Tatar believers adhere mainly to the Muslim religion. Tatar religion

In the Middle Ages, the Tatar empire was one of the largest in the world. Initially, these were disparate tribes, incapable of even self-organization. But the introduction of a single religion made it possible to unite different leaders and create a powerful state that all of Europe feared. Not everyone knows what religion the Tatars profess.

Who are the Tatars

A large and colorful people living from central Europe to Far East Russia are called Tatars. The origin of this ethnic group still causes controversy among scientists. Some believe that the Tatars are descendants of the Mongols who assimilated with the smaller peoples of Siberia. Others argue that the main distinguishing feature This ethnic group has a Turkic language. But there are also facts about which there is no disagreement. The Russian people have known what religion the Tatars have since the 13th century.

Impressed by the wonders of the Arab countries, Uzbek Khan forcibly introduced Islam. This act consolidated the nation, but not in the way the ruler would have liked. Many Tatars did not accept the new faith. Initially, discontent did not manifest itself on a global level, but a series of unsuccessful battles, a weakening of the state and a low economic level of development led to the fact that many tribes began to migrate to Russia.

Origins of religion

Islam originated in 611, was consolidated by the book of the Koran and for two centuries actively spread throughout Central Asia and the Caucasus. The Tatars also accepted Islam. Religion in the 8th-9th centuries was not implanted artificially; most people turned to it through at will. Volga Bulgaria - the progenitor region of this ethnic group- was the first to accept Islam. The khans especially cared about the faith.

One of them, Almysh, asked Baghdad to organize the construction of mosques and send preachers. His request was fulfilled. However, pagan roots made themselves felt in some places; Allah was called by the name of another god - Tengri.

Animism (that is, the belief in the existence of spirits and souls) was still close to the population. It was clearly visible in shamanic rituals. And Tengri was the main heavenly deity, the creator of plants and the conqueror of thunder.

But it was Islam that became a significant step in rising to the highest level of civilization. In 1241, the state was captured by the Mongols and became part of the Golden Horde. Genghis Khan was the first to call the population of Buryatia and the Turkic-speaking units of the troops simply in one word - “Tatars”. The religion of Islam was then alien to the Mongols, and the already mentioned Uzbek forcibly turned Christians into Muslims.

Followers of the prophet

The founder of this religion was Muhammad. This simple man lived in the city of Mecca and for a long time worked as a merchant. The man received visions, and in 615 he decided to preach publicly. Along with the fans, the pursuers also appeared. After his death, Islam split into two lines. This was due to the fact that the disciples could not determine who would succeed the prophet.

A minority became supporters of Shiite Islam, and more than 90% became supporters of Sunni Islam. What religion do the Tatars belong to today? They are Sunni Muslims by religion.

According to the theory, Muhammad was the harbinger of the word of God. Unlike Christianity, the prophet was not the son of God. The name Allah translates as “one god”, and his earthly home is a mosque. It is worth noting that the Tatars, who were accustomed to leading a nomadic lifestyle, were not inclined to construction. It was only thanks to the adoption of Islam that cities appeared on their lands. They were designed by architects from Arab countries.

Mix of styles

The Tatars lived at the turn different cultures. East, Europe, Russia, Islam, Christianity, polytheism - all this influenced architectural style. Mosques are especially striking. Since the religion of the Mongol-Tatars is Islam, the khans actively built religious buildings. But initially they had nothing in common with the openwork mosques of Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Castles became God's houses. This was a forced necessity, since the Horde was constantly at war. Subsequently, by order of Ivan the Terrible, almost all centers of Islamic culture that the tsarist troops could reach were defeated. Tatars living in Russia were forced to convert to Orthodoxy.

Aged architecture

Despite persecution and obstacles, some of the monuments were rebuilt and began to function again. Especially in the capital of the modern Republic of Tatarstan. By the way, not only those Tatars whose religion is Islam had a hand in this.

The first building, which was founded as a symbol of two faiths (Orthodoxy and Islam) in one city, was the restoration of the place of worship of al-Marjani. Another Muslim prayer building in Kazan is not inferior in splendor - Apanaevskaya. Construction began in 1768. What is noteworthy is that the project was approved by Catherine II herself, and the funds were allocated by the Islamic community.

On the territory modern Russia There are other, no less significant monuments of Islam. Unfortunately, very few of them have been preserved in their original form, but the Islamic community continues to actively work to restore its heritage.

Faith in Christ

According to many researchers, today almost 20% of the Turkic tribes in Russia are Orthodox for several generations. And their numbers are slowly growing. Since in mixed marriages of Orthodox and Muslims, the child is usually baptized.

