Kan Almish

Almish was the first Muslim ruler, or emir, of Volga Bulgaria and reigned from the late ninth century until his death in 925. He was a younger son of Shilki and inherited the throne of the Bulgar Ulus after the death of his brother Bat-Ugyr-Mumin. Although a vassal of the Khazar khagan, Almish opposed Khazar political supremacy over Volga Bulgaria and sent envoys to Baghdad to the Abbasid caliph al-Muqtadir. The caliph became an ally of Volga Bulgaria, and in 922 the population officially adopted Islam. During this period Volga Bulgaria experienced a cultural flowering, mosques and madrasas opened, and it attracted numerous scholars from the Arab world.

Almish governed centrally and maintained good relations with the Arab world. He played a key role in establishing cultural and religious institutions that contributed to Volga Bulgaria's flourishing during this period.