Aftermath Old Great Bulgaria

bulgars settlements 6th-7th century

some bulgars remained in former onoguria, under domination of khazars.

balkars

some believe present-day balkars of caucasus descendants of batbayan horde though . , speak turkic language of kipchak type. in turkic languages sound b became m .

volga bulgars

after kotrag, leader of kutrigurs, took control on western steppe, batbayan led ... upper volga-ural region. there established volga bulgaria, @ confluence of volga , kama. volga or silver bulgars (bessermens), converted voluntarily islam in 9th century. managed preserve national identity 13th century, repelling first mongol attacks in 1223. however, subdued, capital bulgar city became 1 of major cities of golden horde of mongols , bulgars mixed tatars. citizens of modern russian republics of tatarstan , chuvashia considered descendants of bulgars.

bulgars in vojvodina , macedonia

kuber ruled in sirmium on mixed group of peoples – bulgars, byzantine subjects, slavs, germanic tribes – vassal of avar khagan. after revolt led people macedonia. there had settled in region of keremisia , made unsuccessful attempt capture city of thessaloniki. after this, disappears history , people later consolidated bulgarian empire khan krum.

bulgars in italy

other bulgars, circa 662, led duke alzeco (altsek) sought refuge avars lombards , requested land lombard king grimoald of benevento in exchange military service uncertain reason , staying near ravenna , later moving further south. grimoald sent altzek , followers son romuald in benevento , granted romuald land northeast of naples in spacious till time deserted towns of sepino, bovianum (boiano), , isernia, in present-day region of molise in apennines. instead of title duke altzek granted lombard title of gastald . paul deacon in historia langobardorum writing after year 787 says in time bulgars still inhabited area, , though speak latin , have not forsaken use of own tongue .

excavations in necropolis of vicenne-campochiaro near boiano dates 7th century, found among 130 burials there 13 human burials alongside horses along artifacts of germanic , avar origin. horse burials characteristic of central asian horse-nomads, , therefore these burials of bulgar settlers of molise , campania.

first bulgarian empire

after state disintegrated under khazar attack in 668, asparukh parted ways brothers , led of bulgars seek secure home. followed 30,000 50,000 bulgars.

after battle of ongal asparukh founded first bulgarian empire, officially recognized independent state byzantine empire in 681.