Materials from the Russian State Archive of Ancient Documents (RGADA) fond "Astrakhan Prikaz Chamber" as a Source for Studying Social Structure of the Astrakhan Yurt Tatars
One of the serious difficulties in studying socio-political history of the Astrakhan Yurt Tatars in 17 <sup>th</sup> - 18 <sup>th</sup> centuries is lack of information. There are no topical archive fonds devoted to this population category, as there are on Kalmyks, etc. in either central or regional state archives. Thus, of most interest are the fonds that contain documents of management and record keeping of the local authorities. Among these is fond no. 1104 “Astrakhanskaya prikaznaya palata” [Astrakhan Prikaz Chamber] of the Russian State Archive of Ancient Documents (RGADA) comprising of documents dating from the second half of the 17 <sup>th</sup> century to early 18 <sup>th</sup> century. The research allows identify documents containing information on the Astrakhan Yurt Tatars: nakazs (orders) to Astrakhan voyevodas (governors), lists of Astrakhan mirzas, tabynnye golovy (horse heads), sotniks (captains) and deti tabynnyh golov (children of horse heads). These lists precede reports on number and nature of cases, both solved and unsolved by the Astrakhan Prikaz Chamber. The documents allow determine the personal composition of the Turkic service class people in the Lower Volga region and nature of relationship between them and the Astrakhan authorities.