Volga Bulgaria

Volga Bulgaria
Itil Bulğar
7th century–1240s
Volga Bulgaria (green), c. 1200.
Capital		Bolghar Bilär
Languages		Turkic (Bulgar, Sabir, Barsil, Bilar and Baranja)
Religion		Tengrism later Islam (after Almish Iltäbär)
Government		Monarchy
Ruler
•	9th century	Kotrag
•	Early 10th century	Almish Yiltawar
•	Early 13th century	Ghabdula Chelbir
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Established	7th century
•	Conquered by the Mongols	1240s
Preceded by Succeeded by Old Great Bulgaria Mongol Empire Khanate of Kazan
Today part of		Russia  Tatarstan  Chuvashia

Volga Bulgaria (Tatar: Идел буе Болгар дәүләте İdel buyı Bolğar däwläte, Chuvash: Атӑлҫи Пӑлхар Atălči Pălhar) or Volga–Kama Bulghar was a historic Bulgar state that existed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers, in what is now European Russia.

Information from first-hand sources on Volga Bulgaria is rather sparse. As no authentic Bulgar records have survived, most of our information comes from contemporary Arabic, Persian, Indian or Russian sources. Some information is provided by excavations.

It is thought that the territory of Volga Bulgaria was originally settled by Finno-Ugric peoples, including Mari people.

The Bulgars of Kubrat's son and appointed heir Batbayan Bezmer moved from the Azov region in about AD 660, commanded by the Kazarig Khagan Kotrag to whom he had surrendered. They reached Idel-Ural in the eighth century, where they became the dominant population at the end of the 9th century, uniting other tribes of different origin which lived in the area. Some Bulgar tribes, however, continued westward and eventually settled along the Danube River, in what is now known as Bulgaria proper, where they created a confederation with the Slavs, adopting a South Slavic language and the Eastern Orthodox faith.