Kasimov Tatars differ from other groups of Tatars by their interesting historical fate and a peculiar culture that has developed under the influence of several peoples. The serving part of the population of the khanate took an active part in the foreign and domestic policy of the Russian state. This ethnic group exists to this day, and its representatives are proud of their rich past.
Origin
Kasimov Tatars are the westernmost group of Tatars living in Russia. Their unique feature is that they existed at a considerable distance from the Kazan and Siberian khanates, in the very center of the Muscovite state - on the territory of the Ryazan region, in the ethnic environment of Russians. This left a peculiar imprint both on the culture and on the appearance of the Kasimov Tatars.
The appearance of this small nationality dates back to the 15th century. Among historians, there are 2 main hypotheses about its origin. According to one of them, the Kasimov Tatars are classified as Mishars, that is, they have Finno-Ugric roots.
Poanother theory, their ancestors were immigrants from Asia, who actively settled in Russia in the XIII century. Some of these tribes, under the leadership of Tsarevich Kasim, settled on the Oka in Gorodets Meshchersky (now the city of Kasimov). There are also two hypotheses regarding the legality of his possession of this land: a ruler from the Genghisides clan could receive it from Vasily the Dark for political purposes, for further struggle with the Kazan Khanate. There is also a legend according to which Kasim captured the prince of Moscow and these possessions were granted to him as a ransom for the freedom of the Russian tsar.
A Brief History of the Kasimov Tatars
In the 15th century, simultaneously with the formation of the Khanate, the power of the Golden Horde and the states formed from its collapse on the territory of Russia began to weaken. As a result, the tsars of Kasimov became obedient tools in the hands of the Moscow princes. The Tatar rulers, together with their cavalry, created a cordon against eastern raids and participated in campaigns against Kazan, Lithuania, Sweden and Livonia, and the Kasimov Khan Shah Ali was appointed the ruler of the Kazan Khanate three times.
This state as an autonomy existed for a long time - more than 200 years. After the annexation of the Kazan Khanate, significant groups of Kazanians emigrated to Kasimov, and then immigrants from the Crimea and the Kirghiz-Kaisak hordes.
Lifestyle
According to the candidate of historical sciences Marat Safarov, the daily life of the Kasimov Tatars was urbanized, in contrast to the inhabitants of the Kazan Khanate. The local population paid tribute to the rulerskingdoms (honey, fur, fish quitrent and others).
Due to close contacts with the Russians in Kasimov, a peculiar dialect of the Tatar language was formed, in which there were many borrowings. Almost all Kasimov Tatars were also fluent in Russian.
The religion of this people was Islam. Several mausoleums have survived to this day, in which their rulers were buried. According to the decrees of 1713 and 1715, Muslims were ordered to convert to Orthodoxy. Otherwise, their estates went into the possession of the Russian Tsar or baptized relatives. Therefore, part of the Tatars converted to Christianity.
Crafts, agriculture and trade
The Kasimov Tatars had the most developed processing of leather and wool, metal and stone. Some of the items of royal clothing made by them are now stored in the Armory. Favorable natural conditions also contributed to the breeding of waterfowl, beekeeping, and fishing. Rye, wheat, oats, buckwheat, millet and barley were grown from grain crops, potatoes and other vegetables were planted in vegetable gardens.
Due to the convenient geographical location of the khanate, trade was actively developing in Kasimov. Her subjects were bread, honey, domestic animals, fur and leather goods. A small part of the population was engaged in shoemaking. There were also 6 brick factories in the villages, and silver jewelry was made in the village of Bolotsy.
Horses were highly valued among the Tatars.80% of the rural population also had cows, since dairy products played a large role in family nutrition. Sheep and goats were kept in almost every yard.
There were many manufactories in the city engaged in dressing lamb skins, and Tatar merchants selling furs were very prosperous. Trade was conducted not only in Kasimov, but also outside of Russia - with the countries of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Tatar merchants received a significant part of their profits from Makaryevskaya, Orenburg and other fairs. In the 19th century in Kasimov, several families succeeding in entrepreneurship stood out (Baranaev, Musyaev and others), whose cash turnover reached 1 million rubles. per year.
