Protoichiliks, a part of the Kyrgyz people
Muhammad Haider refers to the Kyrgyz as "the forest (wild) lions of Moghulistan."
It is likely that at this time the "Central Asian" Kyrgyz primarily inhabited the forested areas of the Tian Shan and the adjacent lands. The resettlement of the "Central Asian" Kyrgyz to the southwest, into the interior regions of Moghulistan, was accompanied to some extent by the subjugation of local tribes and clans. In the 16th century or later, a group of protoichiliks likely formed, which later became known as "Ichkiliks," a part of the Kyrgyz people. The core of this union could have been the Bul(a)gachi.
In the "Zafar-name," by Sharaf ad-Din Yazdi (1st half of the 15th century), in the account of "Timur's call for a kurultai and the dispatch of troops in all directions of Moghulistan to exterminate the Jetin ulus," it is mentioned that a detachment led by Khudaydad-i Husayni and Mubashshir-bahadur, "taking Kumartak as a guide, set out through Uruchk with 20,000 brave and courageous warriors. When they reached the area of Bikut, they encountered the people of bul(a)gachi-vilkar and a large battle ensued." According to this information, the bul(a)gachi lived somewhere in the areas located up to the Ili River, as further in this source it states that at Timur's command, his emirs, "having crossed the Ili River," sought the bul(a)gachi people, "scouting all the edges of those regions." In the "Majmu at-tawarikh," the tribal composition of the bul(a)gachi union is mentioned several times, particularly the names of tribes: boston, teyit, joo-kesek, deeles, kydyrsha, and kan(g)dy. This is the main core of the Kyrgyz tribes that "formed a group later known as 'ichkiliks'..."
According to the "Majmu at-tawarikh," the progenitor of the Bul(a)gachi is depicted as Salus-bek Bul(a)gachi, the son of Ak-Ogul.
It is possible that the Bul(a)gachi were connected by their origin to the right wing of the Kyrgyz, i.e., descended from them. Alternatively, the group of tribes Bul(a)gachi may have been under the influence of the right wing of the Kyrgyz and subjugated to it.
It should be noted that the bul(a)gachi may have been related to the tribes mentioned in Chinese sources — the moulo, who inhabited the area of the Boro-horo ridge, part of the Tian Shan system, in the mid-7th century. The moulo in Chinese sources is reconstructed as — bulag. According to "Matla as-sadayn wa majma al-bahrayn" by Abd ar-Razzaq Samarqandi, in the account "of Timur's campaign in Moghulistan" (around 1388-89), there is mention of a battle with the "bulgs-vikale," likely with the bulags.
In the "Majmu at-tawarikh," the progenitor of the bul(a)gachi is referred to as Salusbek bul(a)gachi. At the same time, in the mid-7th century, tribes known as zhisy or pofu are mentioned in the composition of the Karluk union, according to Chinese sources. They lived between the bulags and tashlyaks, "reaching the southern desert areas of Dzhungaria." Zhisy or pofu in Chinese sources is reconstructed as — chigil or sebek. Also, in the "Zafar-name," in the account "of Timur's campaign against Tokhtamysh," there is mention of the people saluchi, who are mentioned alongside the bul(a)gachi. It is stated that the Timurids "set out on their journey, moving across the plain, and tried to learn about the situation of the bul(a)gachi and saluchi." In "Matla as-sadayn wa majma al-bahrayn," in the account "of Timur's campaign in Moghulistan (1388-89)," there is mention of "bul(a)gachi-sabudji," likely bul(a)gachi-saluchi.
It is quite possible that Salus or Salu (perhaps also Salusbek), Sebek, and Saluchi are divergent forms of the same ethnic name or word, and that the aforementioned groups of tribes, including bulag, bul(a)gachi, are interconnected. Bulgadzhi (likely bul(a)gachi) are also mentioned by Muhammad Haider ("Tarikh-i Rashidi") near Issyk-Kul.
