So, Empire fell. As it usually happens to all empires after the collapse it was divided into several independent states. These were Siberian khanate, Astrakhan khanate, Nogay Horde, Kazan khanate, and finally Crimean khanate and Moscow dukedom together with Kasimov kingdom.
     According to the decision we made earlier to pay attention in our study mainly to two objects- Crimea and Moscow, nevertheless we have to speak about Kazan khanate in details, because it appeared to be a kind of an apple of discord between two mentioned above new friendly states that were interested in the collapse of the empire. However, starting right from the claims to Kazan the relations between Moscow and Crimea became hostile. You see, after Crimea defeated the empire it started claiming to the role of the Golden Horde heir. As far as the subjection of Astrakhan khanate and Nogays concerned he managed to do it. However, Mengli-Giray refused to use force against Kazan and decided using diplomatic measures. Regardless the fact that Kazan state was Muslim from the very beginning it had very close relations with Muscovite Russia. That is why making Kazan the vassal of Crimea by force would have meant spoiling relations with Moscow. Let's go back to the history of forming of Kazan khanate to make the last idea clearer.
     Kazan khanate was founded by the great khan of Golden Horde Ulugh-Mohammed after Kichik-Mohammed defeated and ousted him from Saray in 1437. However, when he ran from Saray with three thousand faithful warriors he didn't go directly to Kazan. First, he came to Crimea. However, he didn't find understanding here with his nephew Khadzhy-Giray, at the same time he broke of with one of emirs - the former ally, and that is why he had to go to Russian lands and occupied there Belev the town on Oka river.
     First, Vasily II "ordered to meet him with honor regarding him not like a refugee, but like tsar and make him presents… and give Belevsky's lands to the great Tsar" - said Kazan chronicles referred to as "The Story of Foundation of Kazan Kingdom". However, when his supporters Cossacks started gathering around him from everywhere duke Vasily started worrying and demanded that Ulugh-Mohammed cleaned Belev. Such turn of the events humiliated khan: he didn't expect such ingratitude. You see, in 1432 Russian dukes Vasily Vasilyevich - Moscow duke and Yuri Dmitrievich - duke of Tver' came to him in Saray contesting for the Grand Duke rights. Ulugh - Mohammed gave preference to Vasily II in that dispute and made him the Grand Duke, and provided him with yarlyk - right to gather tribute. And now when Ulugh-Mohammed was deprived of power he received such ingratitude from his vassal.
     When Vasily found out that the khan started fortifying Belev instead of following his order he sent forty thousand army headed by Dmitriy "Shemyaka" (who later on blinded Vasily II) in order to pacify the rebels. The forces weren't equal and Ulugh-Mohammed by any means tried to avoid the battle. However, when "Shemyaka" rejected all his proposals Tatars came out of the town and started fighting. Nikon chronicle wrote as follows: "for numerous our sins the God let the army of heathens won the army of Orthodox". In other words, Russian army suffered a destructive defeat. "Tatars killed many our warriors, but the number of Tatars was very small".
     Ulugh-Mohammed didn't start chasing the conquered, but left Belev. "In 1439 Ulugh-Mohammed came next to Moscow, burned Posad, and stepped back after staying here for 10 days", - wrote Velyaminov-Zernov.
     But even after this he didn't go to Kazan, but settled in Nizhniy Novgorod and in 1445 from there sent two his sons - Mahmutek and Yakub to fight against Vasily II. Duke Vasily set towards them and in the battle next to Ephym monastery (near to Suzdal) on July 7 was captured along with dukes and boyars.
     The attitude of Tatars to the high prisoner could be learned from the following lines from "The Story of Kazan Kingdom". … "Khan didn't hold him captive, but settled him his house and gave him not his bad food and drink, but purely Russian food". On October 1, 1445 after tree months of such captivity Tsar let Grand Duke and all other captives go on parole, making them paying a huge as for those times ransom. "Moreover, he was also imposed some other conditions, evidently not very pleasing for Russian self-esteem, because our chronicles kept silence concerning this. Only Novgorod chronicle contains some general hint to this" - wrote historian M.D. Karataev".
     What covered up the chronicles could be clear from two preserved agreement documents made among dukes of Moscow, Suzdal' and Ryazan and it's follows from them that Mescher lands were given to prince Qasim, Ulugh-Mohammed's junior son soon after the capture of Grand Duke Vasily.
     Only after October 1 Ulugh-Mohammed left Russian territory and went to Volga Bulgaria where he took Kazan without fight, just killing Ali-Bey - the governor of Kazan, Tatar duke and the vassal of Golden Horde and proclaimed himself an independent khan. It was the beginning of Kazan kingdom.
