Salawat Yulayev was born in the village of Tekeyevo, in Shaytan-Kudeevsky volost of Ufa province of Orenburg Governorate (now Salavatsky District) of Bashkortostan.
Salawat Yulayev was at the head of all revolted Bashkortostan from the very beginning of the country war of 1773-1775.