«Orbulak battle»: myths and facts

Abstract

A huge influence on the internal and external political situation of the Kazakh Khanate was exerted by the militant Mongol-speaking tribes of Kalmaks (Oirats), who in the 17th century. founded the "last nomadic empire" (V.V. Bartold) of Central Asia - the Dzungar Khanate. The article deals with issues related to the battle of the Kazakh-Uzbek troops with the troops of the Dzungar Khanate in 1643, which is known in modern literature as the "Battle of Orbulak". As a result of the study, the author states the presence in the scientific and popular science literature of a number of myths regarding this battle. According to historical materials, this year the Kazakh ruler Zhangir, at the head of a small squad, heroically stopped the advance of the Dzungar army to the Kazakh lands. Later there was a major battle of the already united Kazakh-Uzbek army with an enemy many times greater in number. In this battle, the united army of the Turkic peoples under the leadership of the Kazakh Khan Zhangir and the Uzbek rulers won a brilliant victory. However, these events did not take place in the Orbulak area in Zhetysu, as is commonly believed in modern Kazakh historiography. They probably took place in the vicinity of Tashkent, as indicated in "Silsilat as-salatin". This explains the quick approach of the Uzbek troops to help the Kazakhs. Also, the participation in this battle of such Kazakh batyrs as Shaprashty Karasai, Argyn Argyntai, Alshyn Zhiembet, Kanly Sarbuk, Naiman Kekserek, Dulat Zhansygul, Suan Eltindy is not confirmed by historical materials. The materials for this article were published documents of the 17th century Russian-Mongol relations, the records of medieval Muslim historians, the results of special research works and others.