Bulgars

Bulgars (also Bolgars) a people of Central Asia, probably originally Pamirian, whose branches became slavicized and perhaps Turkic over time. The Turkic etymology most often given for their name is Bulgha meaning mixed, though it might also be from Varkun.

Bolgars moved west from the lower-middle Volga river AD to control the second Avar dynasty of Onoguria (in Ukraine) by the mid-7th century. The group then split into two.

Western Bulgars led by Asparukh founded Bulgaria in 681 when they invaded the area, united and assimilated with its earlier Slavic and Thracian inhabitants.

Eastern Bulgars (see Volga Bulgaria) (sometimes Bolğarlar) remained a powerful force in the Volga (İdel) region, eventually merging with local Turkic peoples, Iranian peoples and Finno-Ugric peoples in 8th century. Volga (İdel) Bolgaria became Moslem in 922. This state was destroyed by Mongols in 1236. The Chuvash language is thought to be descendant of old Bulgar language.

Entries in the List of Bulgarian monarchs trace Bulgar history in more detail.

Tribes thought to have been Bolgaric in origin include:

• Utighur
• Kutrighur (Kotrags)
• The Kuber Varkuni
• Asparukh's Horde
• Altasek's Horde
• The Unok-vndur federation

See also: Bulgarians