Kasim Khanate (1445-1552)     

    Ulug Muhammed Khan had advanced towards Vladimir in his last expedition to Russia in the year of 1445. He won a great victory in the pitched battle that took place on the date of 7th June and he took prisoner the Moscow Tsar, Vasiliy. When Vasiliy accepted all the conditions for the state of war, he was set free. According to the conditions of peace, Moscow would perform the same obligations that it had had against the Golden Horde State for the Kazan Khanate apart from the payment of compensation and reparations. Several officials from Kazan were sent to both Moscow and Russian provincial centres in order to supervise the execution of the conditions of peace. Another important article of this agreement was the establishment of "Kasim Khanate" including the city of Kasim located over Oka River that was under the ibfluence of Moscow and the regions within its environs. Upon the foundation of this khanate, Ulug Muhammed had the opportunity to establish control in the internal conditions of Moscow princedom and to intervene immediately in case of necessities under the command of his son, Kasim Khan. The expenditures of the military forces in this region would be compensated from the incomes of various Russian cities; and a specific fee would be paid from the Moscow treasury annually.

    The Russian people who then learned the peace conditions were discontented; and the construction of the mosques in the cities instigated the Russian people. After 3-4 months pursuant to the conclusion of the agreement with the Kazan State, Vasiliy was dethroned and his eyes were burnt out. Upon this event, Kasim Khan who was charged with the protection of the status quo in Moscow enthroned Vasiliy again as the sovereign of Moscow throne in the year of 1447 and he organised military expeditions against Vasiliy's rival, Semaka in the years of 1449, 1450 and 1452.

    Pursuant to the death of Kazan Khan Ulug Muhammed, he was replaced by his elder son Mahmûd (1445-1462), then Mahmûd's son Halil (1462-1467), then, Halil's brother, Ibrahim (1467-1479). Menawhile, a conflict of dynasty burst out in Kazan and the candidature of Kasim Khan, Kasim who was the second son of Ulug Muhammed was alleged against Ibrahim. Moscow was closely interested in this event since it would give them the proper opportunity to intervene in the internal affairs of Kazan. Kasim that was supported by the Russian auxiliary forces set in motion against Ibrahim; but he could not achieve any success and he had to retreat.

    This attitude of Kasim that deviated from the purpose of the establishment of Kasim Khanate changed the situations in a radical manner. Therefore, the Kasim Khanate was not the vanguard patrol of the Kazan State that was charged with a significant task any longer. However, it had turned into a political means that provided the intervention of Moscow in the internal affairs of Kazan Khanate. The prestige of the Kasim Khans had increased in Moscow and they continued to collect taxes at the same time. Moscow State benefited from the military knowledge of Kasim Khanate and they tried to use this khanate as a political curtain against the Islam states.

    Russians had organised a military expedition towards the Golden Horde State between the years of 1468-1486. In this expedition, Kasim Khan, Dalyan Khan had taken sides with them. Whne Dalyan Khan died in the year of 1486, Crimean Khan Ghazi Giray's son, Nurdevlet became Kasim Khan. Therefore, the Kasim Khanate was annexed to the Crimean Khanate for a period. However, Nurdevlet could not avoid the domination and influence of Russians. Pursuant to his death, his son, Satilgan replaced him and he was actually the puppet of Russians (1491).

    The entire of the Kasim Khanate had been under the Russian influence since the year of 1552; but they existed in form until the year of 1861.

    In the periods of the last khans, the Kasim Khans were controlled by the Russian governors that had been appointed by Moscow. Seyid-Burhan adopted the religion of Christianity and took the name of Vasiliy. Then, he resigned from the post of Kasim Khanate. This situation showed that this khanate had lost its importance for the foreign policy of Moscow. On the other hand, the policy for the forced adoption of Christianity and the Russian identity by the Muslim people was accelerated. However, this policy that was applied on the Finnish tribes could not achieve any success among the Muslims. Ryazan Archbishop Mihayil that endeavoured great efforts to this effect wanted to expand its activities among the Muslim people. Therefore, the people rebelled and the bishop was killed in the year of 1656. Pursuant to the death of Seyid-Burhan, Arslan Khan's wife, Fatima Sultan Bike ascended the throne (1679-1681). The Kasim Khanate that had been established with an important mission was used against the Turkish states in the following periods and this khanate came to an end upon the death of Fatima Sultan-Bike in the year of 1681.

    There is nt any clear information about the borders of Kasim Khanate. In the beginning, it had covered extensive regions. But when it had been under the domination of Moscow, it was divided into administrative sections. Afterwards, it has been observed that this khanate included the districts of Kasım, Yılatom, Şatsk nd Temnik.

    The city of Kasim that is called with the names of Han-Kirman, Kirman, Kirmen, Kermen in Turkish language had been founded between the two small streams that ran into the River of Oka on the skirts of the left high coasts of Oka River. The stone mosque that was built by Kasim Khan was demolished; and another mosque with 2 storeys was built in its place in the year of 1768. Its older minaret stayed alive. The famous traveller, Pallas had seen the ruins of the former palace in his visit in the year of 1768. Within their works, Pallas (1768) and Velyaminov-Zernov (1863) had provided information about the Great Khans Mausoleum and Avgan Mausoleum that were from the older buildings that have survived until nowadays. The population was 17.075 in the year of 1909; and 2000 of this population were Muslim people. The language spoken in and within the environs of Kasim was included within the north-west group of Turkish language; and it much resembles to Kazan dialect excluding some phonetic characteristics.