Stories about the Kyrgyz in the Work of Muhammad Haider

Muhammad Haider. "Tarikh-i Rashidi" ("The Rashid History").

Materials from the fund of the Institute of Literature and Art of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic. Inv. No. 5176

The author came from a noble and influential Duglat tribe in Eastern Turkestan. In 1541, he managed to seize Kashmir and establish an independent principality there. Between 1541 and 1546, he wrote the book "Tarikh-i Rashidi," which is the main source of the history of the state of Moghulistan. This work of Muhammad Haider consists of two independent parts (daftars), sometimes repeating the same events. In "Tarikh-i Rashidi," for the first time among all medieval sources, a relatively detailed account of the Kyrgyz is provided regarding the territory they currently occupy.

Translation from Persian by T. I. Sultanov.

Text: As soon as Mansur-khan heard about Sultan Mahmud-khan's departure to the Vilayet, he set out against his brothers. When Mansur-khan arrived in Moghulistan, both of them (Sultan Said-khan and Sultan Khalil-sultan) were there as sultans of the Kyrgyz and remnants of the Mongols. A battle occurred in a region called Charun-Chalok. They fought so fiercely that a sea of blood flowed. Mansur-khan emerged victorious. The two brothers fled to the Vilayet. When they reached Andijan, the hakim of Andijan killed Sultan Khalil-sultan. Sultan Said-khan fled to Kabul.

Mansur-khan resettled all those who were in Moghulistan from the Kyrgyz and other people to Chalysh (Karashar) and Turfan. Since the Kyrgyz were the instigators of all the troubles in Moghulistan, he treacherously slaughtered most of them. Only a small number fled to Moghulistan.

At that time (i.e., in 1405), Sultan Said-khan fled from him (i.e., from Shaybani-khan) and made his way to Moghulistan, reaching Yetikent via the Uzgen road. At that time, Sultan Mahmud-khan was in Yetikent: there Sultan Said-khan met his esteemed uncle and stayed with him for several days. Since Sultan Mahmud-khan, as was his custom, did not engage in state affairs at all, Sultan Said-khan was overcome with despair, and he, fleeing from his uncle, went to Moghulistan to his brother Sultan Khalil-Sultan, who ruled the Kyrgyz.

For four years, he remained with his brother in Moghulistan among the Kyrgyz. During these four years, many incidents occurred between Sultan Mahmud-khan and Mansur-khan and between these two brothers. Eventually, circumstances changed. Sultan Mahmud-khan, due to (the opposition of) his nephews, could not remain in Moghulistan and went to Shahibek-khan in hopes of his protection. Shahibek-khan betrayed him to a martyr's death in Khojent, as has already been mentioned. When Sultan Mahmud-khan left for the Vilayet, these (two) brothers remained in Moghulistan, in (the land of) the Kyrgyz. In the meantime, news came about Mansur-khan's army: (that) Mansur-khan had set out with a huge army from Chalysh and Turfan and was coming against the brothers. Sultan Said-khan and Khalil-sultan, these two brothers gathered all (able-bodied) Kyrgyz and Mongols, prepared for battle, and, having positioned themselves in the region of Charun-Chalok, began to wait for Mansur-khan.

In the end, Sultan Said-khan and Sultan Khalil were defeated. Mansur-khan, having resettled the Kyrgyz, took them to Chalysh, as was already mentioned when describing the life circumstances of the khan. Sultan Khalil left the battlefield and, with a few close associates, headed to Fergana, to his uncle Sultan Mahmud-khan in the hope that Shahibek-khan would provide him protection. When he reached Akhsikent, Janibek, the paternal uncle of Shahibek-khan, who ruled in Fergana, betrayed him to death.

Sultan Said-khan escaped from the battlefield and decided to become a Cossack in Moghulistan. However, circumstances turned out in such a way that his stay in Moghulistan became impossible... Finding himself in a deadlock, Sultan Said-khan went to Andijan. It turned out that from there he fled and went to Kabul, to Babur.

The following year, due to the fact that Muhammad the Kyrgyz began to raid Turkestan and Sayram and plunder Muslims, the khan, driven by religious feelings, decided to punish (him) for this grave offense. He (attacked) Muhammad the Kyrgyz and inflicted upon him and his people what he had done to the people of Islam, and even more. Muhammad the Kyrgyz was captured and shackled. He remained in captivity for fifteen years.

In the year nine hundred twenty-eight, Sultan Said-khan sent his son Rashid-sultan to Moghulistan and subdued all of Moghulistan and the Kyrgyz. In Moghulistan, Rashid-sultan was supported by many people. But eventually, circumstances turned out in such a way that due to the military successes of the Mangyts, the presence of Uzbek Cossacks in Desht-i Qipchaq became impossible. They came to Moghulistan: there were two hundred thousand of them. It was impossible to resist, and Rashid-sultan returned to Kashgar with his people.