Boris Ilyushin, a junior researcher from the Novosibirsk State University’s Humanities Research Laboratory, has written a detailed biography sketch of Khan Mohammad-Amin, a significant figure in the history of the Kazan principality. His book, “Muhammad Amin – the King of Kazan: A Biographical Sketch” presents famous episodes in the life and political activity of the Khan. Ilyushin researched the book from September to December 2018.
Ilyushin described the significance of this book,
In the course of work on my previous Kazan-related book devoted to the Moscow-Kazan war of 1505-1506, I drew attention to the historical significance of the Kazan Khanate in the figure of Khan Mohammed-Amin and the absence of a serious biography. December 2018 also marked exactly 500 years since the Khan’s death so it was an appropriate time for a biography.
The book is intended for a wide range of readers but primarily historians involved in the history of the Kazan Khanate and Russia in the XV – XVI centuries. The biography details the life course, political struggle, exile, and accession of Muhammad-Amin, one of the most significant rulers of the Kazan Khanate. He became a Khan three times despite being denied each time by the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III even though he had every right to the throne. In his declining years, he managed to significantly weaken, if not eliminate, dependence on his neighbor. This was achieved during the war of 1505–1506 that was difficult for both sides.
Ilyushin previously issued a monograph on the “War of the Summer 7014” about the Moscow-Kazan conflict of 1505-1507. The purpose of this research was to draw attention to this previously little researched aspect Russian-Kazan relations, specifically the military confrontation. This is significant to the nature of future development of relations between the Moscow state and the Kazan Khanate.
