of 1554 Ivan sent 33,000 soldiers down the Volga, drove out Yamgurchi and replaced him with Dervish Ali Astrakhani. Dervish then broke with Russia and allied with Crimea. Devlet sent some cannon, advisors, 300 Janissaries and 700 Crimeans. In 1556 Russia drove out Dervish and conquered Astrakhan. Meanwhile, on the steppe Ismail was in conflict with his elder brother Yusuf Bey, the father of the unfortunate Söyembikä of Kazan. He sought support from the Turks. The Sultan turned the matter over to the Crimeans who were in charge of steppe affairs. Devlet said no and Ismail turned to Moscow. He proposed a joint attack on Astrakhan to put his protégé Dervish Ali on the throne. Ismail's horsemen were to meet Russian boats on the Volga, but he did not show up because he was away fighting his brother Yusuf. The Russians took Astrakhan without him. Ismail killed Yusuf and became head of the Nogais. Kazi-Mirza gathered those who disliked the rule of a pro-Russian fratricide and led them to the Kuban where they formed the Small Nogai Horde which was closely allied with Crimea. Further wars against Russia Around this time Russia was briefly involved in the North Caucasus. See Kabardia. In the spring of 1555 Devlet led an army to the North Caucasus to deal with some Circassians who had gone over to the Russians. Learning of this, Ivan sent 13000 men under Sheremetev and Saltykov south in the direction of Perekop. On the way they learned that Devlet had turned north intending to attack Ryazan. Ivan reinforced the Oka bank Line, Devlet retreated and bumped into Sheremetev near Sudbishchi 150 km south of Tula. Sheremetev captured his supply wagons, Devlet attacked and suffered great losses, including his sons Kalga Akhmed Geray and Haji Geray. Another son, Mehmed, rushed north, defeated Sheremetev and the Crimeans returned home. In the spring of 1556 Devlet failed a third time in a raid on Muscovy. In January 1558 Devlet sent 100,000 men under his eldest son Kalga Mehmed Geray to attack Tula, Ryazan and Kashira. Learning of a Russian concentration on the Oka, they turned back. The Russians chased them as far as the river Oskol but could not catch them. In May–June 1562 Devlet sent 15000 men to raid around Mtsensk, Odoev, Novosil, Bolkhov Cherny and Belyov. In the spring 1563 Devlet's sons Mehmed and Adil raided around Dedilov, Pronsk and