It is believed that some individual groups of Tatars began to profess Christianity back in the 10th century. They had to change their views under pressure from the Golden Horde and the khans, who brutally dealt with everyone who spoke out in defense of Orthodoxy. It is noteworthy that the religion of the Crimean Tatars was originally Christian. The local population refused to accept Islam. The result of this behavior was the destruction of all Orthodox churches.

Tatars of Siberia

The indigenous ethnic group of Western and Southern Siberia is the Turkic race. In general, she is different from other members of the tribe. But genetically the closest relatives are the Bashkirs, Kazakhs and Sarti. The religion of the Siberian Tatars is a mixture of Islam and rituals. Thus, much attention is paid to the name at birth, marriage, and funeral.

Funeral rites, Eastern New Year celebrations, and animal spells are practiced. At the same time, Siberian Tatars adhere to Ramadan, celebrate Kurban, and so on.

The region of residence of this group of Turkic tribes is very remote from Moscow. During the times of the power of the Golden Horde, the main goal of wars was enrichment, so Siberia did not arouse any interest among the khans. The situation did not change much when the Russian tsars finally defeated the Mongol hordes and put an end to the empire of Genghis Khan.

Thus, the local population found itself in a certain isolation. It had the opportunity to develop on its own. The main teachers and preachers, as before, remained shamans. The Siberian Tatars, whose religion is a unique symbiosis of classical Sunni Islam and ancient shamanism, are of greatest interest to ethnographers. This group of tribes practically did not assimilate and was able to preserve true story of your ethnicity.

Tatars have been practicing Islam for more than a thousand years. This religion determines their moral and spiritual character. Its foundations permeate all spheres of existence, social and family relationships, customs and traditions. The power of faith inspires a true Muslim to good deeds and keeps him from sinful acts.

Today Kazan is one of the largest Muslim centers in Russia. But everyone remembers what a thorny path the traditional religion of the Tatar world had to go through. Its history has seen both prosperity and periods of oblivion. However, despite government and political changes, modern residents of Tatarstan remember, honor and follow the religion inherited from their ancestors.

Islam appeared during the Volga Bulgaria era. With the adoption of this religion, it turned into a full-fledged state and achieved unprecedented prosperity in the field of education. History knows the names of the great Bulgarian scientists in the fields of medicine, history and Islamic jurisprudence.

As a result of the attack of the Golden Horde, Volga Bulgaria lost its independence. Since then, Islam has become a persecuted and forbidden religion. Hundreds of mosques were destroyed, and the tradition of building stone religious buildings was lost forever. Madrasahs and prayer houses at that time were huddled in small wooden buildings. And only after separating from the Golden Horde, the Tatars again returned the official status to Islam. It became a powerful unifying factor for the population of the Kazan Khanate, which was the successor to Volga Bulgaria.

Revival of religion

Since the end of the 18th century, a new wave of the revival of Islam began. It is associated with the names of the great enlightenment scientists Marjani and Kursavi. Tatar thinkers became the first in the Islamic world to raise national issues and called for their new decision. Thus, Jadid scientists (supporters of the new socio-political movement) Rizaetdin Fakhretdin, Galimdzhan Barudi and Zainulla Rasuli opened new method madrassas: “Galia” in Ufa, “Rasulia” in Troitsk and “Muhammadiyya” in Kazan. The active construction of stone stones and the training of theologians made it possible for the capital of the Kazan province to become a center of Islamic culture and Muslim education.

IN modern history In our country, Tatarstan is already successfully returning the forgotten traditions of the Muslim world. Today in the Republic there are over a thousand mosques, many religious publishing houses, newspapers and magazines. Since 1992, the Republican University has been operating, and since 1998, the Russian Islamic University.

Muslim Tatars living in Kazan are reviving their religion with a pure heart and the name of Allah on their lips. In worship and submission to the Almighty they find the true meaning of life.

Who are the Tatars

A large and colorful people living from central Europe to the Russian Far East are called Tatars. The origin of this ethnic group still causes controversy among scientists. Some believe that the Tatars are descendants of the Mongols who assimilated with the smaller peoples of Siberia. Others argue that the main distinguishing feature of this ethnic group is the Turkic language. But there are also facts about which there is no disagreement. The Russian people have known what religion the Tatars have since the 13th century.

Origins of religion

Islam originated in 611, was consolidated by the book of the Koran and for two centuries actively spread throughout Central Asia and the Caucasus. The Tatars also accepted Islam. Religion in the 8th-9th centuries was not implanted artificially; most people turned to it of their own free will. Volga Bulgaria - the progenitor region of this ethnic group - was the first to convert to Islam. The khans especially cared about the faith.

Followers of the prophet

The founder of this religion was Muhammad. This simple man lived in the city of Mecca and worked as a merchant for a long time. The man received visions, and in 615 he decided to preach publicly. Along with the fans, the pursuers also appeared. After his death, Islam split into two lines. This was due to the fact that the disciples could not determine who would succeed the prophet.

