Missionary activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Bashkortostan in the second half of the XVI - first half of the XIX century

The article analyses the missionary activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in the territory of Bashkortostan during the period from the second half of the XVI -first half of the XIX century. The spread of the Orthodox religion in the region started when the Bashkir lands had voluntarily joined the Moscow kingdom in 1557. The role of the state in the conversion of Bashkirs to Orthodox Christianity is discussed. It is concluded that the process of baptism of the population in the region was not uniform and combined both elements of administrative pressure and proper missionary activity.