Khan Zamrach
Zamrach,
the youngest son of a family of seven, was born in 792
AD along the shores of the Kuban River as it makes its
way through the Azov steppes. His father, Mugel was a
respected warrior, but later died from
a arrow lodged in his skull fighting the Arabs to the
South in the Daryal Pass. His mother, Maj, was mostly
responsible for Zamrach’s upbringing and did so until
Zamrach was old enough to fight which was when he
15. Zamrach fought with the Kotrags or Kutriguri to the
East against the Khazars and was to know hard times
under his initially commanders. He had heard of Khan
Krum’s exploits in the West in conquering the Avars
becoming Khagan Krum and the reunification of several
Hunno-Bulgar hordes under his leadership. He had heard
of Kana Subigi Krum attacking Byzantine interests and
actually laying siege to Constantinople itself while he
bathed his feet on the shores of the Black Sea. These he
yearned for.
In 810 AD, his tribe of Kutriguri was crushed during a
night raid by a large group of Khazars. The survivors
were left to flee westward to join with their kin in the
Balkans. Zamrach and a Kutrigur shaman, Anda, made their
way across the Don River, and finally across the great
expanse of the Pontic Steppes. They finally met with
Khagan Krum’s hordes and made new friends with these
Kutriguri in 811 AD. During this year, Zamrach witnessed
Khagan Krum’s greatest victory, the destruction of the
Byzantine Army in the mountainous areas near Sardika.
The Emperor himself, Nicephorus was slain and his very
head was turned into a drinking chalice for the Khagan.
Zamrach further fought with the Kutriguri in 813 AD
under Krum’s direction and once again laid waste to the
Byzantine forces near Adrianople. Here proving himself
in battle, and showing initiative to command, he became
Baghain Zamrach.
The death of Krum in 814AD led to his son's advisor, Chok, to take over the rulership of the Khanate until Omurtag came of age. Soon thereafter in 818AD, Zamrach, was appointed by Kana Subigi Omurtag to become Khan of the Kutriguri after the previous Khan converted to Christiantity in Constantinople (in an attempt to eliminate Kana Subigi Omurtag with help from the Byzantines. Now Khan Zamrach follows Kana Subigi Omurtag's wishes especially where it concerns war in the West against the Franks and the North against the Magyars. Here begins our cause, for Kana Subigi Omurtag, may Tangra always keep him close to our hearts.
|