Almış

Almış (Almas) iltäbär [IPA|ʌl`mɯʃ] [English spelling ul-MESH] (the end of 9th century – the beginning of 10th) was the first Muslim ruler (emir) of Volga Bulgaria.

Almas was a son of Şilki [IPA|ʃil`ki] . He was a ruler of one of Bulgarian duchies, probably, Bolghar Duchy. Initially the vassal of the Khazars, he struggled against the Khazarian yoke and for unification of Bulgarian tribes and duchies. He sent ambassadors to Baghdad caliph. In 922 ambassadors of caliph al-Muqtadir appeared in Bolghar. Caliphate became an ally of Volga Bulgaria. Almas Islamized as "Cäğfär bine Ğabdulla" (Ja'afar ibn Abdullah, Arabic:جعفر ابن عبدالله).

During the reign of Almas, Volga Bulgaria finally developed to a united, strong and independent state.

Ibn Fadlan referred Almas as "the king of Saqaliba".

References

*TES|Almış/Алмыш