Buri-sad

Buri-shad ("Wolf Prince") was a title of an appointed head of province-type principality in the most-western N. Caucasus periphery of the Western Turkic Kaganate. Within the lateral succession order of the kaganate, members of the ruling clan were successively given possessions in accordance with their rank in respect to the ruling Kagan. Accordingly, a succession of princes, or shads, occupied that position. The principality of "Buri-shad" originated in 558 CE, when Kara-Churin, a brother of the ruling kagan, campaigned in Ural and Volga regions, but the lands he captured were given to his junior brother Turk-sanf and his cousin Buri-khan. From 576 through 583 CE Tardush-khan, a western yabgu of the Western Turkic Kaganate fought with Byzantine, but instead of himself, he appointed a head of the campagn his cousin Buri-shad, whose possessions were in the N. Caucasus. [Gumilev, L.N. "Ancient Türks", Moscow, "Science", 1967, Ch.9 http://gumilevica.kulichki.net/OT/ot09.htm]

According to Movses Kagankatvatsi, Buri-shad ("Wolf Prince") was a 7th century Göktürk prince and an "ishad" or general in the army of the Western Turkic Khaganate. He was the son of Mo-ho shad, who may have been the "yabgu" or prince of the Khazars. [Artamanov 128; Pletnyeva 15-16.] Buri-sad's uncle was Tong Yabghu Khagan, the khagan of the Western Göktürks. [Christian 283.]

Buri-sad was probably commander of the Khazar forces during the Third Perso-Turkic War in the Caucasus in 627-629. Under Buri-sad's command the Khazars sacked many cities in Caucasian Albania and attempted to establish a firm foothold in Transcaucasia. [Christian 283.]

Following Tung Yabghu's instructions, Buri-sad suggested to the Persian satrap of Aghvania and to Catholicos Viro that they should acknowledge the Khagan as their overlord. The governor refused to pay homage to the Turks and fled to Persia. The catholicos was also hesitant.

After the Turks started to plunder the cities, Viro escaped to the mountainous region of Artsakh, where the Turks managed to track him down. When asked to capitulate, the Catholicos summoned princes and potentates from across the country and asked them whether the Albanians should resist the invaders. It was dicided that resistance was futile.

Viro personally brought the message of obedience and allegiance to Buri-sad, whose army encamped in the vicinity of Partav. The "shad" reproached Viro for his delays: "Why did you procrastinate with your visit? If only you were more expeditious, your country would have been spared the calamities brought about by my troops".

After paying homage to Buri-sad, the Catholicos asked him to free the Albanian prisoners. Buri-sad dispatched his bailiffs to rummage the tents. They found many young men hiding among the plunderables and cattle and set them free.

In April 630 Buri-sad took advantage of dynastic disorders in the Sassanid Empire and dispatched Chorpan Tarkhan to conquer Armenia. [Gumilev [http://gumilevica.kulichki.net/OT/ot15.htm online] ] Although the campaign was successful, Buri-shad had to flee to Central Asia after learning about the murder of Tong Yabghu later that year.

Notes

References

*Artamonov, Mikhail. "Istoriya Khazar". Leningrad, 1962.
*Christian, David. "A History of Russia, Mongolia and Central Asia." Blackwell, 1999.
*Golden, Peter Benjamin. "Introduction to the History of the Turkic Peoples." Wiesbaden: Harrasowitz, 1992.
*Gumilev, Lev. "The Gokturks", 1st ed. Moscow: Nauka, 1967.
*Pletneva, Svetlana. "Khazary", 2nd ed. Moscow: Nauka, 1986.