Abilmansur Ablai Khan: biography, activities and historical events

Every people has leaders with whom it is proud. For the Mongols it is Chingizkhan, for the French - Napoleon, for the Russians - Peter I. Among Kazakhs, such people were the famous ruler and commander Abilmansur Ablai Khan. The biography and activities of this person will serve as the subject of our study.

The situation in the lands of Kazakhs

Before we turn to the biography of Ablai Khan, we need to briefly describe the political situation in the territory where the Kazakhs lived, preceding the period of active work of this outstanding figure.

From the middle of the XVII century the whole history of the Kazakh Khanate was connected with the struggle against the Jungarian aggression. The Dzungars are a Mongolian tribe that managed to create a powerful state and sought to take possession of extensive nomadic sites located on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. More than one generation of Kazakhs suffered from the invasions of this people. For a while the Dzungars even managed to subjugate the southern regions of the country.

In the fight against foreign invaders, the unified Kazakh state in 1718 was divided into three parts - Junior, Middle and Senior Zhuz.

Ablay was born in such a difficult political situation.

The origin and young years of Ablai Khan

Now it's time for us to learn more about who Ablai Khan was. His biography begins in 1711. It was then that he was born in the family of the noble Kazakh Korkem Ualiy-sultan. Ablai Khan was named in honor of his grandfather - the famous ruler of the Old Zhuz, whose residence was Tashkent. But at birth he had a different name - Abilmansur.

At the age of thirteen, Ablai Khan lost his father, killed in a skirmish with the Jungars. From a young age he was forced to rely only on himself. The boy hired a shepherd for Tole-bi, who was a great judge of the Kazakh people. During this service Ablai Khan had a new nickname - Sabalak, which means "dirty".

Warlord

Due to the high origin and firmness of character Ablai Khan gained authority among the Kazakhs. When in 1734 Abilmambet became Khan of the Middle Zhuz, he was given the title of Sultan and the post of military leader.

In the early 40-ies in Orenburg, Ablai, Abilmambet and other notable people of the Middle Zhouz agreed on the protectorate of the Russian Empire over their lands. Thus, they hoped to enlist the support of a strong power in the fight against the Jungars and other Central Asian states.

Initially, in the war with the Dzungars, Ablai acted very successfully, winning a number of victories over them. But already in 1742 Ablai Khan found himself in captivity, having suffered defeat from the Dzhungar hordes on the Ishim River. However, this captivity was not in vain. Ablai learned the Dzhungarian culture, language, customs, became closely acquainted with their ruler Galdan-Tsarenom and made friends with many notable jungars.

In 1743, with the participation of the Russian side, Ablai exchanged for another high-ranking prisoner.

In the meantime, the situation has radically changed. Galdan-Tsaren died, and a significant part of the lands occupied by the Dzungars were occupied by the Manchu troops of the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China. Now the Kazakhs have for a while teamed up with their old enemies to rebuff the Chinese. But soon this union broke up, and Ablai was forced to make an alliance with the house of Qing, and in 1756 he and the Khan of the Middle Zhouz actually recognized a vassal dependence on China.

In 1756, Ablai personally visited the Chinese capital of Beijing, where he received a high title from the emperor.

At the same time, the Kazakh military leader did not abandon the Russian protectorate and constantly maintained ties with this northern country.

Adoption of the khan's title

No less interesting will be his further biography. Abylai-khan (Ablai khan) in 1771 received the Khan title of the Middle Zhuz. It happened after the death of Abulmbambet. And although by tradition one of the deceased's close relatives should have inherited the throne, the people and the nobility of the Middle Zhuz considered that Ablai was the only one who deserved the highest title.

During his reign, he was able to subdue most of the territories of the other two zhuzes, therefore he rightfully called himself the great khan of all Kazakhs.

At a time when Russia was raging Pugachev uprising, Ablai led a fairly wise and cunning policy. On the one hand, he promised to support the rebel and even personally met with him, but on the other hand he negotiated with representatives of the Russian throne and assured them of his loyalty. Ablai, for one reason or another, did not render any actual assistance to Pugachev.

He wanted to carry out a number of significant reforms that were supposed to promote the spread of farming among the Kazakhs and, ultimately, lead them to a settled way of life, but met with fierce resistance from the nobility, who saw in the innovations restricting their rights and independence.

Death

Before his death Ablai, seeing that he did not perceive his reforms on the transfer of Kazakhs to settled agriculture, voluntarily renounced power and retired to the lands of the Senior Zhuz. He died in 1781 his death in Tashkent, and was buried in the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed.

Ablai left a lot of children behind him. Only representatives of the male numbered 30 people.

Heritage

The Kazakhs still remember the great benefits that Ablai Khan brought to his land. Biographies and historical personalities are of interest to all people, not just Kazakhs, but for the people the memory of the hero is sacred. He installed a lot of monuments around Kazakhstan, he made feature films. On one of the postage stamps and on the banknote in 100 tenge there is an image of Ablai Khan. Almaty has a street named after the great representative of the Kazakh people.

The memory of Ablai Khan will live forever.