     It was the end of the glorious life of the great khan, because his ambitious elder son Mahmutek killed his own father and brother Usuf and took Kazan throne. As far as Saray concerns, it even didn't try to restore its authority over the separated province being fully involved in suppression of rebellious Crimea that in that period reinforced its power so fast that it threatened the very existence of the empire. Saray at that time had other things to do except Kazan.
     Qasim and Yakub once and for all broke off with their elder brother and remained in Russia along with faithful to them Tatars. However, they didn't live long in their mansion: they started fighting against each other. In 1446 the great reign of Vasily II in Moscow started contesting his brother Dmitriy Yurievich "Shemyaka". He seized Moscow, captured Vasily and blinded him. However, Muscovites didn't accept the new ruler and "Shemyaka" had to run from Moscow.
     In this bloody quarrel Qasim and Yakub decided to take Vasily II's side. The historians consider that it was very likely that during the Grand Duke's capture he made friendly relations with the princes, moreover duke showed his good will towards them before. That is why they couldn't impartially observe the internal fight between two Russian dukes. The brother gathered their warriors and went to help Vasily.
     For all the subsequent six years they took part in innumerable battles of Vasily "the Dark" until "Shemyaka" wasn't killed. In 1452 Vasily in one's joy, this time officially, gave permission to found in Meshcher under the protectorate of Russia so called Kasimov kingdom, though during the preceding six years Meshchera was already the principality of prince Qasim.
     In 1467 Qasim made an attempt to conquer Kazan. It happened after Mahnutek's death (and after Khadzhy-Giray death), during the reign of his son Ibraim (married queen Sultana, who in 1485 became Mengli-Giray's wife - it was one of the reasons why after he defeated Golden Horde Crimean khan didn't conquer Kazan using military force). As far as Qasim's military campaign concerns, his huge army reinforced by the numerous Russian army was met on Volga River by Kazanians who didn't allow them crossing the river. This campaign had an inglorious end.
     After Qasim's death his son Daniyal governed the kingdom. In 1486 after Daniyal the khanate passed to Crimean heir Nur-Devlet as it was already mentioned above.
     Ten years later Nur-Devlet died leaving two sons - Satylgan and Dzhanay, and the authority in Kasimov kingdom passed to his elder son Satylgan what was confirmed in 1496 by corresponding state document. Several times Satylgan took part together with his Cossacks in military campaigns first, against Golden Horde then Kazan.
     What happened in Kazan at that time?
     After the death of the patricide Mahmytek Kazan was governed by his sons Khalil then Ibragim who died in 1478 leaving the throne to his elder son Il'gam (Ali-khan). However, Nur-Sultana, the wife of passed away Ibragim opposed it and started striving for enthroning her sons Mohammed-Amin or Abdul-Latif. There were two confronting parties at court. Finally, after the intrusion of Nogay Horde Ilgam occupied Kazan throne, and Mohammed-Amin escaped to Russia where Ivan III - the clear-sighted politician - who didn't loose hope to put his protege on Kazan throne welcomed warmly the refugee and gave him the town of Kashira in appanage. However, in 1487 at the time of Ilgam's reign the Russian army made use of the internal fights in Kazan kingdom, approached Kazan and after three days siege forced Ilgam come out of the town and give oneself up. He and all his family were exiled to Vologda. Kazan throne was taken by Muhamed-Amin, who in fact, became the first vassal of Moscow. As a gratitude to the former support in hard times Muhamed-Amin was obedient to Ivan Vasilyevich in everything. In fact it was the last's aim. Right at this time Ivan conferred himself the rank of Tsar of Bulgaria in addition to other existing regalia.
     Such shifts in Kazan couldn't leave Mengli-Giray an indifferent observer. You see, two years before these events he married Nur-Sultana - mother of the new khan of Kazan probably also pursuing the long-term goals. Probably, he didn't like too active steps undertaken by his "beloved brother" Ivan in order to make Muslim Kazan the vassal of Orthodox Moscow. However, he didn't show openly his displeasure: you see, he was the political ally of Moscow and at that time he wasn't yet the assignee of Golden Horde, the title that he started claiming to only after the collapse of the empire. That is why he decided postponing his claims to Kazan unwilling to spoil his relations with Ivan III. Mengli-Giray preferred the political methods, including usage of his wife who still had the great influence on her sons remained on Moscow service.
     Mohammed-Amin governed Kazan until 1496. During his almost ten years reign he managed to acquire many enemies not only due to his fawning pro-Russian policy, but in a greater extent because of his excessive love to women: many wives, sisters or daughters of noblemen became his mistress. If somewhere in Spain or France such monarch's attention was regarded as a great honor, in Muslim society such pranks of suzerain had an opposite reaction. That is why the khan fell victim to a plot. The plotters established relations with Siberian khan, Shianov tsar Mamuk and proposed him Kazan throne.
