The Joining of the Kyrgyz to Kokand in the Late 18th Century.

The Performance of Kyrgyz Tribes Against the Conquest Policy of Irdana.

In the Sagymbaev version of the epic "Manas," in the chapter "The Campaign Against Beidzhin," there is a thought about the necessity of uniting the Kyrgyz tribes and replacing internal conflicts (in particular, the rebellion against Manas) with participation in the war against an external enemy - the Kalmyks and China under the leadership of a glorious leader. Hyperbolization of events, as a common technique in oral traditions, is also applied in this tale. There are lines about Manas conquering China, which express the storyteller's desire to reflect the active struggle against the invaders: Manas "immediately conquered (defeated) the Chinese people, as no one had ever captured (subjugated) them in such a way, so that China had no opportunity to resist him. There was not a single person left who could look back" (i.e., there was not a single brave man capable of starting a fight with the victor). However, in this naive presentation of events, there is also a measure of historical accuracy: episodes of the people's successful defense of their independence in the epic transformed into a great victory over a powerful enemy. And this victory was linked by popular tradition with the beloved hero - Manas.

But let's return to the real facts. Since the late 1750s, the role of the southern Kyrgyz tribal union of Adygine has noticeably risen. Its tribal leader, Hadji-biy, was even considered the head of all the Ichkilik Kyrgyz of Alai and Osh. He claimed that he could muster "200,000 people of the Burot horde, scattered from Bukhara to the East." To the north, the Kokand domain had already strengthened, absorbing the Margilan, Andijan, and Namangan beks. The Kyrgyz feudal lord Hadji-biy, in this context, acted as an equal with the Kokand ruler. A telling example in this regard is as follows. This tribal leader sent letters to the Chinese authorities not only on his own behalf but also on behalf of the Kokand ruler Irdana-biy: Kokand and the Kyrgyz acted as equals in diplomatic contacts with the neighboring Qing Empire.

By the way, the relationship between the Kyrgyz and their southern neighbor, Qing China, was uneven.

Initially, it was based on mutual embassies, but as the aggressive intentions of the Manchu-Qing government became clearer, regular relations were interrupted and became episodic. Moreover, the Central Asian peoples themselves did not desire the Qing protectorate, which was based on armed force, and resisted any attempts by the Manchu-Qing authorities at expansion, providing armed resistance to Chinese troops. This last circumstance became a defining factor in strengthening the Kokand Khanate in this region and further expanding the borders of this power to the north.

As it strengthened, it increasingly absorbed the surrounding fragmented Kyrgyz tribes, began to play a serious role in Eastern Turkestan, and influenced the situation there. In particular, the year 1760 was marked by the claims of the Kokand ruler Irdana to the tribal union of the Kyrgyz-Kipchaks. He captured and held the Kyrgyz biy Aman under arrest, whose brother, biy Emur, took energetic steps to secure his release. The relations between the Kokand rulers and the Kyrgyz feudal lords became strained.

Two years later, the biis of the Adygine tribe, Mamatkul and Arzymat, decided to openly oppose Irdana's conquest policy. They intended to enlist the support of the Sarybagysh biis Cherikchi and Temurjan for the campaign, but did not find sympathy: the Sarybagysh expressed support for a peaceful policy with their neighbors and refused to participate in the campaign.

Thus, Irdana already felt strong enough to move to the open conquest of Kyrgyz territory and the subjugation of the main Fergana possessions of the Kyrgyz - the cities of Uzgen and Osh with their surroundings. In 1862, he attacked the Kyrgyz and devastated their lands "in the land of Uze" (Uzgen). The troops of Hadji-biy, who led the Kyrgyz tribes of Ichkilik, Adygine, and Mongol in the fight against Irdana, were defeated.

The Kokand forces also occupied the city of Osh. As a pretext for the attack, Irdana used an incident involving merchants. In 1762, the feudal lords of Adygine robbed a caravan of Kokand merchants. Seizing the opportunity, Irdana began an offensive against the Kyrgyz and captured the city of Osh. He used the version that Osh allegedly belonged to Kokand from ancient times. The Kyrgyz troops retreated into the mountains. Hadji-biy was forced to flee as well.

In the same year, due to oppression from Irdana, not wanting to submit to the Kokandis, the Kushi biy Narbuta migrated eastward from Fergana. However, three years later, he returned from Eastern Turkestan and persuaded his brother Borke to follow his example.

The policy of Qing rule in Kashgar turned out to be even harsher, and the Kyrgyz feudal lords preferred Kokand's vassalage. Maintaining independence in such an environment of incomparably stronger feudal-despotic states was practically impossible. The Chinese authorities were prejudiced against the joining of the Kyrgyz to Kokand and even attempted to prevent it. But the Kyrgyz themselves preferred Kokand in this opposition. The Kokand rulers also acted without regard for the policies of the Qing. When in 1762 Emperor Qianlong demanded that Irdana return the lands seized from the Kyrgyz, the Kokand ruler not only disobeyed his southern neighbor but also, the following year, subjugated several more Kyrgyz tribes already within Eastern Turkestan. And in the spring of 1764, Irdana set out on a campaign to conquer Khojent. Hadji-biy decided to take advantage of the withdrawal of the main Kokand forces from Eastern Fergana and thus take revenge for the temporary loss of Osh. He unexpectedly attacked the Kokand possession. Irdana was forced to urgently conclude peace with Fazil-bek, the ruler of Khojent, and return halfway. The campaign to Khojent was thwarted. However, all the force of the blow fell on the Kyrgyz rebels. Hadji-biy found himself in captivity of Irdana-biy, but apparently not for long. Soon Osh and its surroundings were again under the control of the Kyrgyz.

However, the Kyrgyz were unable to withstand the pressure of the incomparably stronger Kokand troops. By the end of the 18th century, this territory was almost annexed to the Kokand Khanate for nearly a century.

However, the Kokand rulers acted not only with the force of arms. They tried to attract Kyrgyz feudal lords through other methods - by providing certain privileges, in particular, good pastures. Thus, in 1763, the leader of one of the Kashgar subdivisions of the Kyrgyz named Erbi intended to "cross to the Kokand border to lead a nomadic lifestyle with his tribes and engage only in searching for pastures." Later, in 1786, the Tatar Gabaydulla Abdrakhmangulov reported to the Siberian border authorities that "the chief of the stone Kyrgyz, Aбайлы-bek, three years prior had moved with his kin of 1,000 yurts from Eastern Turkestan to Kokand to Narbuta-bek." And no matter how much the Qing authorities tried to attract the migrating clan through cunning and force, nothing worked. The intervention of this bek put an end to the claims of the Chinese feudal lords: the Kyrgyz clan remained under the vassalage of the Kokandis.

Aggressive - Expansionist Policy of Manchu-Qing China in Eastern Turkestan