A minority became supporters of Shiite Islam, and more than 90% became supporters of Sunni Islam. What religion do the Tatars belong to today? They are Sunni Muslims by religion.

Mix of styles

The Tatars lived at the border of different cultures. The East, Europe, Russia, Islam, Christianity, polytheism - all this influenced the architectural style. The mosques are especially colorful. Since the religion of the Mongol-Tatars is Islam, the khans actively built religious buildings. But initially they had nothing in common with the openwork mosques of Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Aged architecture

On the territory of modern Russia there are other, no less significant monuments of Islam. Unfortunately, very few of them have been preserved in their original form, but the Islamic community continues to actively work to restore its heritage.

Faith in Christ

Tatars of Siberia

Funeral rites, Eastern New Year celebrations, and animal spells are practiced. At the same time, Siberian Tatars adhere to Ramadan, celebrate Kurban, and so on.

With the beginning of the 13th century, the European space, which had largely accepted the teachings of Christ, shuddered from the invasion of the Golden Horde. At first, the descendants of the Chingizids, who were pagans, became adherents of Islam by the 15th century. It was unacceptable, but categorical: “Tatars - religion - Islam.”
A struggle began for God, for power between those who worshiped the son of God and the bearers of the ideas of the Prophet Muhammad.

History of the Tatar people

China became the first country with traces of the Turks in its annals of the 6th century. This ethno-group had Mongoloid appearance and the roots of the Proto-Altai language.
In the Slavic space, the nomadic tribes of the Horde first loudly declared themselves in 1223. They easily took advantage of the internecine strife of the Russian princes. A battle took place on the Kalka River, which marked the start of three hundred years of Horde rule on Slavic soil.

Ethnic characteristics of the Tatars

The ethnogenesis of the Tatars is characterized as follows:

the Tatar language belongs to the Turkic group;
Territory of origin: northwestern Asia.

The number of Turks around the world today is more than 160 million.

This community includes:

Tatars,
Turk,
Kazakhs,
Azerbaijanis,
Nogais and many others.

The Tatars number 8 million. For 5.5 million of them, Russia is their homeland. They, together with the Kazakhs and Kyrgyz, are part of the Kipchak (northwestern) group. The Republic of Tatarstan (in ancient times Bulgaria) is their official national republic in Russian Federation.

Stages of the spread of Tatars on Slavic land

For three centuries, a nation with eastern eyes dominated the land of the Slavs. Russian princes paid tribute to their khans, for which they received a label for the right to reign on their territory.

The seizure of control of the land from the Volga to the Danube took place in stages:

XIII century - consolidation on the banks of the Volga;
XV century - division into khanates;
XVI century - collapse and adoption of citizenship.

At the first stage, Genghis Khan's empire created the Golden Horde - Ulus Jochi and captured Bulgaria. Ulu-Muhammad became the head of the ulus.
At the second stage, the powerful structure began to divide into khanates. On the third, the campaigns of Ivan IV the Terrible made amendments to political geography, and the lands of the Kazan Tatars, like the Astrakhan Tatars, became part of the Moscow state. From that moment on, Rus' became their home.
Today, representatives of this ethnic group are settled throughout the world. The high density of residence of this nation is observed in the Chinese province of Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, and the countries of Central Asia.

Old beliefs of the Tatars

According to established cultural ideas, a person in a patriarchal society perceived himself as a part of nature and the surrounding world. The most ancient forms of religion were based on these ideas.

Before the adoption of Islam, all representatives of the Turks worshiped Tengri. This is the deity of the sky and the sun. Tatar gods are holy places: hills, water sources, trees, stones.

Core Beliefs:

totemism - recognition as sacred individual species animals or plants;
fetishism - worship of idols;
animism - belief in the existence of souls and spirits, in the animation of the entire natural world ;
euhemerism - cult of dead or living “great people” .

In the religious tradition of the Kryashens ( Volga Tatars and Ural regions ) there was a cult of trees and animals. The tree was one of the main images of the traditional religions of the Turkic peoples. This cult was formed in the pre-nomadic period of life, when people lived in the foothills of Altai. The tree acted as the center of the world, connecting the earth with the sky. Therefore, important processes occurring in nature and society were associated with it.

Three elements complement each other and rule the world:

tree;
mountain;
water.

In Tatar mythology, the model of the world was built around the image of the “world tree” (“yafan agachy”). Among the old-baptized Tatars, the image of the “world tree” was closely associated with the lonely growing sacred oak (“tәre”), the “Tengri tree.” It was considered a kind of connecting channel with the Supreme Deity.

The “World Tree” acted as an information link between three worlds:

average - a person;
lower - spirits;
top - divine.

