Khanate of Abulkhair

Khanate of Shaibanid Abulkhair was founded on the territory of Kazakhstan in 20-s of XV c. Disintegration of Ak-Horde and feuds of Jushides was a result of separation of Abulkhair’s Khanate. Strives of Jushides finished by death of Barak, khan of Ak-Horde. In 1428 Abulkhair – son of Davlat-sheikh – Oglan was declared a khan. Abulkhair created independent state and ruled 40 years (1428-1468).

    Territory of Abulkhair Khanate stretch from Jaik on the West to Balkhash on the East, from the lower part of Syrdarya and Aral Sea on the South to the Tobol and Irtysh on the North. The ethnical structure of Khanate was very complicated: Kypchaks, Naimans, Mangyts, Karluks, Kangles, Uisuns, Uigurs and others.

    Subsequently, on the territory of Abulkhair khanate was formed Middle Zhuz of Kazakh people. In the end of XIV – and in the first half of XV c. they were known as an “Uzbeks” and khanate of Abulkhair as a state of nomadic Uzbeks or Uzbek Khanate.

    40-years ruling of Abulkhair were a period of civil strives (feuds) and uninterrupted wars. In 1430 he conquered Khorezm and plundered Urgench. In 1446 he took away from Timurids such towns as Sygnak, Suzak, Ak-Kurgan, Uzgend, Arkuk and presented this towns to leaders of tribes, which supported him.

    Sygnak became the capital of khanate (Tara and Ordu-Bazar were the capital of Ak-Horde before). In 50-s of XV he plundered Samarkand and Bukhara; he interfered in internal feuds of Timurides. But in the 1457 he was defeated by Oirats near the Sygnak. Oirats invaded to the South-eastern and South Kazakhstan.

    The Shingizids dissensions weakened Abulkhairs Khanate and sultans left him. In 50-60-s of XV c. Sultans Zhanibek and Kerey quarreled with him and struggled against the Shaibanids for restoration of power of Ak-horde khans’ dynasty. Zhanibek was a son of the last ruler of Ak-Horde Barak-khan. Zhanibek and Kerey, having united tribal groups of nomad and semi-nomad population of Dashti-Kypshak, which were depending on them, moved to the territory of Western Zhetysu in Mogulistan in the form of protest in 1459-1460. Esen-Buga, the ruler of Mogulistan united with the Kazakh leaders, hoping to protect of Mogulistan’s borders from Abulkhair, Timurids, Kalmyks.

   In 1468 Abulkhair began campaign to Mogulistan, but he died on the way to Mogulistan. His successor Shaikh Khaidar was killed in feuds between numerous Jushides. Khanate of Abulkhair was disintegrated.

Nogai Horde

    Nogai Horde was founded on the territory of Kazakhstan after disintegration of the Mongol empire: between Ural and Volga (Jaik and Edil) and occupied part of Western Kazakhstan.

    Ak-Horde, Mogulistan and Nogai Horde had many commonalities in state system: ulus organization of the nomad population, structure of the ruling (khan) power and army, taxation system. In general, these forms and structure were taken from Mongolian empire and were remained in the Kazakh Khanate.

    Nogai Horde separated from Golden Horde at the end of XIII c. and the process of separation was ended in the ruling of Edyge (1396-1411) and his son Nur-Ad-Din (1426-1440). So, Edyge was the first khan of Nogai Horde. He held all power in Golden Horde during 15 years. He had 20 sons and through them he ruled by Golden Horde.

    What tribes inhabited Nogai Horde? Mangyts – played the main role in political life, but konrats, argyns, alchin, alash, tama and so on, inhabited Nogai Horde.

 Lecture 8: Disintegration of the Golden Horde and Foundation of new states on the territory of Kazakhstan – Mogolistan

The objective of the lecture: To show the reasons of disintegration of the Golden Horde. Ulus of Shagatai. Foundation of Mogolistan.

