. The existence
treaty around 1223/4 can be proved from the record of the Rus
the Volga Bulghars sent envoys to Juri II to renew the 6-year-old pe
in 1229 (PSRL 10, 98). This cautious policy of the Volga Bulghars was
because despite the fact that the Volga Bulghars defeated the Mongo
the Mongols had become their neighbour to the south-west as it was
by Juwainï: "Chingiz-Khan gave his eider son Tushi the land from th
of Qayaligh and Khorezm to the border of Saqsin and Bulgar ...
1912,1, 31; Boyle 1958, I, 42). This account refers to the time prior t
both Tushi and Chingiz-Khan died in that year. The Mongol pres
area was dangerous. Later, in 1229 and 1232 the Mongols lead minor c
against the Volga Bulghars and in both cases the Volga Bulghars lost
The Russians began to be active in the Mordva région from 1
sent his brothers against the Mordvas and some villages were destroy
the raid (PSRL 1, 448-449; PSRL 10, 94). In September 1228 Juri
the Rostov prince and one of his générais against the Mordvas but the
go beyond Nizhnii Novgorod and had to retreat because of the he
rains (PSRL 1, 450-451). The biggest campaign against the Mordvas w
Juri II with other princes in the winter 1228/29, when they sack
At the same time, the Bulghar prince arrived to attack Pures, the va
cipality of Juri, but when he had heard about the Russian disaster, h
(PSRL, 1, 451; PSRL 10, 94-95; PSRL 15, 352; PSRL 25, 123).
The Russian aggression in the Mordva région compelled the B
react. Since the Volga Bulghars did not want open hostilities, they av
direct clashes between the two armies, they would rather withdraw,
used other means to prevent the advance of the Russians. In 122
Bulghars must have taken prominent role in instigating the raid by
against Nizhnii Novgorod which was unsuccessful (PSRL 1, 451; P
PSRL 25, 123). Then in the same year the Volga Bulghars tried to
Islam a non-Russian Christian but he would not yield. The Volg
executed him in their Great Town in April and confiscated his p
The Russian Christians living there buried him in the Christian
(PSRL 1, 452-453; PSRL 7, 135; PSRL 10, 97-98; PSRL 15, 353; PSRL 25,
123-124). The message of this action could be interpreted in the following way:
if the Russians continue their hostility tactics in the Mordva région, the Volga
Bulghars will close the Russian colonies and blockade the Russian goods in the
Volga trade.
During this crisis a fresh Mongol campaign was begun: "In 1229 the
inhabitants of Saqsin and the Polovec escaped from the Tatars to the Bulgars
from the south and the Bulgar advanced guard also retreated as they were
defeated by the Tatars near the Yayik (Ural) river" (PSRL 1, 453). The con

16 Acta Orient. Kurvt. XLVI, 1992/93

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 352 I. ZIMONYI

sequences were the closi

the East and the loss of
Volga rivers. In 1235 fri
the desert with him b
Magna Bulgaria, the co
of the Tatars in this ar
normalize their relatio
chronicles that the Vo
1229 to renew the six-
according to their own
were set free: the gran
Christians (PSRL 10, 98).
between them as the Russians later attacked it in 1232-1233 when conditions
were favourable towards them. The Volga Bulghars prolonged the pe
because they needed their forces the protect the frontière against the Mongo
Another sign of their goodwill of the Volga Bulghars was the act of transferri
the earlier executed Christian's corpse to Vladimir in the spring of 1230 (PSRL
1, 453; PSRL 7, 136; PSRL 10, 98-99; PSRL 15, 353; PSRL 25, 124). It seem
to corroborate the assumption that his exécution was a political measure of th
Volga Bulghars against the Russians.
The Volga Bulghar peace policy was a realistic because in 1232 a new
Mongol campaign began. It is recorded in the Russian chronicles: "This year th
Tatars came and wintered there, not reaching the Great Town (Biljar) of t
Bulghars" (PSRL 1, 459; PSRL 7, 138; PSRL 10, 103; PSRL 15, 359; PSRL 2
125). This proves that the eastern territories of the Volga Bulghars were subj
gated but they had enough strength to defend their central région and t
capital. This is corroborated by friar Julianus who met the Tatar envoy in 12
among the Hungarians who lived somewhere north-east in the empire of t
Volga Bulghars. According to the envoy the Mongol army was five days
journey from there.8 The Mongols had carefully planned the conquest of
Volga Bulghars, by their southern région was invaded in 1229 and the eastern
territories in 1232.