     Mamuk approached Kazan, but was repulsed with the assistance of Russian army. However, he returned and with Nogay's support entered Kazan and was proclaimed the tsar. Muhamed-Amin with his family ran to Russia.
     Mamuk's governance appeared to be short-lasted. Coming from Asia Mamuk made no distinctions between Asian and European customs. In Kazan as well as in Crimea khan hadn't absolute power - it was to a great extent limited by divan which could veto by the majority of votes any khan's proposal. Mamuk used to another orders. He didn't take Kazan divan into consideration. Those who opposed him were executed. He showed no mercy even to those dukes who more than others contributed to his enthronement in Kazan.
     As a result Kazanians played an evil joke with him: when khan with his guard went hunting they made a plot and when he returned they closed the gates in front of him. At the same time they sent ambassadors to Moscow in order to ask Ivan gave the confessed Kazanians another khan, instead of Mohammed-Amin, his junior brother Abdul-Latif who also lived in Russia. Ivan agreed and in 1497 sent to Kazan the powerful troop that drew away Mamuk standing by the town and enthroned Abdul-Latif. In consolation Mohammed - Amin was given in addition to Kashir Serpukhov and Khotun.
     However, in 1502 Abdul-Latif fell into disgrace and was arrested and dispatched to Moscow and from there exiled to Beloozero. Ivan sent to Kazan again Mohammed-Amin. This tsar, knowing well the political situation in Kazan, quickly finished with all major intriguers, thus reaching the consent with Kazan's aristocracy. After this, having the Grand Duke's consent, he married the widow of his elder brother Il'gam who back in 1487 was exiled along with her husband to Vologda. It was Ivan's mistake, because Nogay queen had influence on Mohammed-Amin and set him against Russians (the imprisonment was not lost on her). As a result on summer 1505 Mohammed-Amin picked on some Ivan's carelessness that humiliated the dignity of Kazan tsar and declared war to Russia. Of course, the main role here played rather the wakened vanity of the descendant of the great Ulugh-Mohammed than his wife. After all, after founding an independent state Mahmutek with his father made Kazan the terror of Russia which Moscow even feared to approach. Though, here was such vassal allegiance humiliating the very memory of the great founder of the dynasty.
     Gathering the army he crossed Volga River threatening attack Murom and Nizhegorod lands. Ivan forwarded his voevodes - dukes Gorbaty and Vorontsov to negotiate with him. However, they failed to stop him. He siege Nizhniy Novgorod, burned and sacked the neighborhood lands. Then Ivan asked Satylgan and Dzhanay - Nur-Devlet's sons reined in Kasimov for help. They set together with oglans, dukes and Cossacks (oglans in Horde were called the children of noblemen, including the children of khan - this where the word ulan originates from. For example, in Spain such children were called infants). By common efforts they made Mohammed-Amin stop the siege and return to his lands.
     Soon, on October 1505 Ivan III died leaving his heir Vasily III who decided taking revenge on Kazanians for their audacity to rid oneself of vassal dependence from Moscow. However, both his attempts to restore status quo failed: in 1506 and in 1507. Anyway, the peace was made and not without the participation of Mengli-Giray and his wife Nur-Sultana. In the process of negotiations Mohammed - Amin gave consent to remain the formal vassal of Moscow, and Abdul-Latif was pardoned and returned from exile and alone with the freedom obtained Yuriev town. Thus, all parties were satisfied. It seemed like Nur-Sultana - mother of princes was the happiest of all, because it was she who became the main initiator of this remarkable political consent that stopped the military confrontation between Kazan and Moscow for a period of eleven years, up to the death of Mohammed-Amin in 1518. Such is the role of personality in the history, in the history of peoples.
     Mengli-Giray died on Great Saturday of 1515 accomplishing with dignity his father's activity on creation of the great state that played the main role in the liberation of Eastern Europe from the outdated empire. One this thing could be enough to put his mane in the list of outstanding figures of our planet. However, his deeds didn't limit to military exploits. Having the poetical gift he became known as a poet. Being a well educated person (the communication with Genoeses was of great benefit) he opened the high educational institution, a kind of university - Zyndzhyrly-Medrese (in 1500) in the founded by him new capital Bakhchisaray. This institution not only continued the traditions of Solkhat Medrese another educational institution, established back in 1332 in the first capital of Crimea long before foundation of Crimean Khanate. Zyndzhyrly-Medrese not only gave knowledge on Arab philology, grammar, philosophy, astronomy, logics, rhetoric, mathematics, right, geography, history and other subjects, but exceeded Solkhat Medrese in many respects.
