The Russian invasion of the Astrakhan Khanate, which took place in 1554 and 1556, marked an important expansionist advance by the Tsardom of Russia over the Tatar peoples of the Volga region. Motivated by the interest in controlling the trade routes that linked Europe to the East and consolidating Russian influence in the Caucasus, the Russian campaign had two decisive moments. The first attack in 1554 resulted in the victory over Khan Yamghurchi, who opposed the tsarism, allowing the imposition of a puppet ruler, Dervish Ali. However, local dissatisfaction culminated in a new rebellion, forcing Moscow to carry out a second campaign in 1556, which resulted in the definitive destruction of the khanate. The fall of Astrakhan not only consolidated Russian control over the strategic Volga corridor, but also paved the way for subsequent expansion towards Siberia and the Caucasus.

Prelude

Since the war between Tokhtamysh and Timur from 1386 to 1395, the Golden Horde had weakened considerably, paving the way for the emergence of rump states.. In *The Formation of Muscovy 1300 - 1613*, Robert O. Crummey examines the emergence of Muscovy as a powerful state during the medieval period, including the processes of political consolidation and territorial expansion. This book provides key insights into the factors that influenced Muscovy's expansion into regions like the Volga-Ural and the Crimea, offering critical context for understanding the eventual conquest of the Astrakhan Khanate by Russia. Crummey's work is vital for exploring the broader themes of Russian state-building and territorial growth in the context of the Astrakhan conquest. Among them were the Crimean KhanateDocuments of the Crimean khanate from the collection of Huseyn Feyzkhanov / comp. and the transliteration. R. R. Abdujalilov; scientific. edited by I. Mingaleev. – Simferopol: LLC "Konstanta". 2017. 816 p. Sagit Faizov. Letters of khans Islam Giray III and Muhammad Giray IV to Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich and king Jan Kazimir, 1654–1658: Crimean Tatar diplomacy in polit. post-Pereyaslav context. time. Moscow: Humanitarii, 2003. 166 p. and the Kazan Khanate. The State of the Great Horde succeeded the Khanate of the Golden Horde, but it ceased to exist after the Crimean Khanate sacked and burned the horde's capital, Sarai in 1502.. This e-book, *Medieval Russia: 980–1584* by Janet Martin, offers an extensive overview of the political, social, and economic developments of medieval Russia, including key events that led to the rise of Moscow. It covers the period leading up to the Russian expansion into the Volga region and provides valuable insights into the historical background preceding the conquest of the Astrakhan Khanate. It serves as an important academic source for understanding Russia's medieval transformations and territorial consolidation. Before that, the Khanate of Astrakhan, a successor state to the Great Horde, was established in the south.. This chapter from *The Cambridge History of Inner Asia* provides an in-depth analysis of the Western Steppe, focusing on the Volga-Ural region, Siberia, and Crimea. It explores the interactions between various Turkic and Mongol groups, including the Khanate of Astrakhan, and their relationships with the Russian state. The detailed historical context in this chapter sheds light on the geopolitical conditions that contributed to the eventual Russian conquest of Astrakhan. It is a valuable resource for understanding the broader framework of Inner Asian history and the role of Astrakhan within that narrative From this moment on, Astrakhan actively collaborated with its Tatar allies in the destruction of the growing Muscovite power,. This bibliography provides an extensive list of works related to the history of Russia from 1223 to 1613. It covers a wide range of sources, including primary documents, historical analyses, and academic studies that are crucial for understanding the political and social dynamics of Russia during the time of the Astrakhan Khanate's conquest. This resource is useful for tracking the historiography and scholarship on early Russian history, offering context for the territorial expansions of Muscovy, including the annexation of Astrakhan. which was more present at the time when the Russians managed to unify and deliver powerful blows against their enemies the Lithuanians, Livonians and Swedes.Documents of the Crimean khanate from the collection of Huseyn Feyzkhanov / compiled and transliterated by R. R. Abdujalilov; edited by I. Mingaleev. Simferopol: LLC "Konstanta", 2017. 816 p. . This compilation provides critical primary sources from the Crimean Khanate, offering a unique insight into diplomatic, administrative, and cultural exchanges between the Crimean Tatars and neighboring states. The documents within the collection, spanning several centuries, highlight the Crimean Khanate's interactions with the Russian state, including crucial periods relevant to the conquest of Astrakhan. The analysis of these documents helps to understand the broader geopolitical dynamics that shaped the conquest of the Astrakhan Khanate.

With the defeat of the Kazanians in 1552, Astrakhan became the newest target of Ivan Grozny to acquire full access to the Volga River and the Caspian Sea and secure new access routes to the Caucasus, Central Asia and Siberia. Yamghurchi of Astrakhan, the penultimate Khan of the Khanate of Astrakhan, initially wanted to become a vassal of Ivan the Terrible, but ended up betraying the Tsar by allying himself with the Ottoman Sultan, after the Muscovite capture of Kazan. Yamghurchi joined forces with Devlet Giray of Crimea and Yusuf Nogai, Prince of the Nogais, who had a great hatred for Russia due to the captivity of his daughter and grandson after the conquest of the Khanate of Kazan. The Russian ambassador in Astrakhan was dishonored and imprisoned on the Khan's orders, which gave the Russian tsar the pretext to intervene. According to scribes of the time, Ivan IV justified the invasion as a recovery of lands that belonged to Russia, believing that Astrakhan was the ancient city of Tmutarakan, a territory that had once been ruled by Mstislav, son of Vladimir II. The Nogai Murzas, including Izmail, allies of Russia and enemies of Yusuf, supported the idea of restoring Dervish to the throne of Astrakhan, as he had been the rightful ruler before Yamgurchi and Ismail sought to dethrone Yusuf from command of the Nogai Horde.

