Shahghali, also Shah Ali or Shah Ghaly, (Tatar: Şahğäli, pronounced , or Şäyex Ğäli, ) (1505–1567) was khan of the Qasim Khanate and the Khanate of Kazan. He ruled the Qasim Khanate for much of his life and three times tried to rule the Khanate of Kazan, which was independent until its conquest by Muscovy in 1552. He also ruled the town of Kasimov as a vassal of the Russians. He was the son of the Qasim Khan Sheikh Auliyar (reigned 1512-16) and grandson of Bakhtiar Sultan, a brother of Ahmed Khan bin Küchük (the Golden Horde ruler who lost control of Russia). One of his wives was the unfortunate Söyembikä of Kazan. He died childless in 1567 and was succeeded by Sain Bulat. He is described as physically repulsive and too fat to be a soldier, but a man of sound judgement. Biography Shahghali came to the throne in 1516 at age 11 upon his father’s death. There is little information about this period. When he moved to Kazan his brother Jan Ali became khan of Kasimov. 1519-21: First Kazan. The house of Ulugh Mohammad having died out, there was talk of bringing in someone from the Crimean Khanate, but Russia managed to impose their vassal Shahghali. He was disliked as a Russian vassal and his violence toward his opponents only made things worse. An embassy went to Crimea and brought back Sahib I Giray (reigned 1521-25), the brother of Crimean khan Mehmed I Giray. He entered Kazan with no difficulty and Shahghali was arrested. Shahghali was soon released, but given few provisions and had difficulty making his way to Russian territory. 1521- 47: Russian exile: When Shahghali reached Russia he was kept in honorable exile and his brother Jan Ali retained Kasimov. Sigismund von Herberstein met him in 1526. In 1533 he was accused of intrigue with Kazan and exiled to Belozersk and released in 1535. 1537-46: Second Kasimov: There is little documentation for this period. 1546: Second Kazan: in 1546 Russia defeated Kazan, khan Safa Girai fled, and the peace party accepted Shahghali as khan. He arrived with 3000 Kasimov troops and several Russian princes. Within a few weeks his troops were massacred and it was clear that he was a prisoner in his own palace, although there was no attempt to dethrone him. After some weeks of this he held a banquet, got everyone drunk and