The micro-image of the cosmic universe and the creator of the world - the Supreme God - was the basis of the ancient religious beliefs of the Turks. A tall tree (an oak with dense foliage), according to the Huns and Sabir (suvar), was considered a link with the main deity Tengrikhan, who lived in heaven and was revered along with Tengri. Pagan rituals and sacrifices were performed near this tree.

The holy tree symbolized the well-being and security of the country:

healed the sick;
elevated the poor and the poor;
preserved from drought;
nourished plants and soil.

Before him they prayed for an increase in livestock and a grain harvest. This tree was not allowed to be touched with impunity: to cut down and break off branches.

Immortality of the soul and animism

Before believing in Allah, the Tatars worshiped spirits. The religion of the Tatar people was transformed due to fear of death. Thus, the soil of animism became fertile for belief in the immortality of the soul. The cult of burials of the dead strengthened with the division of society into castes.
Animism kept pace with the growth of material divisions within tribes, becoming the basis of class society. The nomadic Tatars led a camping lifestyle.

Plano Carpini's opinion on the burials:

the funeral rite was carried out secretly and secretly;
the burial place was chosen away from the camp and the location of the army;
the pit had a tunnel on the side, and the place was hidden by turf so that it could not be identified as a burial ground.

This method of burial distinguished the nomads from the sedentary Mongols, who allocated special spaces for the dead, leaving the bodies in the open air.
The number of deaths during the campaign was determined simply. When getting ready to go on a hike, everyone took a stone and laid it along with the others. This is how the mound was formed. Returning, the warriors dismantled the stones. The remainder spoke of losses. The presence of such mounds may well indicate the scale of the battle.

Funeral rites depended on the caste of the deceased and the circumstances, over time acquiring a mass of ritual traditions. But their basis was, as in ancient times, the fear of death and belief in the afterlife of the soul.

Epochs made adjustments to religion. If the modern Constitution of the Russian Federation guarantees freedom of choice of faith, then in ancient times faith was determined by the power of the ruler.

Modern religious composition of the population

Modern Tatars are divided into two main camps:

Muslims – 65%;
Orthodox Tatars – 30%;
other religions – 5%.

The common shrine of the two main faiths is the most ancient Umayyad mosque in Syrian Damascus, built in 96 after the Hegira. Its treasuries contain the head of John the Baptist. He is revered as a prophet by Muslims and Christians.

Muslims and Islam

The Tatars' acquaintance with Islam dates back to the 5th century, when the Prophet Muhammad lived. The formation of the faith occurred during the reign of the powerful Yuan dynasty. Its founder was the grandson of Genghis Khan.
The traditions of Allah's messengers conquered the Volga basin at the same time as Christianity conquered the banks of the Dnieper. If the “Path from the Varangians to the Greeks” was the start for Byzantine preachers in Kyiv, then the Muslim school grew stronger from the Great Ocean - the Pacific (Pacific) to the banks of the Volga.

Islam penetrated the ethnic group in two ways:

with the advent of the Golden Horde;
with the help of Arab missionaries.

Strengthening Islam became an urgent need when Golden Horde divided into Tatar khanates: Kazan, Astrakhan, Crimean, Nogai and Great Horde. This happened after the collapse of the Mongol Empire in the middle of the 13th century.
Muslim holy places are located next to mosques, which were built under the influence of the elegance of Byzantine architecture. Over time, buildings for preaching Islam absorbed cult traditions Ottoman Empire.

The Al-Marjani Mosque in Kazan was the result of the policy of tolerance during the reign of Catherine II. It is perceived to this day as the spiritual center of the Tatar people.

Islam is based on five pillars that the Tatars observe:

religion presupposes shahada - a testimony of faith in Allah;
namaz - daily prayer five times a day;
uraz - fasting during Ramadan;
zakat - donation;
Hajj is worship and pilgrimage.

Tatars are Christians

The 16th century was marked for Russia by the transition to a new state form of government - the kingdom. During this period, the Astrakhan and Kazan Khanates were annexed, and the issue of faith was tantamount to the issue of security. The power of Islam and the Golden Horde, having held out for three centuries, fell. The Crimean Khan, after his complete defeat at Molodi in 1572, accepted Turkish citizenship, and the khans of Kazan and Astrakhan accepted Russian citizenship. Therefore, the Tsar of All Rus', Ivan the Terrible, baptized the Tatars according to the customs accepted in Rus'.

Time is capable of uniting and dividing peoples, nations, and ethnological groups according to characteristics. It was long believed that the Volga ethnic group of Christian Tatars began to profess Orthodoxy after the capture of Kazan in 1552.

This video tells the story of the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible.

The emergence of a separate ethnic group on the Volga

Kryashens are Orthodox baptized Tatars. Academician Glukhov, a Tatar by nationality, suggests that this community was originally Kerait Christians. They saved historical memory after they were captured by Genghis Khan.

