How the Kyrgyz Entered the Kokand Khanate

The Birth and Change of Dynasties of the Future Alay Queen

Before delving into the era in which the Alay Queen was born and lived, it is worthwhile to trace the history of her country's emergence, while also recalling the birth and change of dynasties of its rulers.

The emergence of the Kokand Khanate in the early 18th century is associated with the Uzbek feudal lord Shahrokh-biy. In 1709, he founded the royal Ming dynasty, displacing the initially ruling community of khojas, representatives of clerical dervish brotherhoods. The newly established state, which was initially called a bekdom, included the territories of the cities of Kokand, Isfara, and Margilan and their surroundings. The dynasty ended in 1876. A legend exists regarding its origin. The famous Sultan Babur, a great-grandson of Timur (Tamerlane), was once traveling from Samarkand to India through the Fergana Valley. There, one of his wives gave birth to a boy on the road between Khojent and Kanibadam. The child, nicknamed Altyn-bashik, was taken in by the nomadic representatives of the Uzbek Ming clan in that area. From them came the name of the dynasty.

When the origin of the stepson became known, Altyn-bashik was proclaimed a biy and settled in Aksy. One of his descendants, Abdu-Raim, settled in the village of Dyykan-Orda. Subsequently, the main residence of the founder of the dynasty became the city of Kokand. Arabic references to this settlement are known at least since the 10th century. In particular, travelers Istakhri and Ibn-Hawqal mention the city of Khovakend or Khokand, which corresponds in distance from the Syr Darya and from Aksy to present-day Kokand.

The "foundation" of the city by Abdu-Raim, described in the chronicles of the Kokand Khanate, likely consisted of the new ruler building a urdu and city walls there. Taking advantage of the interregnum in Bukhara, he undertook a campaign against this khanate, occupied Samarkand, Katty-Kurgan, and even reached Shakhrisabz. He then made peace with the local ruler and married his niece, after which he returned to Khojent. There, in 1740, he was killed by his close associates.

In the first half of the 18th century, the Fergana rulers were still nominally considered subordinate to the Bukhara khan, but in fact were completely independent, even opposing Bukhara. This independence, which had been de facto for almost a century, became de jure only in the mid-18th century when the sovereignty of the Kokand ruler Irdana-biy was confirmed on his seals.

To better understand the logic of Kurmandzhan's rapid rise to the political Olympus of this multinational state, it is important to mention another significant point. The fact is that in order to strengthen relations with the Kyrgyz, the khans sought to establish kinship ties with them through marriage.

Narbo-to-biy was married to a Kyrgyz woman, and his son Alim-khan appointed his maternal brothers Momunbek and Yrysqulbek (Kyrgyz) as commanders of his army. During the reign of Madali-khan, the Kyrgyz Nusup (Yusuf) was appointed minbashi, Alymbek from the Kyrgyz tribe of adygine, Seyitbek from the kesek tribe, Polot from the deeles tribe, Satybaldy from the avaat tribe, Azhybek from the Talas region, and other influential people received the title of datka.

They held high positions not only within their tribes but also in the socio-political life of the khanate.

The successor of Madali-khan, who came to power with the help of the Kyrgyz, Sheraly-khan (1842 - 45), lived among the Kyrgyz in the Chatkal, Aksy, and Talas regions from a young age. According to historical sources, Sheraly-khan's father Azhybek and Narbo-to-biy were blood brothers. Azhybek was killed during the struggle for the khan's throne by Narbo-to-biy's son Alim-khan. Since Azhybek's wife was Kyrgyz, after her husband's death, she with her sons Ulukbek and Sheraly sought refuge with her relatives in Aksy and Chatkal. Ulukbek died on the way. Sheraly grew up with his maternal relatives. Both of his wives - Sono-ayim (ayim - a title for noble women) and Zharkyn-ayim - were Kyrgyz. His sons were: Sarymsak - amir of the army, Mallabek - khan (1838-62), Kuda-yar - khan (1845-58, 1862-63, 1865-75), Sopubek - akim of the Andijan region, Sultan Murad - akim of the Margilan region.

During this period, the influence of the Kyrgyz in the khanate sharply increased, and the position of the chief vizier (prime minister) was held by Alymbek datka (1858-62), minbashi - Nusup (1842-44) and Kasym (1853-56), the position of atalyk was held by Alimkul (1863-65), Atabek was naib (commander of infantry and artillery), Sheraly was ınaq, i.e., commander of the cavalry army, and Kydyr-biy held the position of eshik-aga, i.e., head of the khan's court administration. All important political events that occurred in the khanate in the 30s-60s of the 19th century took place with the direct participation of the aforementioned prominent Kyrgyz clan leaders, as well as the clan nobility - the rulers of the Kipchaks.

Kurmandzhan Datka and the Stages of the Formation of Kyrgyz Statehood