Atalıq were tutors of a khan's children in the Golden Horde and later other Tatar khanates. In some cases they could rule regions or command units if the khan was a minor.
References
References
"Atalıq/Аталык". Tatar Encyclopaedia (in Tatar). Kazan: The Republic of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Institution of the Tatar Encyclopaedia. 2002.