Baptized Tatars fuel the origin of their faith historical facts:

In 1926, the population census showed that their number was 121 thousand.
Since 1939, when passports were replaced, they were recognized as Tatars in some regions, Russians in others.
In 2002, the history of the people changed dramatically, and they received the status of a sub-ethnic group of Tatars.
Ethnicity develops national culture, supporting identity and religion, native language. Deacon Yakov became a famous poet of the 19th century thanks to his persistence in upholding the traditions of his ethnic group in his work.

Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Mamadyshsky district and Naberezhnye Chelny are the territories where the Kryashen community is settled. In 1996, there was hope for the restoration of the temple in the name of the Tikhvin Icon Mother of God.

Researchers believe that the main evidence of the existence of the Kryashens as a separate people is:

a language that has practically no Arabisms associated with Islamic culture;
autonomy of residence from other Tatars.

With the formation of a spiritual center in the church in the name of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God in the 90s, a Sunday school was opened. Priests perform baptismal ceremonies. There is a national museum of history and culture at the temple, and a folk choir has been created. Translated Scripture for worship at native language.

Traditions and rituals

Each nation has its own rituals.

At the birth of a child in the Muslim communities of Tatarstan there is the following tradition:

the cut umbilical cord is wrapped in the father's undershirt;
the newborn's lips are smeared with honey;
the font is being prepared;
A few days later the mullah gives the child a name.

A matchmaker participates in the wedding ceremony. A successful agreement with the groom’s relative on the size of the bride price means that the bride has been wooed. Her dowry has been collected since childhood. The wedding takes place in two halves - male and female. But until the bride price is paid, the young husband visits his wife at night and lives with his relatives.
The deceased are buried on the second day, and the wake is held the next. Metal object(usually this is a crowbar) lies in a dug grave until the body in the shroud is lowered into it.
Prayers are a tradition for all peoples. The Tatars strictly observe the ritual part, the form of faith of which was animism.

Religious holidays of Tatarstan

Fasting Ramadan, Eid al-Adha and Kurban Bayram are the most revered holidays according to Muslim tradition. The most significant of all is Kurban Bayram - the holiday of sacrifice. Celebrated in memory of the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son to Allah. A few weeks before the start of the holiday, the Tatars begin to fatten the sacrificial animal. On the day of Eid al-Adha, it is mandatory to prepare food from meat.

Eid al-Fitr is celebrated at the end of thirty days of fasting in the month of Ramadan. In the morning, after tasting sweets, Muslims head to the mosque, and in the evening they have a festive family feast.

A true Muslim is obliged to observe the basic principle - purity of soul. Reading the Quran is the basis for sins to be forgiven. For this purpose, the houses are put in order, excess rubbish is thrown away, and sweet dishes are prepared.

Prayers pay tribute to the departed. On days like these, people forgive each other. During fasting, restrictions are observed, Muslims visit sick relatives, and pray a lot. And on the night of predestination they voice requests to Allah, hoping for their requests to be fulfilled.
There is a tradition of honoring prophets on certain days of the year.

Video

This video shows how the main Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr takes place.

There are many stranger nations in our country. This is not correct. We should not be strangers to each other.
Let's start with the Tatars - the second largest ethnic group in Russia (there are almost 6 million of them).

1. Who are the Tatars?

The history of the ethnonym “Tatars,” as often happened in the Middle Ages, is a history of ethnographic confusion.

In the 11th-12th centuries, the steppes of Central Asia were inhabited by various Mongol-speaking tribes: Naiman, Mongols, Kereits, Merkits and Tatars. The latter wandered along the borders of the Chinese state. Therefore, in China the name Tatars was transferred to other Mongolian tribes in the meaning of “barbarians.” Actually, the Chinese called the Tatars white Tatars, the Mongols who lived to the north were called black Tatars, and the Mongolian tribes who lived even further, in the Siberian forests, were called wild Tatars.

At the beginning of the 13th century, Genghis Khan launched a punitive campaign against the real Tatars in revenge for the poisoning of his father. The order that the Mongol ruler gave to his soldiers has been preserved: to destroy everyone taller than the cart axle. As a result of this massacre, the Tatars as a military-political force were wiped off the face of the earth. But, as the Persian historian Rashid ad-din testifies, “because of their extreme greatness and honorable position, other Turkic clans, with all the differences in their ranks and names, became known by their name, and all were called Tatars.”

The Mongols themselves never called themselves Tatars. However, Khorezm and Arab merchants, who were constantly in contact with the Chinese, brought the name “Tatars” to Europe even before the appearance of Batu Khan’s troops here. Europeans compared the ethnonym “Tatars” with the Greek name for hell - Tartarus. Later, European historians and geographers used the term Tartaria as a synonym for the "barbarian East". For example, on some European maps of the 15th-16th centuries, Moscow Rus' is designated as “Moscow Tartary” or “European Tartary”.

