The Struggle of the Kyrgyz Against the Oirats
A particularly important role in the early stages of the struggle was played by the large tribe of the left wing of the Kyrgyz - the Kushchi, whose leader Kalcha-biy commanded the united Kyrgyz-Eastern Turkmen forces. His activities and the contribution of the Kyrgyz to the struggle of the peoples of Eastern Tian Shan and Eastern Turkestan against the Oirat-Dzungar conquerors were so significant that, speaking of them a century and a half later, the head of the Kashgar khojas wrote to Kalcha-biy's descendant: "Your ancestors were loyal murids of our ancestors. Your ancestor Kalcha-biy was the leader of the Muslim troops, 'the beacon of the assembly on the path of guiding true faith... of my great relative hazrat khoja Hasan... He (Kalcha-biy)... blocked the way with his battle sword against these (Oirats) and exterminated them.... If you wish," the khoja addressed the powerful leader of the Kushchi in the 1750s Kubat (Kuvad)-biy, "honor us with your arrival (to us) with your tribe. You will be glorified in this world and the next for participating in the war against the infidels (Oirats)."
The number of troops under the leaders of the Kushchi, who participated in the struggle of the Kyrgyz against the Oirats in the late 16th to early 17th centuries, must have been significant. For example, Sokur-biy of the Kushchi, who participated in the political events of the 1620s-1630s in Eastern Turkestan, commanded an army of up to 7,000 men. Other biy had armies numbering two to three thousand.
After the unsuccessful struggle of the 1680s against the Oirat khan in Tian Shan, the Kyrgyz tribes that had migrated from there continued their stubborn and, in some places, successful resistance in Eastern Turkestan. This was led by the Kyrgyz Lrzu-Muhammed-bek from the Kipchak clan, who ruled Kashgar and for some time the then capital of Eastern Turkestan, Yarkand.
The struggle against the Oirats was also continued by the Kyrgyz of Southern Tian Shan and Fergana during the peak of Oirat power in the second quarter of the 18th century. The Kyrgyz waged war in alliance with the Uzbeks. In 1732, Kyrgyz tribes living in Ketmen-Tube and migrating in the upper reaches of the Syr-Darya north of Kasana participated in it.
Reports about the struggle of the Kyrgyz tribes against the Oirats spread far beyond the borders of Central Asia, reaching Russian territories in Siberia. In one of the reports from Russian detachments, it was stated that in 1748 the Kalmyks sent a significant army against the Kyrgyz under the command of Zaysan Dorzhi, which, however, was defeated. The following year, in spring, an even larger army was sent under the command of the khan's brother, Lama-Dorzhi, but this also returned with losses.
The struggle began to take on, especially in the last years of the Oirat khanate, a particularly wide scope.
In 1754-1755, a major campaign was launched against the Oirats with the participation of a large number of Kyrgyz from Fergana and Eastern Turkestan.
During the defeat of the Dzungar state in 1757, the Qing army carried out a mass extermination of the Oirats with unprecedented cruelty. After the conquest of the Dzungar Khanate, the Qing aggressors invaded Eastern Turkestan with the aim of conquering it.
In this bloody war, hundreds of thousands of the population of Eastern Turkestan were destroyed. The cruelty of the Qing authorities further intensified the hatred of the local population and neighboring peoples towards the conquerors. The Kazakhs and Kyrgyz came out in support of the peoples of Eastern Turkestan. From this time, the Qing rulers established their dominance over Xinjiang.
Chinese aggression did not stop there. The Qing government decided to extend its aggression to the peoples of Central Asia. The freedom-loving peoples of Central Asia began their struggle against the Chinese invaders.
Armed resistance to the Qing continued in Eastern Turkestan. In 1814 and 1816, the residents of the Kashgar district, under the leadership of the Kyrgyz biy Turdymamyt and the Uyghur leader Ziyaneddin, rose in rebellion twice. According to Chinese sources, in addition to the Uyghurs, Kyrgyz biys (Susrgazy — from the Yamantsit tribe, Yukhasyduk — from the Kipchak tribe, Baibolot — from the Chonbagysh tribe) also played a significant role in this struggle. When the uprising was suppressed, they fled to the Tian Shan Kyrgyz.
Chinese officials sought to force the Kyrgyz to stop anti-Qing protests through repression, which further fueled discontent. In August 1820, several Kyrgyz tribes rose in rebellion against Qing rule. In the summer of 1820, Jangir and his associates arrived in the pastures of the Kyrgyz tribe Sayak. Together with the Kyrgyz, he began to fight against the dominance of Qing China. In response, the Qing authorities sent a detachment of troops numbering 200 men to the Kyrgyz pastures. This detachment arrived in the pastures of Atantay and Taylak and subjected them to fire and sword, sparing neither women nor children. About 100 people were exterminated, and property and livestock were plundered. After this, they returned with the looted property and livestock. At that time, Taylak and Jangir were away. When information about what had happened in the pastures was received, Taylak, gathering his people, hastily began to pursue the enemy. In a narrow gorge, the Kyrgyz surrounded the Qing troops led by General Bayan-Batu and completely defeated them. More and more Kyrgyz people became involved in the anti-Qing struggle. But for now, these were isolated pockets of resistance. Only in 1825 did a powerful uprising against the Qing government break out under the leadership of Jangir.
Jangir victoriously entered Kashgar. Soon, the population of Yarkand, Yangigisar, and Hotan rose up. After destroying the Chinese garrisons, the population of these cities also recognized the authority of Jangir.
In the following years, when the peoples of Xinjiang rose up against Qing rule, the Kyrgyz were again the most active participants.
Thanks to their persistent struggle, the Kyrgyz and other peoples of Central Asia managed to defend their national independence and put an end to the aggressive actions of the Qing authorities.
The commonality of interests and fates often united the peoples of Central Asia in the struggle against external conquerors.
This tradition was preserved, strengthened, and developed in the 19th century when the masses of the people fought against feudal-khan rule and tsarist exploiters.
The study of the heroic past and freedom-loving traditions of the peoples of Central Asia, including the Kyrgyz people, is of great significance. This is evidenced by many studies.
Popular Movements of Central Asia in the 19th Century