The Bulgars: Super Warriors of the Steppe!

The Bulgars were like super-skilled horse riders who lived a very long time ago, between the years 400 and 700. They were known for being tough warriors and loved to travel on their horses across big, grassy lands called steppes. Some people think they came from as far away as Central Asia, which is like a whole other continent!

They were a semi-nomadic people, meaning they moved around a lot but also settled down sometimes.

These amazing Bulgars were always on the move! As they traveled west, they met and joined up with other groups of people, like the Huns, who were also famous warriors. They spoke a special language called Bulgar, which was part of the Turkic language family.

They believed in a sky god named Tangra and kept their warrior traditions, like special ways of organizing their armies and cool customs. It was like a big adventure for them!

Around the year 630, the Bulgars created a big kingdom called Old Great Bulgaria. But sadly, it didn't last long because another group, the Khazars, defeated them. But the Bulgars were super resilient! Some of them, led by a brave Khan named Asparukh, went on to create a new kingdom in a place called Danubian Bulgaria. This became the First Bulgarian Empire, and they became the leaders there!

Over time, the Bulgars in Danubian Bulgaria mixed with the people who already lived there, especially the Slavs. They learned the Slavic language and became part of what we now call Bulgaria. Another group of Bulgars moved to the Volga River and started Volga Bulgaria, which lasted for a very long time!

People in countries like Russia and Tatarstan today think they might be related to these Volga Bulgars.