Analyze the factors that led to formation of Kazakh Khanate in 15 th century

The formation of the Kazakh Khanate in the 15th century is one of the most controversial

events in the history of Kazakhstan. In this written work it is necessary to understand what factors

led to the formation of the Kazakh Khanate. On the territory of modern Kazakhstan after the collapse

of the Golden Horde, the Khanate of Abulkhair Khan was formed. The harsh policy of Abulkhair led

to the fact that in 1460 some of the tribes were forced to migrate to Mogulistan. These tribes were

led by the sultans Zhanibek and Kerey. The tribes settled in Semirechye and created an independent

state formation – the Horde. The name Kazakh Khanate was assigned to this Horde. In XIV-XV

centuries there were already some prerequisites for the creation of an independent Kazakh Khanate.

[1] (317-318), [2] (210-212)

The emergence of a new state on the political map of the world is caused by the

simultaneous action of a whole complex of reasons – political, economic and ethnic.

The political factors include, first of all, the inability of the political and legal system based on

the Imperial traditions of Ulug Ulus to carry out regulatory functions in society normally. During the

second half of the XIV – the first half of the XV centuries, almost all political groups that came to

power, tried to recreate a more or less centralized bureaucratic state with a strong Khan's power,

although the economic basis for this has long been inconsistent. That is why the population of the

khanate of Abulkhair, showing dissatisfaction with the policy of its ruler, actively supports his

opponents, who put forward their projects of reconstruction of the country. The weakening of

Mogulistan and the inability of the Mughal khans to restrain the onslaught of the Oirats, which

intensified in the middle of the XV century, put the Kazakh sultans before the need to create their

own state. Under these conditions, the Kazakh khanate was proclaimed in the Shu and Talas valleys

in 1465, the first Khan of which was Kerey. Abulkhair, concerned about the strengthening of the

Kazakhs, tried to organize a campaign in Zhetysu, but in 1468 he died, after which his state ceased to

exist. Kerey and Zhanibek returned to Desht-I-Kipchak, and the main population of the Central
Kazakhstan steppes joined them. Thus, in 1469 the Kazakh khanate entered the political arena as an

independent state of the nomadic tribes of Desht-I-Kipchak. [3] (210-212), [4] (89)

The economic factors were, first of all, the decline in the importance of the Lower Volga

region as the economic center of Eurasia. The gradual increase in moisture content of the steppe

zone in the XIV – XV centuries leads to a slow outflow of nomadic population from the Western

regions of Ulug Ulus to the Eastern regions. At the same time, the role of international transit trade

is declining. [5] (276)

A special place in the complex of reasons that led to the formation of the Kazakh khanate is

occupied by ethnic processes. In the XIV-XV centuries, the Kipchak ethnic group is experiencing a

period of crisis and breaking of the ethnic structure, the formation of new, active sub-ethnic groups.

In the late 50-60s of the XIV century, the subethnic of Nogais was formed in the Syr Darya. Gradually,

the term Nogai begins to displace the ancient ethnonym Kipchak and replace it. At the same time,

there is such a subethnic as Alash – the population of the weakly Islamized left wing of Ulug Ulus.

The continuation of the ethnic crisis leads to the formation of a subethnic with the name Kazakh,

which then existed along with the collective name for the entire nomadic population of the former

Ulug Ulus – Uzbeks. [3] (212) [6] (78) [7] (184)

The formation of the Kazakh khanate is the result of socio-economic and ethno-political

processes in the vast territory of Eastern Desht-I-Kipchak, Semirechye and Turkestan. One of the

main events that contributed to this was the battle in 1428. In the same year 1428, the young Sultan

Abulkhair, a descendant of Shiban, reigned in Eastern Desht-I-Kipchak. During the forty-year reign of

Abulkhair Khan, thousands of great and small events took place. Among them, in particular, the

migration of a group of tribes subject to him, dissatisfied with the Khan's power, outside his state.

The strengthening of economic, cultural, socio-political ties of nomadic and settled population

contributed to the ethnic unity of the Kazakh clans and tribes, the actual completion of the long
process of formation of the nation. These circumstances were the objective reasons for the

formation of the Kazakh statehood. [8] (43) [9] (113)

References

1. Kazakhstan. The national encyclopedia. Alma-Ata: “Madeni Mura”. “Cultural heritage of

Kazakhstan”, 2006. – Pp. 317-318.

2. http://kazakhstan.awd.kz/theme/t10_2.html

3. Nurpeisov E. K., Kotov A. K. “The state of Kazakhstan: from the Khan's power to the presidential

Republic”. Almaty, 1995. – pp. 210-212.

4. Abuseitova M. H. “Kazakh khanate in the second half of the XYI century”. Alma-Ata, 1985. – Pp.

89.

5. Klyashtorny S. G., Sultanov G. I. “Kazakhstan: the chronicle of three millennia”. Alma-Ata. 1992.

– Pp. 276.

6. Basin V. Y. “Russia and the Kazakh khanates in the XYI-XYIII centuries”. Alma-ATA. 1971. – Pp.

78.

7. Zimanov S. Z. “Social system of the Kazakhs of the first half of the 14th century”. Alma-Ata.

1958. – Pp. 184.

8. Gumilev L. N. “Ancient Russia and The great Steppe”. Moscow, 1989. – Pp. 43.

9. “The history of Kazakhstan from ancient times to the present day. Essay” / Under the editorship

of M. K. Kazybaev etc., Almaty. 1993. – Pp. 113.

10. Asfendiarov S. D. “History of Kazakhstan from ancient times”. Alma-Ata, 1993. – pp. 301.

11. Gumilev, L. N. “The Ancient Turks”. L., 1968. – pp. 286-288.