Volga Bulgarian

Member of a people who lived on the middle Volga and Kama rivers, eastern Europe, in the Middle Ages. They spoke a language related to Turkish.

They came in the 7th century from the steppes north of the Sea of Azov. Originally they belonged to the Hun confederation, then formed a separate state with Bulgar as its capital. They were under Khazar rule until the 10th century, independent until 1236, then subject to the Golden Horde until the 15th century. The state later existed as Kazan khanate. The Chuvash and Volga Tatars are descendants of Volga Bulgarians.