Tugay Bey

Tugay Bey
Tugay Bey, by Jan Matejko
Or Bey
In office 1644 – June 1651
Monarch	İslâm III Giray
Personal details
Born	Arğın Doğan Toğay
Died	June 1651
Nationality	Crimean Tatar
Religion	Islam
Family	Argyns
Military service
Allegiance	Crimean Khanate
Years of service	? - 1651
Battles/wars	Battle of Okhmatove Battle of Zhovti Vody Battle of Berestechko

Mirza Tughai Bey, Tuhay Bey (Crimean Tatar: Toğay bey; Polish: Tuhaj-bej; Cyrillic: Тугай-бей) sometimes also spelled as Tugai Bey (died June 1651) was a notable military leader and politician of the Crimean Tatars.

Toğay descended from the Arğıns - one of noble Crimean families, and his full name is Arğın Doğan Toğay bey (Arhyn Dohan Tohai bei). "Bey" is actually a title, which he received on becoming the chief of Or Qapı (Perekop) sanjak, an important position in the Crimean Khanate, since the Isthmus of Perekop is the neck to Crimean Peninsula and was crucial to its defense.

Tuhay Bey became the bey of Or Qapı (Or Bey) sometime between 1642 and 1644, an important position of the Crimean Khanate who was in charge of Or Qapı fortress - the gateway to the peninsula. By 1644 he had enough authority for the Khan of Crimea to entrust to him leadership of the major Tatar expedition against Poland. However, Tuhay Bey's army was intercepted by the Polish army under hetman Koniecpolski before reaching the densely populated regions of Ukraine and defeated in the First Battle of Okhmativ.

In 1648 he brought an army (estimated 6,000-20,000) to help Bohdan Khmelnytsky during the Cossack uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. There he took part in several important battles and was eventually killed during the Battle of Berestechko.