Astrakhan'

• Location: Astrakhan/Russia
• Variant names: Itil, Khadzhi-Tarkhan

A province and a city, moved in 1558 some 7 miles (11 km) from its original site on the right bank of the Volga River. The previous name is said to come from the Turkic hacı or hadji, a Muslim who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca, and tarkhan 'untaxed', a reference to the city's exemption from taxes. The Arabic name was al-Hajj Tarkhan. Astrakhan is simply a Russian version of the Turkish name. The city is alleged to have been founded by a local hadji who became a Muslim saint and its Islamic fervour gained it a tax-free status. The city was captured in 1556 by Ivan IV the Terrible, tsar (1547–84), having been the capital of the Tatar khanate of Astrakhan formed from the Golden Horde in 1466. It was an important trading post between Europe and Central Asia and gave its name to the fur first brought to Russia by Astrakhan traders.

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