The grand duke Juri II took advantage of the Mongol raid against the
eastern part of the Volga Bulghars and in the winter of 1232-1233 sent his son
and other princes to the Mordva région who burnt and pillaged Mordvan

7 De loco illo fratres societatem habere non poterant procedendi propter tiraorem
Tartarorum, qui dicebantur esse vioini. Dörrie 1966, 154.
8 In hoc Ungarorum terra dictus frater invenit Thartaros et nuntium ducis Thar
tarorum, qui sciebat Ungaricum Ruthenicum Cumanicum Theotonicum Sarracenicum et
Thartaricum. Qui dixit quod exercitus Thartarorum, qui tunc ibidem ad quinque dietas
vicinus erat, contra Alemaniam vellet ire; set alium exercitum, quem ad destructionem
Persarum miserant, expectabant. Dörrie 1956, 168.

Acta Orient. Hung. XLVI, 1992/93

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 THE VOLGA BULGHABS BETWEEN WIND AND WATEB 353

villages and killed much of the population (PSRL 1, 459; PSRL 7, 1

10, 103, PSRL 15, 359; PSRL 25, 125). It was the last Russian raid ag
Mordvas before the great western campaign of the Mongols which
1236. The Russians annexed the whole Mordva territory and the Yolga
did not attempt to reconquest it as the Mongol campaign again
beginning in 1231-1232 reminded them of the danger of a Mongol raid
Eastern-Europe as had taken place in 1222-1223 led by Jebe and S
In spite of the extension of the Russian power in the Mordva région, i
supposed from the vague record of friar Julianus that one of th
principalities remained nominally under the Yolga Bulghar authori
conséquence of the Mongol raid against the Volga Bulghars and the Mor
1236, one of the Mordva princes joined the Tatars, the other went to f
places to resist the Tatars.9 The prince who had been the vassal of t
Bulghars surrendered to the Mongols after the fall of the Volga B
the other prince, trusting the Russian grand duke, tried to resist the
presumably from Russian soil.
The Russians seem to have been victorious in the East Russian
Bulghar struggle for the northern commercial routes by the first half
13th Century. The further fate of this conflict was settled by the Mong
crushed the Volga Bulghars in 1236, after which they conquered th
principalities. The Mongol empire of Eastern Europe, called Golde
comprised both of the Volga Bulghars and Russians.
In conclusions, the Volga Bulghar tactics before 1220 was chara
by the protection of their northern trade routes against the Easter
grand duke, who tried to dominate the Baltic and the Upper and Middl
trade. In 1220 a new enemy appeared on the horizon of Eastern
The Volga Bulghars evaluated the threat of this foe and concluded
Mongols were more dangerous than the Russians. So they mad
with the Russians and opposed the Mongols. They kept the peace
Russians at the expense of having to give up the western part of th
région to the grand duke; the Volga Bulghars chose to take this course
the fact that they defeated the Mongols in 1223 while the Russians
feated by the Mongols at Kalka. Erom 1226 to 1229 the Russians ra
Mordvas three times. The Volga Bulghars avoided conflict with the
but threatened them with indirect means. The Mongols conquered S
the southern territories of the Volga Bulghars which forced the Volga
to renew the peace treaty with the grand duke which included the div
the Mordva lands. In 1232 the Mongols occupied the eastern région of t

9 Et unus princeps oura tot populo et familia Tartarorum domino se sub

alter vero munitissima loca ad tuendum se petiit oum paueis populis si valeret
1956, 173.