     "Until the last days of his life (Mengli-Giray) maintained the allied relations with Russian state in spite of the fact that during his rule Crimean Khanate became the vassal of Turkey" (Crimean Tatar Encyclopedia). The difference in religion was not regarded by him as a barrier for friendly relations between two states with different religions, thus by his acts he confirmed his progressive views. In this respect he looked farer into the future then his contemporaries. And what is more remarkable Ivan III always supported him in this respect, not only allowing, but cultivating in Qasim Kingdom Muslim religion and culture. Of coarse he was politician and didn't make this because of altruistic motives, but in order to make it easier for him taking Muslim lands and create multi-religious state like Crimean Khanate and its ancestor - Golden Horde. Unfortunately, his descendants didn't continue his policy. Carrying out the aggressive policy they didn't take into consideration the religious bias of the conquered peoples belonging to other religions. Particularly this concerns Vasily III and Ivan IV who cruelly killed serving Tatars who didn't want converting to Orthodoxy and widely practiced forcible baptism.
     In fact, the death of both governors of the most powerful post-Golden Horde states, who found the most successful form of co-existence dividing almost without blood their spheres of influence, resulted in ruination of existing political harmony. In 1517 Abdul-Latif - the heir of Kazan throne died and khan Mohammed-Amin appeared to be the last representative of Ulugh - Mohammed dynasty, because nobody of the heirs had male offspring. At this time Kazan became the apple of discord, breaking the political harmony established between Moscow and Crimea at the period of Mengli-Giray and Ivan III rule.
     However, already two years before the khan of Kazan death there was a conflict between Mohammed-Giray - the son and successor of Menlgi-Giray and Vasily III over Qasim Kingdom, because Nur-Devlet's dynasty finished there as well, and the Grand Duke gave the kingdom to Shah-Ali - the descendant of Akhmedov family. In response Crimean khan wrote the categorical letter that his dukes of Shirinsky family wouldn't swear in friendship with Russia if Meshcher town would be ruled by Astrakhan prince Shakh-Ali. In the same year 1516 in order to please Crimean khan the Grand Duke proposed Meshcher to Ahmed-Giray - the brother of Mohammed-Giray. The conflict was settled. However, in 1518 Mohammed-Amin died and Kazanians who already used receiving khans from Grand Duke of Muscovy asked Vasily appointing them the tsar. Because all eminent princes serving to Moscow at that time appeared to be baptized, the choice fell on Shah-Ali again. And the last ascended Kazan's throne, married in advance Mohammed-Amin's widow (that in some extent contributed to his success) to a great dissatisfaction of Crimean khan. That is why starting from 1519 Mohammed-Giray started doing his best to set Kazan noblemen against Shah-Ali as a member of the hateful to him family of Akhmadovs. These efforts gave their results: there was a very strong anti-Russian party formed in Kazan, to a certain extent caused by the fact that Shah-Ali showed too hard temper realizing the pro-Russian policy. That is why when in 1521 the powerful detachment of Crimean Tatars leaded by the brother of Crimean khan, Sahib-Giray suddenly appeared near Kazan the rebellion started in the town. Shah-Ali appeared to have an insignificantly small number of supporters and he decided yielding to people's demands on his own free will. "He took his wives, concubines and all his belongings and returned to Russia. Sahib-Giray quietly took the throne", - wrote Veliaminov - Zernov. This way the Crimean dynasty established in Kazan.
     However, such course of events resulted in violation of the traditional order and diplomatic achievements couldn't satisfy the Duke of Muscovy. The relations between Moscow and Crimea started spoiling and became more complicated. The first consequence of this was the replacement of Crimean protege in Qasim kingdom. Pro-Russian party became very active in Kazan. A real war between Muscovite Russia and Crimean Khanate was impending - the first war since the very existence of these two young independent states. It was quite evident that the sons of Mengli-Giray and Ivan III lacked wisdom of their great fathers.
     Sahib-Giray "scarcely establishing in Kazan brought his army to Russian territory, devastated Suzdal and Vladimir lands, at the same time his brother - Crimean khan Mohammed-Giray attacked Russia in the south and almost reached Moscow, sacking and devastating everything on his way. Next spring he made the new devastating raid and seized Astrakhan. When Sahib-Giray found out about such success of his brother he ordered to kill all Russians in Kazan, including the ambassador of Moscow, boyar Vasily Yuriev", - wrote Karataev. With this new act tsar of Kazan decided finishing with notorious "fifth column" of Moscow with an aim to strengthen the monarch's authority in Kazan.
     However, already in a year Crimean khan was killed in the battle against Nogays and Sahib-Giray hurried to Turkey in order to ask Turkish sultan the right to inherit Crimean throne. However, he didn't want to leave his positions gained in Kazan. That is why he sent to Kazan his thirteen-year-old son Safa Giray (nephew - according to Velyaminov-Zernov) who was enthroned by Kazanians.
