Aiuka

Aiuka

 

Born 1642; died 1724. Khan of the Volga Kalmyks. He came to power in 1672, united all the Volga Kalmyks, and significantly broadened his dominions. Aiuka conducted a policy of duplicity in regard to Russia: while repeatedly taking the oath of fealty, he also plundered the Russian frontier lands at every opportunity. However, the tsarist regime, striving to consolidate its authority in the Lower Volga Region, supported Aiuka and used his military forces to suppress the Astrakhan rebellion (1705–06) and the Bulavin rebellion (1707–09) and also in the Northern War of 1700–21.