What a coinky-dink of style. I was just reading a little book, Armies of the Volga Bulgars & Khanate of Kazan: 9th--16th Centuries , by Shpakovsky &Nicolle, and there on p. 9 is almost the same picture, reproduced from a 17th century Russian book. It represents Tsar Ivan (the Terrible) portrayed as St. George, but the "reptilian" is a man in mail armor sprawled on the ground. This commemorates the defeat of Yadigar Muhammad Ibn Kaslim, the last Khan of Kazan. btw the Bulgars became Muslims much as Khazars became Jews, because they wanted support from the Arabs and this way the Arab missionaries not only left them alone but gave them gold.

ps: Kazan has nothing to do with Khazaria! which was nothing important by then.

What a coinky-dink of style. I was just reading a little book, Armies of the Volga Bulgars & Khanate of Kazan: 9th--16th Centuries , by Shpakovsky &Nicolle, and there on p. 9 is almost the same picture, reproduced from a 17th century Russian book. It represents Tsar Ivan (the Terrible) portrayed as St. George, but the "reptilian" is a man in mail armor sprawled on the ground. This commemorates the defeat of Yadigar Muhammad Ibn Kaslim, the last Khan of Kazan. btw the Bulgars became Muslims much as Khazars became Jews, because they wanted support from the Arabs and this way the Arab missionaries not only left them alone but gave them gold.