     However, by that time Vasily III approached Kazan (in 1524) with powerful Russian army. The siege of the town could last long and it was clear to both sides. That is why the case was considered to be finished by mutually satisfying negotiations: Kazanians promised Moscow governor their obedience, provided that Safa-Giray would remain on the throne. Vasily agreed and this peace preserved until 1532.
     However, Vasily understood that this peace was playing against him. Crimean party kept on ruling in Kazan, and the peace made in 1524 became burdensome. "Finally, in spring of 1532 Kazanians, taught by people supporting Grand Duke, banished Safa-Giray and sent ambassadors to Russia with credentials asking Vasily to provide them new tsar", - wrote Velyaminov-Zernov.
     Sent by Vasily Qasim tsar Jan-Ali - brother of Shah-Ali, who was rejected by Kazanians from the very beginning, hold the throne only until 1535. He was killed during the revolt by displeased supporters of Crimean party and Safa-Giray, who already was 27, became Kazan tsar again.
     Aware of the impending hard fight with Russia Safa-Giray from the very beginning made the right political step - he married Sujumbike, the daughter of Nogay leader - duke Yusuf, thus ensuring the support of Nogay Horde, or at least counteracting the eternal enemies of Girays. Queen Sujumbike married in 1533 fist Jan-Ali who was then killed. Marrying Safa-Giray she at once raised to the position of the first wife (though, she was already the fifth wife). Falling in love with Safa-Giray for all her life she became his companion in state affairs and continued her husband's policy even after his death. You see, being the senior wife (though, the youngest) she inherited the throne along with her young son, though, Safa-Giray already had many adult sons from other wives. She had great authority and was very famous among Kazanians. Until his death in 1549 Safa-Giray held an implacable anti-Russian policy and often fought with Moscow. His main enemy in these wars was already mentioned Shah-Ali with his Qasim Tatars whom Ivan IV obligatory sent against their coreligionists.
     In fact, analyzing that epoque one could find out with surprise that the motive forces of the conflicts between the independent post-Horde states were neither territorial claims, nor moreover the ethnic ones that couldn't exist at that time, but were exclusively religious, excluding purely profit interests. At this, the most aggressive was Orthodox Church whose aim was converting all Tatars to Orthodoxy. What is peculiar, the newly converted very often then became the most zealous and implacable advocates of religion. For them the religion and nation united into one single whole. Every newly-converted Christian first of all became Russian. That was the principle. Nobody cared his Tatar origin after that. Bilingualism was left out of account as well. On the contrary, it helped in interrelation, because Muscovite Russia was really packed with newly-converted and Tatar language was used equally along with Russian.
     Not in vain Russian language contains so many borrowing from Tatar (more than one quarter of the vocabulary). Ivan the Terrible himself spoke well Tatar, because his mother Elena Glinskaya was pureblooded Tatar and from his very childhood taught him her mother language which he used all his life interrelating with Tatar noblemen that surrounded him all the time. However, at this, he severely executed all Tatars who didn't want converting to Orthodoxy (in fact, his father did the same).
     All this considering, the wars with Kazan - practically the vassal of Moscow in fact could be regarded as religious (especially after coming of Girays) with the elements of profit interest of course (at that time the wars had no sense without it). However, they were not the wars for the territory, because there was enough land for everybody at that time, considering even an extensive agriculture widely spread in Russia.
     As the mentioned trend showed itself more clearly and definitely right at the time of governance of Crimean Girays in Kazan the religious passions also strengthened in Crimea: there was mass conversion from Christianity to Islam. The only difference that always distinguished Crimea was its voluntary nature. That is why for three and a half centuries of existence of Crimean Khanate it preserved its multi-religious nature, even among the members of divan, not to mention the common people.
     Thus, by the middle of the 16th century there was a boundary quite sharply defined that divided the former empire into Christian and Muslim worlds. As far as Russia concerns, it had earlier boundary - with Catholic West against which it leaded unceasing wars for many centuries even being in the depth of Golden Horde Empire (for example, wars with Livonian Order).
     By the way, for Orthodox Russia the Catholic West was even more hateful than Muslim South and East with which it organically inosculated against its will being in the empire for three centuries. That is why after the collapse of the empire the Orthodox province faced with the problem of its consolidation on the ground of its religion identity. However, because of the indigence of natural resources the density of population in Russia was always lower compared to more southern and more abundant regions, the policy of the governors of northern, Muscovite Russia was always aimed at attraction of people resources from Tatar south. However, this was made with the obligatory condition of conversion of all invited people to Russians, in other words to Orthodoxy. That was that resource that allowed Russia carrying out the endless wars both among the numerous dukedoms as well as against the external neighbors.
