Bulgars

Turkic-speaking tribes making up the basic population of Bulgaria on the Volga.

The Bulgars came to the central Volga Region from the Azov region in the second half of the seventh century, after the fall of Great Bulgaria (a state which arose in the seventh century between the Don and Kuban rivers). This has been corroborated by archaeological data. The Bulgars cooperated with local tribes that belonged to the Finno-Ugric language group. With the coming of the Bulgars, who built a strong military organization and achieved political hegemony in the Volga-Kama region, Turkic languages began to spread throughout the central Volga Region. The Bulgars played a major role in the consolidation of local tribes in the creation of their feudal state. The origins of some peoples of the Volga and Kama regions can be traced to the Bulgars (Chuvashes, Kazan Tartars, and others).