As for modern Tatars, neither by origin nor by language they have absolutely nothing to do with the Tatars of the 12th-13th centuries. The Volga, Crimean, Astrakhan and other modern Tatars inherited only the name from the Central Asian Tatars.

The modern Tatar people do not have a single ethnic root. Among his ancestors were the Huns, Volga Bulgars, Kipchaks, Nogais, Mongols, Kimaks and other Turkic-Mongolian peoples. But the formation of modern Tatars was even more influenced by the Finno-Ugrians and Russians. According to anthropological data, more than 60% of Tatars have predominantly Caucasian features, and only 30% have Turkic-Mongolian features.

2. Tatar people in the era of Genghisids

The emergence of the Ulus Jochi on the banks of the Volga was an important milestone in the history of the Tatars.

During the era of Chingizids Tatar history has become truly global. The system has reached perfection public administration and finance, postal (Yamskaya) service, inherited by Moscow. More than 150 cities arose where the endless Polovtsian steppes recently stretched. Their names alone sound like fairy tale: Gulstan (land of flowers), Saray (palace), Aktobe (white vault).

Some cities were much larger than Western European ones in size and population. For example, if Rome in the 14th century had 35 thousand inhabitants, and Paris - 58 thousand, then the capital of the Horde, the city of Sarai, had more than 100 thousand. According to the testimony of Arab travelers, Sarai had palaces, mosques, temples of other religions, schools, public gardens, baths, and running water. Not only merchants and warriors lived here, but also poets.

All religions in the Golden Horde enjoyed equal freedom. According to the laws of Genghis Khan, insulting religion was punishable by death. The clergy of each religion were exempt from paying taxes.

The contribution of the Tatars to the art of war is undeniable. It was they who taught the Europeans not to neglect reconnaissance and reserves.
During the era of the Golden Horde, there was enormous potential for the reproduction of Tatar culture. But the Kazan Khanate continued this path mostly by inertia.

Among the fragments of the Golden Horde that scattered along the borders of Rus', Kazan was of greatest importance to Moscow due to its geographical proximity. Spread on the banks of the Volga, among dense forests, the Muslim state was a curious phenomenon. How public education The Kazan Khanate arose in the 30s of the 15th century and during the short period of its existence managed to demonstrate its cultural identity in the Islamic world.

3. Capture of Kazan

The 120-year-old neighborhood of Moscow and Kazan was celebrated with fourteen major wars, not counting almost annual border skirmishes. However, for a long time both sides did not seek to conquer each other. Everything changed when Moscow realized itself as the “third Rome”, that is, the last defender Orthodox faith. Already in 1523, Metropolitan Daniel outlined the future path of Moscow politics, saying: “ Grand Duke He will take all the land of Kazan.” Three decades later, Ivan the Terrible fulfilled this prediction.

On August 20, 1552, a 50,000-strong Russian army camped under the walls of Kazan. The city was defended by 35 thousand selected soldiers. About ten thousand more Tatar horsemen were hiding in the surrounding forests and alarming the Russians with sudden raids from the rear.

The siege of Kazan lasted five weeks. After the sudden attacks of the Tatars from the direction of the forest, the cold autumn rains annoyed the Russian army most of all. The thoroughly wet warriors even thought that the bad weather was being sent to them by Kazan sorcerers, who, according to the testimony of Prince Kurbsky, went out onto the wall at sunrise and performed all sorts of spells.

All this time, Russian warriors, under the leadership of the Danish engineer Rasmussen, were digging a tunnel under one of the Kazan towers. On the night of October 1, the work was completed. 48 barrels of gunpowder were placed in the tunnel. At dawn there was a monstrous explosion. It was terrible to see, says the chronicler, many tortured corpses and mutilated people flying in the air at a terrible height!
The Russian army rushed to attack. The royal banners were already fluttering on the city walls when Ivan the Terrible himself rode up to the city with his guards regiments. The presence of the Tsar gave new strength to the Moscow warriors. Despite the desperate resistance of the Tatars, Kazan fell a few hours later. There were so many killed on both sides that in some places the piles of bodies lay level with the city walls.

The death of the Kazan Khanate did not mean the death of the Tatar people. On the contrary, it was within Russia that the Tatar nation itself emerged, which finally received its truly national-state formation - the Republic of Tatarstan.

4. Tatars in Russian history and culture

The Moscow state never confined itself to narrow national-religious boundaries. Historians have calculated that among the nine hundred most ancient noble families of Russia, Great Russians make up only one third, while 300 families come from Lithuania, and the other 300 come from Tatar lands.

