What was the Kazan Khanate like? Its accession to Russia falls on the 15th century, during the era of the reign of Ivan the Terrible. It was the time of the formation of Russia, one of the stages of its power. It was achieved both thanks to the economic and military strategy of the king. But in order to get a complete picture of the events of that time, you need to look not only at the investigation, but also at the cause of certain events in the political arena.
The accession of the Kazan Khanate, participants in the events and their motives - we will consider all this below.
Relations with Moscow
Initially, during the period spanning the 14-16th century, within the Kazan Khanate, there were two groups with opposite goals and political views. Adherents of the first group counted on peaceful coexistence with the Moscow kingdom, on profitable partnership trade and economic relations. The second group considered the neighbors as a source of slaves and an object for easy robbery. Supporters of the political line of the Crimean Khanate, which was in very tense relations with Moscow, prevailed. The Kazan Khanate, for which accession to Russia at that time seemed impossible, defended its interests in the region.
Moscow henchman on the throne
The first attempt to seize on the throne of the khanate a man loyal to Russia was made in 1467 and was unsuccessful. Due to the clash of political interests in the lands of the Upper Volga region, the two states lived in constant tension. Constantly sending troops and trying to influence the events of the Kazan Khanate, Moscow sought by all means to seize the right person on the throne.
The struggle, which lasted for many years, ended with the fact that Kazan in 1487 was nevertheless taken by the Russians, and Muhammad-Emin, loyal to the king, was elevated to the throne. During his reign, rebellions broke out every now and then, heated and organized by the nobility, which sought to remove the khan. Seeing this situation, Ivan III made concessions and did not prevent the overthrow of Emin. Instead, Abdul-Latif, the brother of Emin, became the khan.
War of 1521
When Girey was in power, the wars between the Moscow kingdom and the Kazan Khanate did not stop. During the war of 1521, when the forces of Sahib-Giray and Mehmed-Giray united against Moscow, about seven hundred thousand people were hijacked, according to the testimonies alone. The real number was probably much larger. During the war, Murom, Vladimir and other lands suffered. Despite the period of military campaigns, Moscow was most often the first to unleash a conflict. So, out of 12 military clashes, the Kazan Khanate started the war only 4 times. In other cases, it was forced to conduct a defensive policy with the transition to the offensive. In parallel, the Khanate behaved aggressively, making regular raids and weakening the state. Naturally, such a dangerous adversary should not have remained close to the borders of the kingdom. The Kazan Khanate, for which joining Russia could be a salvation, stubbornly continued the raids. A new grand war was brewing, capable of solving everything.
Kazan Khanate: accession to Russia is not far off
Seeing the futility of the two campaigns, by order of the king, comprehensive preparations for a new war were launched. So, a number of reforms were carried out, which were supposed to strengthen both the defensive and offensive power of the army. A competent tactical decision was the construction of the Sviyazhsk fortress. It was located not far from the borders of the khanate, which made it possible to keep a reserve garrison and food there. The assembled army was armed not only with iron, but also with faith. Along with political significance, the war also had a religious connotation, being an analogue of the liberation campaign of Christians against Muslims. The army advanced to Kazan in the summer of 1552. Ivan the Terrible himself commanded the campaign. In those days it was an impregnable, well-fortified fortress. On two sides it was protected by rivers with a rapid current, and on the third - a deep ditch. The king’s troops met with active resistance, but surpassed the enemy in numbers and equipment.
They used siege weapons and explosives, which allowed to destroy the only source of water for the townspeople. As a result, an epidemic broke out, and sorties of weakened Tatars became ineffectual.
The capture of Kazan
Considering the annexation of the Kazan Khanate, the year 1552 can be considered fateful. Seeing that the townspeople were dying from an epidemic, the king suggested that they surrender, but was refused during the negotiations. Then the army began to prepare for a siege. Weakened defenders of Kazan, unable to resist, practically surrendered the city. Describing the later annexation of the Kazan Khanate, participants in those events said that the city was almost cut out.
Historical meaning
The Kazan Khanate, for which accession to Russia meant complete liquidation, paved the way for further expansion to the east and forging economic ties with the countries of the Caucasus. In addition, the threat of attacks and raids by the Crimean Khanate and the Ottoman Empire behind it was eliminated.