Sujumbike

Sujumbike with her son Ütämesch in Russian hostage. Unknown 16th century painter

Sujumbike ( Tatar : Söyembikä ; * 1516 , † after 1554 in Moscow ) was the last regent of the Kazan Khanate . She is considered the national heroine of Tatarstan . The Sujumbike Tower in Kazan was named after her.

Life

Sujumbike was a Nogaier princess. She was brought to Kazan when she was about 12 years old and given to the Tatar Khan Canğäli as his wife in 1533 . Her husband died in 1535 and she had to marry Safagäräy , the brother of her late husband, in 1536 , as was customary at the time. Her second husband also died in 1549 and she stayed as regent with her underage son Ütämesch , who was only two years old.

After the city of Kazan was conquered by the Russian troops, Sujumbike was given to the Kazan Khan Şahğäli as his wife in 1553 , who had helped Ivan IV with the conquest and was brought to Moscow as a hostage. Her son was baptized Alexander and studied in a junior school. The Nogai Khan, the father of Sujumbike, asked the Russian tsar to allow his daughter to return to Kazan. Ivan IV did not answer.

Sujumbike died in Moscow after 1554. Her burial place is not known. Her son Utyamysh died of tuberculosis at the age of 19 or 20 .

literature

• Christian Noack: Muslim nationalism in the Russian Empire: nation-building and national movement among Tatars and Bashkirs: 1861-1917 . Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3515076905