First Russian Campaign (1554) In the spring of 1554, three regiments with 10,000 soldiers (30,000 Russian soldiers)Ministry of Defense of Russia (Details of the RVSN url=https://xn--d1abichgllj9dyd8a.xn-)Volkov, V. A. Wars and Armies of the Moscow State. pp. 133–158. under the command of Prince Yury Ivanovich Pronsky set out on ships down the Volga River towards Astrakhan. Troops from Vyatka, led by Prince Alexander Ivanovich Glukhoy Vyazemsky,D. M. Volodikhin. Governors of Ivan the Terrible. Collection of Biographical Sketches. — M.: Veche, 2009. — (Mysteries of the Russian Land). — p. 282. Appendix No. 3. Registry of Oprichnina Governors. p. 285. — . were also sent. On 29 August, while Tsar Ivan IV was celebrating his birthday in Kolomenskoye, a messenger from Prince Pronsky arrived with news of the capture of Astrakhan. Pronsky reported that on 29 June they had reached Perevoloka, between the Volga River and the Don River, and sent ahead Prince Alexander Ivanovich Vyazemsky and Danilo Chulkov with Cossacks and boyar sons to capture Astrakhan spies.I. V. Zaytsev2004 Vyazemsky defeated a group of enemies near a nearby island, killing them all. The captured prisoners revealed that they had been sent by Yamgurchei to investigate the Moscow army, and that Yamgurchei himself was camped five miles south of Astrakhan, with the city virtually deserted. Pronsky, leaving the larger ships behind, advanced rapidly towards Astrakhan. He sent Vyazemsky to attack Yamgurchi's camp, while he himself headed for the city. Arriving on 2 July, the Russian forces landed at two points and took the fortress without resistance, as the defenders fled upon sighting them. Vyazemsky also found Yamgurchei's camp empty, as he had fled to Azov. Numerous nobles and family members of Yamgurchi's court were captured or killed, while he himself managed to escape to the Crimean Khanate.*

On 7 July, the Russians surprised the fleeing inhabitants, killing some, capturing others, and freeing many Russian slaves. The remaining inhabitants of Astrakhan begged for mercy, offering to serve the Russian tsar and the new khan Dervish. The Russian governors agreed on the condition that all Russian slaves be freed, regardless of which horde they belonged to. After installing Dervish as ruler of the khanate, Pronsky negotiated a treaty on 9 July 1554, under which Astrakhan was to pay annual tributes of 40,000 altyns (1,200 rubles of silver), 3,000 fish and 3,000 sturgeon per fathom (up to 2.5 m) to the Tsar of Moscow. Furthermore, Russian fishermen were allowed to fish freely on the Volga from Kazan to the Caspian Sea without taxes or registration, while local fishermen could do the same without interference. Should Dervish die, the inhabitants of Astrakhan would be obliged to accept the new ruler appointed by the Russian tsar. With these agreements in place, the Russian governors returned to Moscow, taking with them Yamguchi's five daughters, their children, and the freed Russian slaves.The Great Russian Encyclopedia 2004-2017//The Astrakhan Peace of 1554* N. M. Karamzin. History of the Russian State. St. Petersburg. 1842. Book 2, Vol. 8, p. 136.

Astrakhan Civil War (1555) However, the spring of 1555 was not peaceful for Dervish Ali, as Astrakhan faced another civil war, this time against the sons of Yusuf and Yamgurchi himself, who, after regaining strength in allied territories and securing the support of the Crimean Khanate and the Ottomans, organized a new campaign against the city with an army that included not only Astrakhan and Nogai warriors, but also Turkish janissaries. He attacked and besieged Astrakhan twice, but only after concluding an agreement with the sons of Yusuf and making them return to the east with great spoils and securing the support of the Russian armies in April 1555, Dervish defeated and killed Yamgurchi, thus installing Dervish as de facto Ruler of the Khanate.

Dervish's Treason (1555) Also in 1555, Dervish asked Devlet I Giray for help, to send him a contingent with the aim of restoring the independence of the Khanate, expelling a Russian army stationed in Astrakhan and reestablishing relations between Crimea and Astrakhan. Unfortunately for the Russians, Dervish restored the independence of the Khanate temporarily and defeated the Russian forces stationed in Astrakhan.*

Second Russian Campaign (1556) As a punitive action for Dervish's betrayal, Ivan IV organized a new expedition against the traitor. The Russian troops were led by Ivan Cheremisinov. The Russian army included the Streltsy orders of Ivan Cheremisinov and Timofey Teterin, the Vyatka army of the governor Pisemsky, and the Cossack detachments of Mikhail Kolupaev and the Volga ataman Lyapun Filimonov. In total, only about 3,000 soldiers were sent in the second campaign, which demonstrates the purely punitive nature of the campaign and the military weakness of the Astrakhan Khanate. The detachments were sent out in the spring of 1556, each from its own location, independently of each other, and then united near Astrakhan.