Ivan the Terrible's Moscow seemed to Western Europeans to be an Asian city not only for its unusual architecture and buildings, but also for the number of Muslims living in it. One English traveler, who visited Moscow in 1557 and was invited to the royal feast, noted that the tsar himself sat at the first table with his sons and the Kazan kings, at the second table sat Metropolitan Macarius with the Orthodox clergy, and the third table was entirely allocated to the Circassian princes. In addition, another two thousand noble Tatars were feasting in other chambers!

They were not given the last place in the government service. And there was no case when the Tatars in Russian service betrayed the Moscow Tsar.

Subsequently, the Tatar clans gave Russia a huge number of intellectuals, prominent military and social and political figures. I will name at least some names: Alyabyev, Arakcheev, Akhmatova, Bulgakov, Derzhavin, Milyukov, Michurin, Rachmaninov, Saltykov-Shchedrin, Tatishchev, Chaadaev. The Yusupov princes were direct descendants of the Kazan queen Suyunbike. The Timiryazev family descends from Ibragim Timiryazev, whose surname literally means “iron warrior.” General Ermolov had Arslan-Murza-Ermola as his ancestor. Lev Nikolaevich Gumilyov wrote: “I am a purebred Tatar on both my father’s and mother’s sides.” He signed “Arslanbek”, which means “Lion”. The list can be endless.

Over the centuries, the culture of the Tatars was also absorbed by Russia, and now many native Tatar words, household items, and culinary dishes have entered the consciousness of Russian people as if they were their own. According to Valishevsky, when going out into the street, a Russian person put on shoe, armyak, zipun, caftan, bashlyk, cap. In a fight he used fist. Being a judge, he ordered to put on the convicted person shackles and give it to him whip. Setting off on a long journey, he sat in a sleigh to coachman. And, getting up from the mail sleigh, he went into tavern, which replaced the ancient Russian tavern.

5. Tatar religion

After the capture of Kazan in 1552, the culture of the Tatar people was preserved primarily thanks to Islam.

Islam (in its Sunni version) is the traditional religion of the Tatars. The exception is a small group of them, which in the 16th-18th centuries was converted to Orthodoxy. That’s what they call themselves: “Kryashen” - “baptized”.

Islam in the Volga region established itself in 922, when the ruler of Volga Bulgaria voluntarily converted to the Muslim faith. But even more important was the “Islamic revolution” of Uzbek Khan, who at the beginning of the 14th century made Islam the state religion of the Golden Horde (by the way, contrary to the laws of Genghis Khan on the equality of religions). As a result, the Kazan Khanate became the northernmost stronghold of world Islam.

In Russian-Tatar history there was a sad period of acute religious confrontation. The first decades after the capture of Kazan were marked by persecution of Islam and the forced introduction of Christianity among the Tatars. Only the reforms of Catherine II fully legalized the Muslim clergy. In 1788, the Orenburg Spiritual Assembly opened - a governing body of Muslims, with its center in Ufa.

In the 19th century, forces gradually matured within the Muslim clergy and Tatar intelligentsia, feeling the need to move away from the dogmas of medieval ideology and traditions. The revival of the Tatar people began precisely with the reform of Islam. This religious renewal movement was called Jadidism (from the Arabic al-jadid - renewal, “new method”).

Jadidism became a significant contribution of the Tatars to modern world culture, an impressive demonstration of Islam's ability to modernize. The main result of the activities of the Tatar religious reformers was the transition of Tatar society to Islam, cleansed of medieval fanaticism and meeting the requirements of the time. These ideas penetrated deeply into the masses of the people, primarily through Jadidist madrassas and printed materials. Thanks to the activities of the Jadidists, by the beginning of the 20th century, among the Tatars, faith was largely separated from culture, and politics became independent sphere, where religion already occupied a subordinate position. Therefore, today the Russian Tatars are in the full sense of the word a modern nation, to which religious extremism is completely alien.

6. About the Kazan orphan and the uninvited guest

Russians have long said: “The old proverb is said for a reason,” and therefore “there is no trial or punishment for the proverb.” Silencing inconvenient proverbs is not best way achieve interethnic understanding.

So, " Dictionary Russian language" Ushakova explains the origin of the expression "orphan of Kazan" as follows: initially it was said "about the Tatar mirzas (princes), who tried after the conquest of the Kazan Khanate by Ivan the Terrible to receive all sorts of concessions from the Russian tsars, complaining about their bitter fate."

Indeed, the Moscow sovereigns considered it their duty to caress and love the Tatar Murzas, especially if they decided to change their faith. According to documents, such “Kazan orphans” received about a thousand rubles in annual salaries. Whereas, for example, a Russian doctor was entitled to only 30 rubles a year. Naturally, this state of affairs gave rise to envy among Russian service people.

