Ashli
Encyclopedia
Ashli or Aşlı was a mysterious medieval Volga Bulgaria
n town. In Russian chronicles it is known as Oshel .
Whereas archaeologic excavations prove that the city appeared as early as in 11th century, the Tatar legends and the Russian Tver Chronicle state that the city was founded by Alexander the Great. At its heyday Ashli was a major trade and political centre. In 1220 it was ruined and burned by the troops of Sviatoslav Vsevolodovich. The Tver
Chronicle is the only written source where Ashli is mentioned.
The Russians under prince Sviatoslav
, his brother Yaroslav and voyevoda Yeremey Glebovich reached the city by the Volga on their boats. They landed to the east of the city at the flat bank of the Volga.The Rostov
ans formed the right flank, the Pereslavleans the left, the prince and the Murom
eans stayed in the center. One regiment stayed to protect the boats. Russians came across the forest and met the horseback Bulgars under their prince. Bulgars shot their arrows and retreated to the citadel.
The Russians reached the walls in a harsh battle and managed to set a fire at the walls. The fire, smoke and wind were so strong, that Russians were forced to retreat and to enter the city from another side. However, Ashli's prince and his horseback retinue escaped under cover of smoke. However, foot warriors and civilians were killed in action. The fire was so strong that many invaders who dared to enter Ashli to rob the city perished . The Russians
took into prison many civilians and retreated by the Volga. The reinforcement, sent from Bilär
, the capital, was too late.
assumed Yantikovsky (Kirelsky) ruins in what is today Kamskoustyinsky District (Kama-Ustjin District) to be remains of Ashla, as he wrote. Another supporter of this version, A. Smirnov, advanced that the name of the city comes from the Esegel
tribe of the Volga Bulgars. Yantikovsky ruins were flood with the infill of Kuybyshev Reservoir in 1950s, however, they were totally explored. There weren't scents of the mentioned great fire in Yantikovsky ruins.
Today the ruins are assumed to be near the village of Bogodashkino, Tetyushsky District
. Bogdashkino is a village located on the upper course of Kilna River, between Proley-Kasha and Iokovo villages, about five kilometres north of Uryum village, on the land which is inhabited by Tetyushi Mordvins, about 16 kilometres south-west of Tetyushi
. The Bogodashkino ruins were founded in 1909 by Ğäynetdin Äxmärev and the excavations took place in 1949-1950 under Nikolay Kalinin. He also excavated Yantikovsky ruins and decided that Ashli was situated near Bogodashkino. The remains of the fortress, the apartments, workshops, pottery and foundry were unearthed. The Muslim
burial ground found there dates back to the 11-13th centuries. The last expeditions of 1987 and 2003 provided a good matter for historians.
-based versions place Aşlı in the modern Kazan
and state the victory of Bulgars under Gabdulla Chelbir and defeat of the Russians and the Udmurts.
Volga Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria, or Volga–Kama Bolghar, is a historic Bulgar state that existed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers in what is now Russia.-Origin:...
n town. In Russian chronicles it is known as Oshel .
Whereas archaeologic excavations prove that the city appeared as early as in 11th century, the Tatar legends and the Russian Tver Chronicle state that the city was founded by Alexander the Great. At its heyday Ashli was a major trade and political centre. In 1220 it was ruined and burned by the troops of Sviatoslav Vsevolodovich. The Tver
Tver
Tver is a city and the administrative center of Tver Oblast, Russia. Population: 403,726 ; 408,903 ;...
Chronicle is the only written source where Ashli is mentioned.
Downfall
The downfall of the city is mentioned in the Tver Chronicle, the only written mention of the city. The prince of Vladimir Yuri Vsevolodovich sent the expedition to sack Ashli under his brother, Sviatoslav.The Russians under prince Sviatoslav
Sviatoslav Vsevolodovich of Vladimir
Sviatoslav Vsevolodovich of Vladimir was the Prince of Novgorod and Grand Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal ....
