Ulugh Muhammad’s Sons on the Throne of Kazan

Abstract

Research objective: To analyze historical sources and modern studies of the rule of Ulugh Muhammad’s sons in the Khanate of Kazan. Research materials: On the basis of study of a wide range of sources (the Russian chronicles, books of official orders in the Russian state, ambassadorial documents, historical acts, the Turko-Tatar narrative sources, notes of foreigner visitors, etc.) and specialized modern research works, the author of this article reveals the problems of representation of the Khanate of Kazan’s history during the period of Ulugh Muhammad’s sons’ rule. Research results and novelty: The author gave a special place in the research methodology to textological and hermeneutic analysis. Due to this, the author managed not only to verify the information of various sources, but also to interpret certain historical information on the basis of the context of sources that were considered authentic in that era. The author of the article is inclined to think that the succession of power from Ulugh Muhammad to Mahmud was legitimate. He clarifies the chronological framework of the rule and political status of the first Kazan khans, criticizes the arguments of modern historians, and puts forward a hypothesis about the rule in Kazan of Mustafa bin Ulugh Muhammad. As a result of the research, the author managed to adjust the perception of political history of the Khanate of Kazan during the rule of Ulugh Muhammad’s sons.