Kyrgyz Elite
During the dominance of the Kokand Khanate, some changes occurred in the social hierarchy. Many southern Kyrgyz rulers of clans and tribes became part of the ruling elite of the khanate: Kubat bi, Akboto bi, Azhy-bek datka, Alimbek datka, Kurmandzhan datka, and others. Additionally, part of the khanate's cavalry consisted of Kyrgyz warriors, led by Kyrgyz military leaders. The khan conferred titles upon the leaders of Kyrgyz clans and tribes: datka, bek (head of a bekdom - a territorial-administrative unit of the khanate in the Fergana Valley), eluu bashy, juz bashy, min bashy (fifty-man, hundred-man, thousand-man - military leaders based on a decimal system). The title of datka was awarded to many prominent representatives of Kyrgyz tribes, including those from the Ketmen-Tyube and Talas valleys. The main goal of granting titles was to persuade the Kyrgyz nomadic elite to side with the khan, to create a support base for the khanate in nomadic areas for the purpose of tax collection for the khan's treasury, fulfilling obligations, including military service, etc. (Usenbaev, 1961. pp. 135-154; 1980; Ploskih, 1977; and others).
However, Kokand titles did not displace the traditional Kyrgyz titulature and did not change the social hierarchy.
For instance, I. Yuvachev wrote about the well-known leader of the Alai Kyrgyz, a prominent statesman of the Kokand Khanate, Alimbek, and his wife Kurmandzhan, who received the titles of "bek" and "datka" from the khan: "...although her husband (Kurmandzhan's - A.K.) received the title of bek from Khudoyar-khan, this khan's investiture was more a matter of decorum than a real right of the khan, since the Alai Kyrgyz highly honored the noble 'white bone' of their bek and followed him unconditionally, wherever he led them, even without the sanctification of their rights by khan's authority" (Yuvachev, 1907. p. 965).
An innovation was the appearance of some leaders with Chinese titles. Kyrgyz tribes migrating in Eastern Turkestan entered into relations with Chinese authorities, especially after the defeat of the Dzungar Khanate in the mid-18th century, when Chinese troops occupied Eastern Turkestan. To persuade Kyrgyz leaders to side with them, they were awarded Chinese administrative ranks, which, however, held little significance for them.
Institute of Heroism
