description Bulgar Khanate Overview
Old Great Bulgaria, also known as the Bulgar Khanate, was a medieval Turkic state founded by Khan Kubrat around 632 CE on the Pontic-Caspian steppe north of the Black Sea. Following Kubrat's death, the confederation fragmented under pressure from the Khazars, with one group led by his son Asparukh migrating south of the Danube to establish the First Bulgarian Empire in 681 CE. Other Bulgar groups founded Volga Bulgaria along the middle Volga River or came under Khazar dominion.
help Bulgar Khanate FAQ
What was the Bulgar Khanate, or Old Great Bulgaria?
Old Great Bulgaria was a seventh-century Onogur-Bulgar state on the Pontic-Caspian steppe north of the Black Sea. It was founded under Khan Kubrat around 632 CE and is also called Great Old Bulgaria or Patria Onoguria.
What happened after Khan Kubrat died?
The confederation fractured under pressure from the Khazars, who defeated the old power in the late seventh century. Kubrat's sons led different groups, including Kotrag toward the Volga and Asparukh toward the lower Danube.
Is Old Great Bulgaria the same as modern Bulgaria?
No, it predates the Danubian Bulgarian state that became the medieval predecessor of modern Bulgaria. Asparukh's Danube state is conventionally dated to 681, while Kotrag is associated with the later Volga Bulgar tradition.
Why does Bulgar refer to more than one medieval state?
The Bulgar name covers related communities that moved into different regions after the breakup. The Volga Bulgars built a state around the Volga-Kama region, while Asparukh's Bulgars formed a Balkan polity that eventually adopted Slavic language and Orthodox Christianity.
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