Kopan Zamrach

Zamrach, the youngest son of a family of seven, was born in 792 AD along the shores of the Kuban River as it makes its way through the Azov steppes. His father, Mugel was a respected warrior, but later died from
a arrow lodged in his skull fighting the Arabs to the South in the Daryal Pass. His mother, Maj, was mostly
responsible for Zamrach’s upbringing and did so until Zamrach was old enough to fight which was when he
15. Zamrach fought with the Kotrags or Kutriguri to the East against the Khazars and was to know hard times under his initially commanders. He had heard of Khan Krum’s exploits in the West in conquering the Avars becoming Khagan Krum and the reunification of several Hunno-Bulgar hordes under his leadership. He had heard of Kana Subigi Krum attacking Byzantine interests and actually laying siege to Constantinople itself while he bathed his feet on the shores of the Black Sea. These he yearned for.

In 810 AD, his tribe of Kutriguri was crushed during a night raid by a large group of Khazars. The survivors were left to flee westward to join with their kin in the Balkans. Zamrach and a Kutrigur shaman, Anda, made their way across the Don River, and finally across the great expanse of the Pontic Steppes. They finally met with Khagan Krum’s hordes and made new friends with these Kutriguri in 811 AD. During this year, Zamrach witnessed Khagan Krum’s greatest victory, the destruction of the Byzantine Army in the mountainous areas near Sardika. The Emperor himself, Nicephorus was slain and his very head was turned into a drinking chalice for the Khagan. Zamrach further fought with the Kutriguri in 813 AD under Krum’s direction and once again laid waste to the Byzantine forces near Adrianople. Here proving himself in battle, and showing initiative to command, he became Baghain Zamrach.

The death of Krum in 814 AD led to his son’s advisor, Chok, to take over the rulership of the Kutriguri for the next two years until Omurtag came of age. Soon thereafter, Zamrach was accompanied by his friend Vaida who became Khan of the Kutriguri after the previous Khan converted to Christianity in Constantinople and vied for support from the Byzantines to eliminate Kana Subigi Omurtag in 818 AD. Khan Vaida and his right-hand man, Kopan Zamrach, now follow Kana Subigi Omurtag’s wishes especially where it concerns war in the West against the Franks. Here begins our cause, for Kana Subigi Omurtag, may Tangra always keep him close to our hearts.