Abulkhair Khan and his era

In 1718, an event took place, which was the first step towards the accession of Kazakh lands to Russia - Khan Tauke, the supreme ruler of a once united and powerful state, died. As a result of the contenders' struggle for power, the country split into three separate tribal entities, called the Senior, Middle and Junior Juzes. It was the head of the Younger Zhuz, Abulkhair Khan, who played an important role in establishing the Russian protectorate.

The problems caused by separatism

Immediately after the collapse of the Khanate, hard times came. The weakness that became the result of separatism was immediately taken advantage of by aggressive steppe neighbors. The younger Zhuz, whose lands stretched in the western part of present-day Kazakhstan, were attacked by the tribes of the Dzungars who made peace with Russia, but did not stop the predatory raids on their neighbors. The situation became critical.

In 1730, after another series of raids, Khan Abulkhair's first appeal to the Russian authorities followed with a request for help in repelling aggression. As a token of gratitude, he promised Anna Ioannovna the conclusion of a military alliance that would ensure the security of Russian borders. However, from St. Petersburg they said that they agreed to help in the fight against the Jungars, but only if the territories under Abulkhair came under the Russian protectorate.

Entry under the auspices of Russia

Abulkhair Khan accepted these conditions, despite the fact that their execution deprived his people of independence. In this case, his exorbitant ambitions and resentment played a role in the fact that after the death of the supreme khan of Tauk, he was not elected as his successor. Agreeing to sacrifice state sovereignty, this cunning politician hoped, in exchange for citizenship, to obtain from Russia guarantees for the transfer of khanates to his direct heirs.

The ruler of the Middle Zhuz, Khan Abulmambet, did not lag behind him either. He managed to obtain citizenship at once two great powers - Russia and China. His policy of maneuvering between these countries was called "between a lion and a tiger". The elder Zhuz at that time could not do anything, since he was completely under the influence of the Kokand Khanate and was deprived of his own voice.

Mission of Russian diplomacy

In 1731, when the Kazakh rulers were mired in political intrigues and searching for ways to satisfy personal vanity, the ambassador, Count AI Tevkelyov, came to them from St. Petersburg. Fulfilling the mission entrusted to him by Anna Ioannovna, he assembled the most influential representatives of the Middle and Younger Zhouz on October 10 and, with the support of Khan Abulkhair, representing the Younger Zhouz, convinced them of the benefits that promised them entry into the Russian protectorate.

His diplomacy was a success, and at the end of this congress, the khans, who headed the Zhuz, and twenty-seven lesser rulers, swore on the Koran in loyalty to Anna Ivanovna. This act became the legal justification for the accession of the Kazakh lands to Russia, although until the final entry of them under the canopy of the two-headed eagle it was still far away.

The union with Russia helped the Kazakhs to resist the Dzungarian invaders. During the period of the intensification of their raids, in 1738-1741, an army formed of representatives of the Middle and Younger Zhuzes, with the support of the Russians, inflicted several crushing defeats on the enemy. In these campaigns, the brother of the Khan of the Middle Zhouz, Abylai, was at the head of the united forces. In 1741, in one of the battles, he was captured, and only the intervention of the Orenburg Administration saved his life and regained his freedom.

The end of the life of the famous ruler

Abulkhair Khan failed to subdue all three Kazakh Zhuz, although he fought for supreme power for many years. Through the expanse of the boundless steppes, the glory of him as a fearless commander and ally of the equally famous Khan Abylai diverge. However, such popularity among the people has generated the envy of many Kazakh rulers. One of them - Sultan Barak - made a lot of efforts to overthrow his rival. Both of them, possessing bright charismatic qualities, nurtured mutual hatred towards each other. This was the cause of the tragic denouement.

From the documents that have come down to us it is known that in August 1748 Abulkhair Khan, accompanied by a few guards, was returning from Orsk fortress. On the way he was waiting for an ambush, arranged by Barak and his associates.

In the unequal battle, the head of the Younger Zhuz was killed. Buried Abulkhair near the confluence of the rivers Kabyrga and Olkeyka. This place is located eighty kilometers from Turgai - one of the cities of the Aktobe region.

The national memory

Nowadays this place has become one of the monuments of the history of Kazakhstan. In the people it is called Khan molasi, which in translation means "the grave of the khan". In September 2011, the Committee on Science under the government of the country, in the framework of the program studying the rule of Khan Abulkhair, initiated the exhumation of his remains. The genetic examination carried out has confirmed their authenticity, which is very important, since he is one of the heroes, whose veneration of memory is growing every year.

Descendants of the khan

After the death of Abulkhair, his son Nuraly became the Khan of the Younger Zhuz and, following the example of his father, sought to alliance with a powerful and powerful neighbor, Russia. Numerous of his grandsons and great-grandchildren also belonged to the circle of supreme khanate rule.

An interesting detail: one of the distant descendants of Abulkhair, Gubaidullah, became a prominent Russian military figure during the reign of Alexander II. Having lived until 1909, he passed away as a general from the cavalry and recognized as the founder of the national communications troops. Abulkhair Khan himself, whose biography still requires in-depth study, remained forever in the memory of his people.