Outline of the lecture:

1. Foundation of Mogolistan.

2. Political history of Mogolistan.

     Mogolistan. In the middle of XIV c. State of Shagataids disintegrated: on the western part was founded Mavrenakhr, on the eastern part Mogolistan. Mogolistan on the east bordered with lands of Kalmyks, on the north bordered Lake Balkhash, on the west with Turkestan and Tashkent, on the south with Fergana, Kashgar, Aksu and Turfan. So, Mogolistan occupied the territory of south-eastern Kazakhstan and northern Kyrgyzstan.

    Borders of Mogolistan changed during 150 years of existing of Mogolistan. In the ruling of Togluk-Timur, it was a territory of south-eastern Kazakhstan and Eastern Turkestan was a vassal of Mogolistan. Later Eastern Turkestan was occupied by Timurides. In 80-s of XV c. Mogul khans conquered Tashkent and Sairam, but lost Zhetisu. In the beg. of XVI c. Mogul khan Said sultan occupied only the territory of Kashgaria.

    What does the term “Mogolistan” mean? Term “Mongol” was written and pronounced in Turkic and Iranian sources as “mogol”.

    Mogolistan was inhabited by dulats, kangles, kereits, uisuns, argyns and others. Dulats played the main role in political life of Mogolistan. The main part of these tribes, who occupied the territory of Zhetisu, participated in the forming of Kazakh people/nation. Some tribes, who occupied the territory of Pritianshanye and Eastern Turkestan, participated in the forming of Kyrgyzes and Uigurs.

    Almalyk was the first capital of Mogolistan. First mogul khans kept ulus system. They conducted new taxes and taxation reforms.

    Political history of Mogolistan. Togluk-Timur (he belonged to Shagataid dynasty) was the first khan of Mogolistan (1347-1362). Togluk-Timur and his son Iljas-khodja (1362-1380) tried to join Shagataid state and submit Mavrenakhr. The first campaign for unification began in 1360. Emirs of Mavrenakhr didn’t resist him, because feuds were spread all over state. One of the emirs – future conqueror – Timur was obeyed to Togluk-Timur and gained Kesh for obedience. But Togluk-Timur couldn’t conquer Mavrenakhr, because the biggest uprising began in Mogolistan. Togluk-Timur came back to Mogolistan for suppression rebellion. After suppression of rebellion Togluk-Timur began new campaign to Mavrenakhr in 1361 and fixed his son – Iljas-khodja a ruler of Mavrenakhr.

    After death of Togluk-Timur Iljas-khodja returned to Mogolistan and was declared a khan of Mogolistan In 1365 he undertook new campaign to Mavrenakhr. The battle was on the bank of Syrdarya. Army of Timur was defeated and during the retreat more than 10 thousand warriors were trampled down and this battle was called “dirty battle”. This victory opened the road to Mavrenakhr. But Moguls couldn’t take Samarkand because dwellers of town resisted to them.

    In 70-80 of XIV c. other khans Hyzr-khodja, Enge-tore, Kamar-ad-din fought with Timur. As a result Mogolistan disintegrated into numerous small parts.

    But in the ruling of Mukhammad-khan (1408-1416), Mogolistan consolidated and became independent from Timurides; he released territory Shu and Talas. He spread Islam in Mogolistan by force.

     In the ruling of Vais-khan (1418-1428) the eastern borders of Mogolistan exposed to offensive of Oirats. Vais-khan fought with them many times and he transferred his capital from Turfan to Ilibalyk in Zhetisu. Son of Vais-khan Esen-Buga (1433-1462) tried to unite Mogolistan, but it was useless and he ruled only on the territory of Eastern Turkestan.

Lecture 9-10: Kazakh Khandom in XV-XVII cc.

The objective of the lecture: To show the reasons of the foundation of Kazakh Khandom, territory, population, activity of Kazakh Khans in XV-XVII cc... Ethnogenesis of Kazakh people. Term “Kazakh”. Relationships of Kazakh Khans with neighbor states. Struggle for Syrdarya towns.

