On the Question of the “Party division” of the Political Elite of the Kazan Khanate

Abstract

Research objective: To analyze and verify the concept of “party division” of the political elite of the Kazan Khanate. Research materials: Historiographical sources, Russian chronicles, historical writings, diplomatic documents, etc. Research results and novelty: According to many researchers, political conflicts in the Kazan Khanate were caused by the struggle between the pro-Moscow and Eastern parties. One group of Kazan inhabitants focused on trade and economic ties with the Russian lands, and the other – with the Muslim world. The conflict of economic interests allegedly led to deep political contradictions, which served as a basis of the formation of the parties. However, as a result of this study, it was found that the semantics of the contents in the chronicles is not consistent with the concept of “party division”. The lengthy chronicle passages accompanying the descriptions of the events in the Moscow-Kazan relations were designed to show the negative qualities of the Kazan people (adulation and treachery), comparing them with the wicked peoples from the Bible. However, the researchers, applying the so-called rational approach to apologetic excursions, explained the “adulation” and “impiety” of the Kazan inhabitants as manifestations of party struggles. Not only that the concept of party division does not fit into the semantic aspect of chronicle reports, it is also faced with a number of logical contradictions arising from a comprehensive analysis of sources.