     By the way this policy of russification of all foreigners didn't limit exceptionally to Turks. Moscow that declared the foundation of the new nation of Great Russians applied the same policy of russification even to peoples genetically closer to them, in particular to Little Russians in other words Ukrainians. One could provide a lot of examples of this policy. However, we don't set that tusk before us in this work. So let's keep on our cut off narration without deviating from the point.
     To ensure the success of the wars in the west one required the firm rear in the east. Though, Kazan got more and more disobedient after Girays gained power, not to mention the terrible Crimea that after the death of Mengli-Giray from the powerful ally constantly holding the Catholic world on fear turned to the dangerous enemy. Sahib-Giray after few ineffective attempts in 1532 finally became the khan of Crimea and cherishing a long-standing hatred towards Muscovy already being the khan of Kazan waited nothing but the good occasion to realize his dream: to make a predatory raid on infidels' lands.
     In 1541 he made this raid. Crimean cavalry advanced headily and nothing could stop it. When Sahib-Giray reached the outskirts of Moscow the question of evacuation of Grand Duke Ivan IV and surrender of Moscow arose, because a single power that really could protect the town was the regiments of Qasim Tatars that at that moment located "in Vladimir observing Kazanians' actions" (Velyaminov-Zernov) and it was very likely that they couldn't come in time.
     One should give one's due - it was a great raid that caused a great damage to whole Russia. However, it fell through never concluding with the great defeat of Moscow. Sahib-Giray receded bursting out with the farewell tirade addressed to Ivan IV. It's quite interesting to cite this letter especially comparing it to the letters that Mengli-Giray and Ivan III used to write to each other.
     "Damned and an outcast illegal man, Muscovite ploughman, my slave! Let you know that we intended to rob your lands, capture you, put you in plough and make you sow ashes. As my ancestors treated your forefathers the same way I wanted treating you. To give you more attention: I would cuff your feet in stocks and make you dig toilets. I would show you your significance and made a laughing-stock to the whole world of you. Thank God that you still have a piece of bread: the reason is Baky-bek through his fault the crossing over Oka River was failed. Pray for him! First, I kill this wolf that mixed among my sheep, bury his bones at my backyard and then finish with you". The matter was about the betrayal in the ranks of the attacking army.
     However, Sahib-Giray didn't have time to implement the second half of his threat. In 1551 he was killed by the order of Turkish Sultan who ordered to kill the disagreeable khan. It occurred under the following circumstances.
     In March 1549 Safa-Giray died leaving on the throne his two-year-old son Utyamysh-Giray. However, Kazanians, despite their great respect for Sujumbike - the regent of the heir, considered it more reasonable to invite more mature tsar. And this time in violation of the established order the ambassadors were not sent to Moscow, but to Crimea, to Sahib-Giray asking him to send Bulak-Giray - Safa Giray's son living in Crimea to reign in Kazan. However, instead Sahib-Giray imprisoned the young sultan (sultans in Crimea were called the indirect Girays' heirs), and sent Kuchuk-oglan to Kazan with twenty thousand detachment. At the same time he sent to Turkey along with Kazanians' letter his recommendations concerning this matter, proposing to send to Kazan Daylet-Giray - Mengli-Giray's grandson. What for did he make this complex scheme?
     The thing was that Crimean throne depended greatly on the will of Turkish sultan. In Constantinople, near sultan there was always the next successor to Crimean throne who could displace the acting Crimean khan on the first order of Turkish monarch. The most dangerous opponent of Sahib-Giray was Deylet-Giray, the most outstanding of all awaiting claimants. In fact, sending his recommendations Sahib-Giray had his aim to kill Devlet-Giray when the last would pass Crimea. He sent assistance to Kazan without waiting for the decision of Turkey.
     However, Turkish sultan discovered Sahib Giray's plots and tricked him appointing Deylat-Giray khan of Kazan, but only as a red herring. In reality he ordered Deylet-Giray to come to Crimea, dethrone Sahib-Giray and take his place. He did so stifling his opponent in 1551 and burying him in the tomb of Khadjy-Giray. It was natural that the new khan did not go to Kazan as he made order in his own khanate.
     Ivan IV only benefited from these court intrigues in Crimea and Turkey. In 1549 the duke took the raid against Kazan and ordered to take part in this campaign Shah-Ali along with his brother Jadigar who back in 1542 arrived to Muscovy from Astrakhan with the strong detachment to help Shah-Ali in the period of Sahib-Giray's unfortunate raid on Moscow. In January the 150 thousands army approached Kazan. However, the winter siege of the town chilled quite soon the attackers' ardor and they went back achieving nothing. At this very moment the idea appeared to build a fortress Sviyazhsk not far from Kazan in order to make raids against Kazan not from Moscow, but from that fortress. Having this fortress Muscovites without any difficulties conquered Chuvashes, Cheremises and Mordva making them the subjects of Duke of Muscovy.
