Batbayan of Bulgaria

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Batbayan (d. 690) was the eldest son of khan Kubrat, also known as Bezmer, Bezmes Bayan, Bayan, Boyan, Bat-Boyan, Batbai, Batpai, Batboyan or Batvian.

After his father's death, he ruled the land north of the Black and the Azov Seas. Three years later, he engaged into wars with his relatives and was temporarily driven into Crimea. Meanwhile, the Khazars attacked and eventually took the steppes between Don and the Urals, according to the treaty of 668 between Batbayan and the Khazar Kaban Khagan.

Batbayan was left with the Kara Bulgar and Bulyar princedom, Batbayan had to renounce the title Khagan and left with the Baltavar title, effectively becoming subdued to Khazars and further splitting the lands with his uncle Shambat. The Bulgarian Legend of the Silver Stag describes his attempt to flee to Danube Bulgaria with his sister Houba which resulted in his eventual death. Batbayan's Bulgars are a part of the ethnogenesis of the nowaday's Crimean tatars.

Preceded by Kubrat	List of Bulgarian monarchs	Succeeded by Asparukh in Bulgaria Balkor over the Kuber tribes Kotrag over Volga Bulgaria Emnetzur over Alcek Khazars over the Avars