, his brother Yaroslav and voyevoda Yeremey Glebovich reached the city by the Volga on their boats. They landed to the east of the city at the flat bank of the Volga.The Rostov
Rostov
Rostov is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:...
ans formed the right flank, the Pereslavleans the left, the prince and the Murom
Murom
Murom is a historic city in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, which sprawls along the left bank of Oka River. Population: -History:In the 9th century CE, the city marked the easternmost settlement of the Eastern Slavs in the land of the Finno-Ugric people called Muromians. The Russian Primary Chronicle...
eans stayed in the center. One regiment stayed to protect the boats. Russians came across the forest and met the horseback Bulgars under their prince. Bulgars shot their arrows and retreated to the citadel.
The Russians reached the walls in a harsh battle and managed to set a fire at the walls. The fire, smoke and wind were so strong, that Russians were forced to retreat and to enter the city from another side. However, Ashli's prince and his horseback retinue escaped under cover of smoke. However, foot warriors and civilians were killed in action. The fire was so strong that many invaders who dared to enter Ashli to rob the city perished . The Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
took into prison many civilians and retreated by the Volga. The reinforcement, sent from Bilär
Bilär
Bilär was a medieval city in Volga Bulgaria and its second capital before the Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria. It was located on the left bank of the Small Cheremshan River in modern-day Alexeyevsky District of the Republic of Tatarstan.The city was founded by the indigenous Bilyar tribe of the...
, the capital, was too late.
Search and excavations
For a long period there weren't any ruins to identified as Ashli. Vasily TatishchevVasily Tatishchev
Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev was a prominent Russian statesman, and ethnographer, best remembered as the author of the first full-scale Russian history...
assumed Yantikovsky (Kirelsky) ruins in what is today Kamskoustyinsky District (Kama-Ustjin District) to be remains of Ashla, as he wrote. Another supporter of this version, A. Smirnov, advanced that the name of the city comes from the Esegel
Esegel
Esegels were a, possibly,Turkic dynastic tribe that in the Middle Ages joined the Itil Bulgaria state and were assimilated to Bulgars; or was possibly a Bulgar tribe all along, as mentioned by Ibn Fadlan...
tribe of the Volga Bulgars. Yantikovsky ruins were flood with the infill of Kuybyshev Reservoir in 1950s, however, they were totally explored. There weren't scents of the mentioned great fire in Yantikovsky ruins.
Today the ruins are assumed to be near the village of Bogodashkino, Tetyushsky District
Tetyushsky District
Tetyushsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the forty-three in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Its administrative center is the town of Tetyushi. District's population: 27,040 ; Population of Tetyushi accounts for 46.6% of the district's population....
. Bogdashkino is a village located on the upper course of Kilna River, between Proley-Kasha and Iokovo villages, about five kilometres north of Uryum village, on the land which is inhabited by Tetyushi Mordvins, about 16 kilometres south-west of Tetyushi
Tetyushi
Tetyushi is a town and the administrative center of Tetyushsky District of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, located on the shore of Kuybyshev Reservoir, south of Kazan. Population:...
. The Bogodashkino ruins were founded in 1909 by Ğäynetdin Äxmärev and the excavations took place in 1949-1950 under Nikolay Kalinin. He also excavated Yantikovsky ruins and decided that Ashli was situated near Bogodashkino. The remains of the fortress, the apartments, workshops, pottery and foundry were unearthed. The Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
burial ground found there dates back to the 11-13th centuries. The last expeditions of 1987 and 2003 provided a good matter for historians.
Controversial theories
Some Cäğfär TaríxıCägfär Taríxi
The Cäğfär Taríxı is a controversial Russian language text purporting to be a partial translation of a 17th century Volga Bulgar compilation of early historical material on the Bulgars,...
-based versions place Aşlı in the modern Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
and state the victory of Bulgars under Gabdulla Chelbir and defeat of the Russians and the Udmurts.