     The position of Kazanians was becoming so threatening that in 1551 they hurried to make peace, released all Russian prisoners and gave up their khan Utyamish-Giray, and agreed to enthrone the hateful Shah-Ali. Kuchuk-oglan was captured. He was brought to Moscow where Ivan the Terrible proposed him converting to Orthodoxy and entering Russian service. "Kuchuk agreed to serve, but refused changing his religion. Then Ivan the Terrible ordered to bring him and all Tatars that were with him to the field and kill them by the bludgeons. Kuchuk's wife and two his children were baptized forcibly and after this provided asylum in Moscow court", - wrote Karataev. Thus, one more noble Crimean Tatar family was turned to Russians.
     As far as Utyamish-Giray concerns, on January 8, 1553 he was also forcibly baptized and given the name Alexander, patronymics Safagireevich, and surname Yusupov (by the name of his grandfather). Later on dukes Yusupovs were considered to be relatives of Russian tsars and were very powerful and rich. One of the last offspring of this old and noble family Felix became famous by shooting Rasputin in 1917. Judging by the family tree Yusupovs were also considered to be of Crimean Tatar origin.
     However, this wasn't yet the end of the epopee of destruction of Kazan khanate. There was also half year governance of Shah-Ali in Kazan with the bloody carnage committed by Moscow opponents in which 70 local dukes and few hundreds of noblemen were executed. Then he had to leave Kazan again and took part in the siege of the town for several months during which there was a mine made under the walls of the town and a strong burst was made. The conquerors rushed into the town through the breaks in the wall and killed almost all thirty thousand its defenders. Among the murdered defenders was one of Safa-Giray's sons.
     "Thus, Kazan khanate lost its independence - wrote Velyaminov-Zernov. - The former Russia's enemies started faithfully serving to it. Many noble Tatars converted to Orthodoxy and turned into Russian noblemen…"
     "After the fall of Kazan khanate, and later on Astrakhan khanate Qasim kingdom got reinforced and expanded" (Velyaminov-Zernov). At this, it existed carrying out purely military functions, because it reinforced rather not due to the natural increase of its population, then as a result of migration from the fragment of the former empire of mercenaries whom "grand dukes of Muscovy (took willingly) and used exclusively in their military purposes, considering that they were the excellent and undefeated warriors. Grand dukes particularly valued this very quality of Tatars and did their best to attract to their side as many Tatar Cossacks as possible" (the same source).
     As it was repeatedly mentioned above Qasim khanate joined those Tatars who didn't want converting to Orthodoxy right away. It was Muslim kingdom, though fully dependent on Orthodox Russia, because it lived on account of Russian dukedoms. In other words, this kingdom was on the verge of Orthodox and Muslim worlds, though was located within the first one, and was a buffer state for two hundred years, first between Muscovy and Kazan, then Muscovy and Crimea. Finally it Russianized and stopped its existence. Today only the remains of the mosques and Tatar Muslim graveyards testify to the existence of this forgotten kingdom. One could judge of the size of this kingdom, only conditionally called Qasim khanate, for instance, by those towns that dukes of Muscovy gave to Tatar princes. Taking a look at the map of Podmoskovie one could see the ring sharply defined encircling Moscow metropolis not only to the east and south, but literally on all sides. Moscow dukes intentionally settled the outcasts coming from Golden Horde and its parts in the towns that located near the capital creating a kind of buffer from unexpected attacks both from east and south, as well as west and north. In other words, so called Qasim kingdom went beyond the territory of Qasim town. You see, the governor of Qasim kingdom situated there. The kingdom itself encircled the capital of Muscovite state making almost an unbroken circle. And the mercenary population of this state numbered tens of thousands of people.
     As far as the heritage of Golden Horde Empire concerns it didn't pass to Crimea, because Crimea itself became dependent on Osman Empire. This heritage insensibly passed to Moscow. Grand Duke of Muscovy conquered Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian khanates, acquired the title of tsar, in other words, the heir of Golden Horde Empire. Along with the title Duchy of Muscovy took Holden Horde's Emblem - double-headed eagle already in Romanovs' time wearing the crowns of three kingdoms - Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian (Encyclopedia of National History).
