Haci I Giray
Encyclopedia
Hacı I Giray Angel (died 1466) was the founder and the first ruler of the Crimean Khanate
. He is sometimes referred to as Hacı Devlet Giray or Devlet Hacı Giray. He is said to have been an 11th generation descendant of Genghis Khan
.
He ascended the throne after a long struggle against the khans of the Golden Horde
for the independence of the Crimean Khanate
in which he was supported by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
. While some sources state he came to power as early as 1428 or 1434, the first coins of Haci Giray are not earlier than 1441.
Hacı I Giray founded the Giray Dynasty
of the Crimean Khans, and introduced the new state symbol: "taraq tamğa" or "the trident of Girays", which is a derivation from the scales
insignia of Golden Horde
. He established his residence in Salaçıq village (the vicinities of modern Bakhchisaray
near the Çufut Qale
fortress). A contemporary European source, The Chronicle of Dlugosz, described him as a person of outstanding personal values and a perfect governor.
According to some historians in 1456 he was deposed for a short period by the revolt of his own son Hayder, but was restored that the same year.
Hacı I Giray is buried in the Durbe in Salaçıq in Bakhchisaray
.
Hacı I was extremely popular with the Crimean people, so they give him a nickname Angel .
Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate, or Khanate of Crimea , was a state ruled by Crimean Tatars from 1441 to 1783. Its native name was . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
. He is sometimes referred to as Hacı Devlet Giray or Devlet Hacı Giray. He is said to have been an 11th generation descendant of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
.
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde was a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate that formed the north-western sector of the Mongol Empire...
for the independence of the Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate, or Khanate of Crimea , was a state ruled by Crimean Tatars from 1441 to 1783. Its native name was . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
in which he was supported by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
. While some sources state he came to power as early as 1428 or 1434, the first coins of Haci Giray are not earlier than 1441.
Hacı I Giray founded the Giray Dynasty
Giray dynasty
Giray , alternative spellings Guirey, Ghirai, Ghiray, Geray, is the Genghisid dynasty, which reigned in the Khanate of Crimea from its formation in 1427 until its downfall in 1783. The dynasty also supplied several khans of Kazan and Astrakhan between 1521 and 1550...
of the Crimean Khans, and introduced the new state symbol: "taraq tamğa" or "the trident of Girays", which is a derivation from the scales
Weighing scale
A weighing scale is a measuring instrument for determining the weight or mass of an object. A spring scale measures weight by the distance a spring deflects under its load...
insignia of Golden Horde
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde was a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate that formed the north-western sector of the Mongol Empire...
. He established his residence in Salaçıq village (the vicinities of modern Bakhchisaray
Bakhchisaray
Bakhchisaray is a town in Central Crimea, centre of the Bakhchisaray raion , best known as the former capital of the Crimean Khanate...
near the Çufut Qale
Çufut Qale
Çufut Qale sometimes spelled as Chufut Kale is a historic fortress in Crimea, near Bakhchisaray. Its name is Crimean Tatar and Turkish for "Jewish Fortress" . Çufut Qale was historically a center for the Crimean Karaite community...
fortress). A contemporary European source, The Chronicle of Dlugosz, described him as a person of outstanding personal values and a perfect governor.
According to some historians in 1456 he was deposed for a short period by the revolt of his own son Hayder, but was restored that the same year.
Hacı I Giray is buried in the Durbe in Salaçıq in Bakhchisaray
Bakhchisaray
Bakhchisaray is a town in Central Crimea, centre of the Bakhchisaray raion , best known as the former capital of the Crimean Khanate...
.
Hacı I was extremely popular with the Crimean people, so they give him a nickname Angel .