The Bulgar Khanate, historically starting as Old Great Bulgaria in the 7th century, was established by the nomadic Bulgar tribes in the Pontic-Caspian steppe under Kubrat Khan. Following its partition, various branches migrated, with one group establishing Danube Bulgaria in the Balkans (which later integrated with Slavs to form the Bulgarian Empire) and another founding Volga Bulgaria along the Volga River.
It served as a critical power broker between the Byzantine Empire and northern nomadic confederations. A famous legend surrounds its first ruler, Kubrat Khan.
On his deathbed, he gathered his five sons and gave them a bundle of twigs (or arrows). He asked each son to try to break the bundle, but none of them could do it.
Kubrat then untied the bundle and broke the twigs one by one easily. He advised his sons that if they remained united like the bundle, no enemy could defeat them, but if they split up, they would be broken easily.
Although the sons eventually dispersed to form different states, the story remains a core legend of unity for the Bulgarian people.