     "The introduction of double-headed eagle as Russian Emblem is usually connected to Byzantium from where it was allegedly brought by Sophia Palaiologos after she married Ivan III", - wrote Rafael Khakimov, the first-rate researcher of Golden Horde. However, to our mind such assertion is a real falsification initiated by the clergymen that considered it shame to recognize the borrowing of Muslim Emblem as a symbol of the Orthodox state. The Byzantium origin of this symbol is far-fetched. Khisapov wrote the following concerning this issue: "The thing is that double-headed eagle was widespread in Golden Horde long before its appearance in Byzantium. Most often it was depicted on the coins of Janibek. It's hard to say where Golden Horde khans borrowed this symbol. It could be some Mongol symbol or it could be taken from Arabs which was quite natural". "The image of double-headed eagle could be seen since the 12th - beginning of the 13th century on Muslim coins issued by Zengids and Artuqids - wrote S. Yanina. The symbol was borrowed from the last by Hulaguids that could be testified by its presence on the coins dated 129 - 1280 issued in Erbil. In Byzantium Sphragistics the double-headed eagle appeared only in the second quarter of the 14th century in the time of the governance of Emperor Andronik III (1325 - 1343), and only in the second half of the 14th century it appeared on coins of Komnenos of Trebizond - Aleksey III (1349 - 1390) and Manuel III (1390 - 1417)". I would be strange if Russian dukes borrowed from Byzantium what they already had known long ago from Golden Horde coins that had circulation in the state for a long period. At this one should mention that Moscow always felt its closeness with Golden Horde, because it promoted to its development, that is why it always made for its traditions", - concluded Khakimov. And it's hard not to agree with that.
     Thus, if Ivan III dared first on Golden Horde territory very carefully declaring himself tsar and by diplomatic efforts could make Kazan khanate his vassal. This coincided with the collapse of the empire. Though, Ivan IV could already openly declare about the transference of the capital of the empire to Moscow, thus making everybody understand that his country was the successor of Golden Horde Empire.
     After the conquest and destruction of Astrakhan khanate came Crimean khanate turn. However, the ambitious plans of the first Russian tsar to finish with independence of Crimea using military force and to appoint his voevode (Kusheva E.N. 1963) were ruined by Devlet-Giray - new khan of Crimea.
     Learning about the plans of Moscow tsar the khan gave him no time to prepare to such grand campaign, and in 1555 he unexpectedly attacked Russia. In the bloody battle he reduced significantly the number of strelets. Understanding that he wouldn't overcome Crimean khan alone Ivan IV sent the grand embassy to Lithuania that first even convinced Lithuanians and Poles to make the joint "crusade" against Crimea. However, Devlet-Giray responded to it with the same embassy that made Lithuanians and Poles change their mind, because he explained them that as soon as the treacherous Russians conquer Crimea they would sent all newly-converted Tatars of Russia to fight against Lithuanians. In this case Crimea couldn't help them any more. After Crimean ambassadors' visit Lithuania never supported Moscow in the battles against Crimea. In order to kill Ivan IV's desire to conquer Crimea Devlet-Giray in 1571 made the cavalry raid over Russian towns and Podmoscow slobodas burning Moscow and returning with the loot.
     Of course it wasn't the conquering campaign. Crimea already had no power for that. However, the deterrent worked for more than two hundred years. Moreover, Devlet-Giray could obtain one more thing from Russian government - "He made Ivan the Terrible increase the amount of "pominki" and put in order their sending to Crimea ("pominki" - were some kind of obligatory money present to the powerful persons of Crimean khanate from Muscovy state that was undeviatingly observed until Peter's times). By the way, because of this Russian historian Karamzin (also, by the way, baptized Tatar) accused in his History of Russian State Tsar Ivan IV (half-Tatar) in betrayal of "our state dignity and benefit".
     Thus, in the same 16th century Golden Horde Empire almost completely revived just changing the capital and state religion. On the last stage of its revival it even refused from forcible conversion of Tatars of conquered territories to Orthodoxy, thus increasing both the process of revival of the empire and the strengthening of the central authority soothing rebellions on religious grounds. Russian Empire as well as Golden Horde returned to multi-religiousness. However, this rule didn't apply to Tatars captured in constant military battles with Crimean Tatars. V. Smirnov, historian (Crimean Khanate, 1887), for example there is a quote from the text of credentials of khan Adil-Giray addressed to Russian tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich that tells about "Russian forcible conversion of Tatar prisoners to Christianity".
     It was only Crimean khanate that didn't want returning under the wings of double-headed eagle. This resistance went on for more than two centuries. However, finally, once defeated by its Crimean province the revived empire took revenge: it enslaved again the obstinate people. In happened in 1783 when Crimean khanate stopped its existence under the power and might of Russian Empire. Ivan the Terrible's plot was finally realized, but only by German princes Ekaterina II. This return became the black date for Crimean Tatar people, and it is marked by all-people grief even today. Because, this very date was the beginning of an endless subtle genocide of the whole people that didn't stop even now. Thus, the empire takes its revenge for the rebelliousness. Although, it already managed to change its form for few times.