Later, the idiom “Kazan orphan” lost its historical and ethnic connotation - this is how they began to talk about anyone who just pretends to be unhappy, trying to evoke sympathy.

Now - about the Tatar and the guest, which of them is “worse” and which is “better”.

The Tatars of the Golden Horde, if they happened to come to a subordinate country, behaved in it like gentlemen. Our chronicles are full of stories about the oppression of the Tatar Baskaks and the greed of the Khan's courtiers. Russian people unwittingly got used to considering every Tatar who came to the house not so much as a guest, but as a rapist. It was then that they began to say: “A guest in the yard - and trouble in the yard”; “And the guests did not know how the owner was tied up”; “The edge is not big, but the devil brings a guest and takes away the last one.” Well, and - " uninvited guest worse than a Tatar."

When times changed, the Tatars, in turn, learned what the Russian “uninvited guest” was like. The Tatars also have many offensive sayings about Russians. What can you do about it?

History is the irreparable past. What happened, happened. Only truth heals morals, politics, and interethnic relations. But it should be remembered that the truth of history is not bare facts, but an understanding of the past in order to live correctly in the present and future.

7. Tatar hut

Unlike other Turkic peoples, the Kazan Tatars for centuries lived not in yurts and tents, but in huts. True, in accordance with common Turkic traditions, the Tatars have preserved the method of separating the female half and the kitchen with a special curtain - charshau. In the second half of the 19th century, instead of ancient curtains, a partition appeared in Tatar dwellings.

On the men's side of the hut there was a place of honor for guests and a place for the owner. Here a space was allocated for rest, and family table, many household jobs were carried out: men were engaged in tailoring, saddlery, weaving bast shoes, women worked at the loom, twisting threads, spinning, and rolling felt.

The front wall of the hut, from corner to corner, was occupied by wide bunks, on which rested soft down jackets, feather beds and pillows, which were replaced by felt among the poor. Bunks are still in fashion to this day, because they have traditionally had a place of honor. In addition, they are universal in their functions: they can serve as a place to work, eat, and relax.

Red or green chests were a mandatory attribute of the interior. According to custom, they formed an indispensable part of the bride's dowry. In addition to their main purpose - storing clothes, fabrics and other valuables - chests noticeably enlivened the interior, especially in combination with bedding picturesquely laid out on them. In the huts of the rich Tatars there were so many chests that sometimes they were stacked on top of each other.

The next attribute of the interior of Tatar rural dwellings was a striking national feature, and characteristic only of Muslims. This is a popular and universally revered shamail, i.e. a text from the Koran written on glass or paper and inserted into a frame with wishes for peace and prosperity to the family. Flowers on the windowsills were also a characteristic detail of the interior of a Tatar home.

Traditional Tatar villages (auls) are located along rivers and roads. These settlements are characterized by cramped buildings and the presence of numerous dead ends. The buildings are located inside the estate, and the street is formed by a continuous line of blind fences. Externally, a Tatar hut can hardly be distinguished from a Russian one - only the doors open not into the hallway, but into the hut.

8. Sabantui

In the past, the Tatars were mostly rural residents. Therefore, their folk holidays were associated with the cycle of agricultural work. Like other agricultural peoples, spring was especially anticipated among the Tatars. This time of year was celebrated with a holiday called “Saban tue” - “wedding of the plow”.

Sabantuy is a very ancient holiday. In the Alkeevsky district of Tatarstan, a tombstone was discovered, the inscription on which says that the deceased died in 1120 on the day of Sabantuy.

Traditionally, before the holiday, young men and old men began collecting gifts for Sabantuy. The most a valuable gift was considered a towel that was received from young women who got married after the previous Sabantuy.

The holiday itself was celebrated with competitions. The place where they were held was called “Maidan”. Competitions included horse racing, running, long and high jumps, and national koresh wrestling. Only men took part in all types of competitions. The women just watched from the sidelines.

The competitions were held according to a routine developed over centuries. Their races began. Participation in them was considered prestigious, so everyone who could entered horses into village races. The riders were boys 8-12 years old. The start was arranged in the distance, and the finish was on the Maidan, where the participants of the holiday were waiting for them. The winner was given one of the best towels. Owners of horses received separate prizes.

While the riders were heading to the starting point, other competitions were taking place, in particular running. Participants were divided by age: boys, adult men, old people.

After the competition was over, people went home to treat themselves to festive dishes. And after a few days, depending on the weather, they began sowing spring crops.

Sabantuy to this day remains the most beloved public holiday in Tatarstan. In cities this is a one-day holiday, but in rural areas it consists of two parts: collecting gifts and Maidan. But if previously Sabantuy was celebrated in honor of the beginning of spring field work (at the end of April), now it is celebrated in honor of its end, in June.