16* Acta Orient. Hung. XLVI, 1992/93

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 354 I. ZIMONYI

Bulghars. This gave oppo

région. The Volga Bulgh
be attacked from both d
ful on three times: in
them, however, they c
imperial army who att

Bibliography

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Volga-Ural Region, 1217
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des jr. Julianus О. P. ins Uralgebiet (1234/35) und nach Russland (1237) und Beric
des Erzbischofs Peter über die Tartaren, Göttingen.
Halikov, A. H. (1965). Mordovskie i bolgaro-tatarskie vzaimootnoSenija po dannym
archeologii. Etnogenez mordovskogo naroda, Savansk.
Fahrutdinov, R. G. (1984). OSerki po istorii volzskoj bulgarii, Moskva.
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bulgar v XII — pervoj treti XIII v. : Istori&eskaja geografija Rossii XII nacalo XX
Moskva, 31-45.
Martin, J. (1980). Trade on the Volga: The Commercial Relation of Bulgar with Central
Asia and Iran in the llth-12th Centuries. International Journal of Turkish Studies
1. No. 2, 85-94.
Noonan, Th. S. (1983). Russia's Eastern Trade, 1150-1350: The Arehaeological Evidence.
AEMAe 3, 201-264.
PSRL Polnoe Sobranie Russkih Letopisej. Vol. 1: Laurent'evskaja letopis' i suzdal'skaja
letopis' po akademi(eskomu spisku. Moskva 1962; Vol. 7: Voskresenskaja letopis
Spb. 1856; Vol. 10: PatrirSaja ili Nikonovskaja letopis'. Moskva 1965; Vol. 15:
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Smirnov, A. P. (1951). Volzskie bulgary. Moskva.
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Chronology

1205 Vsevolod III, the grand duke of Vladimir sent a fleet on the Volga against the Volga
Bulghars.
1219 — The Volga Bulghars conquered Ustiug.
— The Mongols attacked the Eastern Qipchaqs.

Acta Orient. Bnng. XLTI, 1992/93

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 THE VOLGA BULGHARS BETWEEN WIND AND WATER 355

1220 spring — Chingiz-Khan conquered Transoxania

summer — Juri II, the grand duke of Vladimir sent his brother Iaroslav against
Volga Bulghars and he besieged Oshel.
winter — Juri II himself prepared to march against the Volga Bulghars, but t
sent envoys to ask peace three times. Finally he aocepted the peaoe.
1221 Juri II found Nizhnii Novgorod on the Volga.
1223 The Mongols defeated the Russians at Kalka, the Volga Bulghars ambushed
raiding Mongols.
1226 Juri II sent his brothers against the Mordvas and they saeked some villages.
1228 September — Juri II sent the prince of Rostov and his général against the Mord
land. When they passed through Nizhnii Novgorod Juri II ordered them to retre
because of the heavy rains in autumn.
1228/29 winter — Juri II saeked Purgas in the Mordva région, while a Bulghar prin
came to attack Pures, the vassal principality of Juri II. When th
Bulghar prince had learnt the Russian campaign, he retreated.
1229 — The unsuccessful attack of the Mordvas against Nizhnii Novgorod.
spring — The Volga Bulghars executed a non-Russian Christian merchant
confiscated his properties.
— The Mongols conquered the territory between the Ural and Lower Volga riv
— The Volga Bulghars sent envoys to Juri II to renew the six-year-old peace a
to change the war-prisoners.
1230 The corpse of the executed Christian merchant was carried to Vladimir.
1232 The Mongols attacked the Volga Bulghars from the east, but they did not rea
their Great Town.
1232/33 winter — Juri II sent his son and other princes against the Mordva ré
— The Russians set fire the villages and killed many of them.
1236 The Mongols crushed the Volga Bulghars.

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