Housing
The Tatar population in Kasimov was concentrated mainly in the Tatar settlement, formed from the Old and New Posad. In the first there was a large Khanskaya Square, paved with white stone. Near the square stood the Khan's palace and the houses of his entourage.
Opposite the dwelling of the ruler was a mosque with a minaret, which, according to legend, ordered the construction of Khan Qasim. Currently, you can also see this ancient building, more reminiscent of a fortress tower. Next to the minaret is the mausoleum of King Shah Ali, above the entrance to which there is a stone slab with Arabic script.
According to contemporaries, houses in the XIX century. were almost entirely made of wood. At a later time, some of them were built as two-story, in the style of Russian neoclassicism.
Rural settlements were located along rivers or in valleys. MostA common form of territory planning was a two-way street (it was formed by two rows of houses facing each other). In the early times of the khanate, the houses were located in the depths of the estate, which was also characteristic of the Kazan Tatars and corresponded to the traditions of Islam. Huts were built with a large underground for storing vegetables and wintering cattle, which were driven from the side of the yard.
Families of the same kind settled close to each other. Thus, the Shirinsky family consisted of 19 households.
Clothes
A large selection of fabrics for tailoring was associated with the active trade of the Kasimov Tatars. The photo below helps to get an idea of what they looked like. Since the middle of the XIX century. residents make extensive use of factory-made textiles.
Underwear was made from chintz and satin, and outerwear was made mainly from woolen fabrics. We althy Kasimovites had outfits made of silk, brocade and velvet. Central Asian fabrics were used for dressing gowns. Winter clothes were sewn from sheepskin, fox, wolf, hare fur.
Women's clothing was dominated by traditional bright colors: yellow, green, burgundy and red. Elderly Tatar women often wore dresses made of plain fabrics. By the beginning of the XX century. among the townspeople there has been a tendency to reduce the brightness of clothing. Of the headdresses, embroidered tastars, velvet caps and scarves were in use. Young women wore aprons over their dresses.
Customs
On the day of sowing, it was customary for the Tatars to put a symbol of fertility on the table - a bowl of water and two eggs. In some families, a rooster was slaughtered. Before the beginningsowing work, the owner sat down on a small unplowed piece of land and read a prayer. If there was a drought, the villagers slaughtered a sheep or a cow and ate it, then poured water on each other and prayed together at the place where they kept the unthreshed ears.
The he alth of livestock, according to ancient beliefs, depended on the brownie (zengi babai). To appease him, an odd number of cakes were placed under the roof beam in the barn, and a ram's bone or a horse's skull were hung as amulets.
The wedding of the Kasimov Tatars, as well as the Kazan ones, was carried out by matchmaking. The groom had to pay the bride's parents a dowry in the form of a certain amount of money, food (flour, butter, honey, cereals), cuts of fabric for a wedding dress, shoes, jewelry. From the side of the girl, they also gave gifts - a caftan, a hat, an embroidered towel, a shirt. As a dowry, the newlyweds received bed linen, pillows, carpets. On the eve of the celebration, they arranged a bachelorette party and steamed in the bath. Marriage was concluded according to Muslim canons (nikah, similar to a wedding). After it, the celebration continued for several more days, the young spouses were visited by their relatives and friends.
Fall of the Khanate
In the second half of the XVI century. the influx of the Turkic-speaking population decreased, and the rulers of the kingdom began to be limited in power. The last of them was Fatima-Sultan, the wife of Khan Arslan. There is a legend that she was strangled by her courtiers in 1681 because she wanted to convert to Christianity. After her death, the khanate of the Kasimov Tatars wasabolished. There were 14 kings on the throne of Mr. Kasimov, all of them were direct descendants of Genghis Khan.
After the abolition of the kingdom, those favorable conditions under which the Tatar merchant class developed were eliminated. As a result, the migration of Kasimovites to the Urals and other regions of the country increased.
After the repressions during the Stalin era, many families left the city of Kasimov and moved to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Currently, there are about 1,000 residents in their homeland who identify themselves with this group of Tatars.