Outline of the lecture:

1.       Foundation of the Kasakh Khandom.

2. Kazakh Khandom in the end of the XV c.

3.       Kazakh Khandom in the XVI c.

4.       Kazakh Khandom in the XVII c.

    The territory of Kazakh Khandom.  Kazakh Khandom occupied the territory lesser, than the territory of settling of Kazakhs in the different periods of existence (XV-XVII c.). For example, Zain ad-Din-Vasiphi in his work “Badai al-vakai” wrote, that Kazakhstan ёoccupied the territory between Shu and Talas (period of khanes Zhanibek and Kerey).

Author of “Nikhman name-i-Bukhara” wrote that the Kazakhs settled from Edil to Syrdarya. According to Russian sources “Knige Bolshomu Chertezhu” (XVII c.) Kazakhs settled along the middle flow of Syrdarya and in Sarysu, near the Ulytau (Sary-Arka).

    Foundation of Ak-Horde, Khanate of Abulkhair, Mogulistan, and Nogai Horde had the great meaning in the forming of Kazakh statehood. These statehoods had many commons: organization of ulus system, structure of Khan Power, organization of military forces, taxation and so on.

    Ak-Horde, Khanate of Abulkhair, Mogulistan and Nogai Horde prepared conditions for genesis of Kazakh people, for consolidated Kazakh, nogai, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Uigur peoples.

Khanes Zhanibek and Kerey. The concrete course of Kazakh Khanate forming was connected with an inside, political situation of two states – Abulkhair Khanate and Mogulistan. The Shingizides dissension weakened Abulkhair’s Khanate and his fought with his enemies couldn’t consolidate the khan’s power. Sultans Zhanibek and Kerey quarreled with Abulkhair and struggled against the Shaibanides for restoration of power of Ak-Horde khan’s dynasty. According to historical chronicles Zhanibek and Kerey were closed relatives. Both of them had a right on power. Zhanibek was a son of last ruler of Ak-Horde Barak-Khan. Kerey was elder, than Zhanibek.

  Zhanibek and Kerey, having united tribal groups of nomad and semi nomad population of Dasht-i-Kipshak, which were depending on them, moved to the territory of Western Zhetysu in Mogulistan in the form of protest in 1459-1460. Esen-Buka, the ruler of Mogulistan united with the Kazakh leaders, hoping with their help to guarantee security of Mogulistan’s frontiers against Abulkhair, the Timurides, Kalmyks territorial claims.

    In 40-50-s of XV c. Zhanibek and Kerey occupied the territories of southern Kazakhstan, lower Syrdarya, and nothern Turkestan. Suzak, Sygnak, Sauran and other fortress belonged to Zhanibek and Kerey. Tribes, which supported Zhanibek and Kerey couldn’t move in steppe regions, and Abulkhair tribes couldn’t move to lower Syrdarya and Karatau.

    In 20-s years of XV c. Oirats invaded to Zhetisu. In 1457 Abulkhair was defeated by Oirats and Abulkhair conclude shameful treaty.

    In 1462 after Esen-Buka’s death in Mogulistan the total anarchy came in fact. Attempts of the Mogul rulers to seize the important economic and strategic Syrdaria towns in the south of Kazakhstan didn’t change the general political situation; their power in Zhetysu was growing weaker. In these conditions foundation of the Kazakh Khanate in the valleys of the Shu and Talas rivers was quite natural act.

    East Turkestan historian Mukhammed Khaidar Dulaty in his work “Tarihi-Rashidi” dated the time of forming of Kazakh Khanate in 1466. Abulkhair’s aspiration to prevent forming of the Kazakh Khanate and strengthening of Zhanibek and Kerey were vain. The number of tribes, which were dependent on Zhanibek and Kerey, had been increasing, particularly after Abulkhair’s death in 1468, so that the number of the people, which gathered near them, reached 200000 men.

    Sources tell us about active foreign policy of the first Kazakh Khans, directed to widening of the khanates territory and becoming firmly established their power over the Syrdarya towns and the steppe regions of the Eastern Dasht-i-Kipshak.