Balkarian

The Balkarians are a Sunni Muslim Turkic people of the northern Caucasus. Their homeland is Kabardino-Balkaria, a part of the Russian Federation. Ethnically they are Bulgars.The Bulgars (also Bolgars or proto-Bulgarians) were a seminomadic people, originally from Central Asia, who inhabited the steppe north of Caucasus and the banks of river Itil from the 2nd century. When Khazars attacked Old Great Bulgaria during fifth century most of Bulgars left their homeland; but Batbaqn's Bulgars stayed to defend the homeland. Their heirs are current Balkarians. They are related to the Volga Bulgars (a people who live in the central Volga region) and Bulgarians who are mainly Slavs, but still remember the great Bulgars' Khans and because of the Bulgars' great history of empire.