Struggle for Turkistan
| Struggle for Turkistan | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Kazakh–Dzungar War (1723–1730) of Kazakh–Dzungar Wars | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Kazakh Khanate | Dzungar Khanate | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Abul Khair Khan Qabanbai Batyr[1] | Lobsangsür | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 50,000 (Spring 1725) | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| c. 10,000 Kazakh kibitkas | Unknown | ||||||||
The Struggle for Turkistan, or the Struggle for the Kazakh Capital[2] (also Battle of Turkistan)[1] – a series of battles for the capital of the Kazakh Khanate – Turkistan, between the Kazakhs and the Dzungar Khanate.
Prelude
In February and March 1723, a 30,000-strong Dzungar army under the leadership of Lobsangsür invaded the southern nomadic camps of the Kazakhs.[3] As a result of the Dzungar campaign, the Kazakhs lost control over the Syrdarya region, including Turkistan.[4]
Course of the Struggle
Eliminating, during the campaigns against the Kalmyk Khanate, the potential threat of an attack on the Kazakh clans of the Junior Jüz — In late summer of 1724, Abul Khair khan mobilized southwards to Turkistan, forcing the Dzungar commander Lobsangsür to retreat to the Karatau Mountains.[2]
About this, a Russian envoy to Bukhara — Florio Beneveni, reported to Moscow on January 15, 1725:
Louzan Shona, through war with Abulkhair Khan, had taken the city of Turkistan and 32 uluses, but then he, Abulkhair Khan, joining with the Kazakhs, again came to Turkistan through war and still holds it in his possession to this day.
The Kazakhs had occupied the Syr darya river regions for about 6 months, including the city of Tashkent, however reinforcements of the Dzungar army soon fought the Kazakhs, and after a series of confrontation — they recaptured the city of Turkistan and repulsed the Kazakhs from the Syrdarya region.[5][6] The Kazakhs were completely cut off from the urban markets and craft centers of Central Asia, with the direct result of this campaign was that a new wave of Kazakh refugees poured into the north-western and northern regions of Kazakhstan.[6]
Aftermath
After the peace with the Kalmyks, a large-scale Kazakh counteroffensive after the Ordabasy meeying followed, as the Dzungars abandoned the previously seized Syr darya region.[7] In a letter from Abul Khair Khan to Ufa dated 1730, it was stated that the city of Turkistan was under the control of Sameke Khan.[8]
References
- ^ a b Kabanbay (Yerasyl) Kozhakululy
- ^ a b И.В. Ерофеева 2007, p. 175.
- ^ Моисеев, В.А. Джунгарское ханство и казахи (XVII-XVIII вв.) [Dzungar Khanate and the Kazakhs (17th to the 18th centuries)] (in Russian). Моисеев В.А. p. 72. ISBN 5-628-00769-2.
- ^ Jambyl, Artykbaev (2019). АБЫЛАЙ ХАН [Abylai Khan] (in Russian). Nur-Sultan: ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО ФОЛИАНТ, Jambyl Artykbaev. p. 18. ISBN 978-601-338-293-7.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Сардар Великой Степи
- ^ a b И.В. Ерофеева 2007, p. 176.
- ^ Радик Темиргалиев (27 March 2019). Эпоха последних батыров (1680–1780) (in Russian). Litres. ISBN 978-5-04-161878-0. Retrieved 2025-12-05.
- ^ Kul-mukhamed, M. A.; Tagine, M. M.; Nurgazi, N. M. (2007). History of Kazakhstan in Russian sources. Tom VI (in Russian). Издатель «Dyke Press». p. 378. ISBN 978-9965-798-44-3.
Further reading
- Ерофеева И.В. (2007). Хан Абулхаир: полководец, правитель, политик (Изд. 3-е ed.). Алматы. ISBN 978-9965-798-64-1.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)