Ablai Khan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abu'l-Mansur (Abylai) KhanӘбілмансұр (Абылай) хан أبو المنصور (أبيلي) خان |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khan of the Three Kazakh Jüzes Khanzada Sultan Shah-i-Turan |
|||||
fantasy image on a postage stamp of Kazakhstan, 2000
|
|||||
| Khan of the Kazakh Khanate | |||||
| Reign | 1771–1781 | ||||
| Coronation | 1771 | ||||
| Khan of the Middle Zhuz | |||||
| Reign | 1733/1743–1781 | ||||
| Predecessor | Abilmambet Khan | ||||
| Successor | Wali Khan | ||||
| Born | May 23, 1711 Turkistan, Kazakh Khanate |
||||
| Died | May 23, 1781 (aged 70) Tashkent, Kazakh Khanate |
||||
| Spouse | Ruhani Daulet Begum | ||||
| Issue | Wali Khan Kasym Sultan Suyuk Sultan Adil Sultan (there were 30 sons in total) |
||||
|
|||||
| House | House of Borjigin | ||||
| Dynasty | Tore House of Urus Khan |
||||
| Father | Korkem Wali Sultan | ||||
| Mother | Jazira Begum | ||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | ||||
Abylai Khan, also known as Ablai Khan, was a very important leader of the Kazakh people. His full name was Wāli-ūllah Abū'l-Mansūr Khan. He was born on May 23, 1711, and passed away on May 23, 1781. Abylai Khan became a powerful "khan" (which means a ruler or king) of the Middle Jüze, a central part of the Kazakh lands. He led the Kazakh Khanate during a challenging time.
Contents
Life of Abylai Khan
Abylai Khan was born as Wali-ullah Abu'l-Mansur Khan. He came from a noble family, directly related to Janybek Khan, who founded the Kazakh state in the 15th century. His father was Korkem Wali Sultan. At birth, he was given the shorter name Abulmansur.
Early Years and Challenges
When Abulmansur was just thirteen, his father was killed by political rivals. This made his childhood difficult. He spent many years living away from home, near what is now Burabay. He even worked as a shepherd for a noble named Tole Bi and then for a herdsman.
Because he was poorly dressed and looked thin, people called him "Sabalak," which meant "the beggar." But even then, Abulmansur carried himself with dignity. He liked to be alone. He kept the name "Sabalak" as a secret identity. This helped him avoid being noticed by his father's enemies.
Later, as a teenager, he got the nickname "Ablai." This is the name he became most famous for.
Becoming a Military Leader
In the early 1700s, Ablai Khan showed he was a great organizer and military leader. He led groups of Kazakh fighters during the Kazakh-Dzungar Wars. These wars were very important for the Kazakh people.
He fought in many big battles against the Dzungars from the 1720s to the 1750s. Because of his bravery and strength, the people called him a "batyr," which means a "hero." He also received the special title Shah-i-Turan, meaning "King of Turan" in Persian. He was the last Kazakh ruler to hold this title. The Kazakh Khanate faced many challenges after his death.
Uniting the Kazakhs
Ablai Khan wanted to create a strong and independent Kazakh state. He worked to bring together the different Kazakh groups. He also tried to make the government stronger and more centralized in Kazakhstan.
Before he became the khan of all three Kazakh "jüzes" (regions), Ablai had to compete with other leaders. At first, the Russian Empire supported Abul-Mambet Khan as the leader of the Middle Jüze. But Ablai was supported by China.
Ablai was very smart at playing China and Russia against each other. This helped him become the most powerful leader in the steppe lands. Unlike some other khans, Ablai never fully gave in to Russian rule.
Becoming the Khan of All Jüzes
In 1771, after Abulmambet Khan died, the leaders of the clans met at a "kurultai" (a big meeting or congress) in Burabay. With the support of important leaders like Kazybek biy, Abylai was chosen as the Kazakh khan.
He then expanded his power to include parts of the Senior and Junior jüzes. He saw himself as the khan of all three Kazakh jüzes.
The Russian Empress wanted to officially approve his title. She sent a letter asking him to come to Qyzyljar in 1779 to receive the title. But Abylai never went. He refused Russia's request to appoint him. Other khans often competed for gifts and money from the Russian Emperors in exchange for their loyalty. But Ablai Khan did not want to bow down to the growing Russian Empire.
Instead, he focused on making the Kazakhs stronger. He encouraged Islam and the idea of "jihad" (a struggle or effort) to help his people resist foreign powers.
Later Campaigns and Death
During the Qing dynasty's wars against the Dzungars, Ablai Khan chose not to pick a side. He even gave shelter to some Dzungar leaders. But when these Dzungar leaders started fighting among themselves, Ablai Khan used the chance to take land and herds from them.
Later, during a rebellion against the Qing in 1755-56, Ablai Khan again offered safety to a Dzungar leader. He refused to hand him over, even when threatened. However, by 1757, Ablai Khan recognized Chinese rule. Both the Chinese and the Russians then confirmed him as the Kazakh Khan.
He led many military campaigns against the Khanate of Kokand and the Kyrgyz. In his last campaign, his troops freed many cities in Southern Kazakhstan. They even captured Tashkent. He then went into present-day Kyrgyzstan and won a fierce battle against local warlords.
Abylai Khan died in 1781. He was buried in the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasavi in Hazrat-e Turkestan. After his death, his sons fought over who would take the throne. In 1781, his son Wali Sultan became the khan of the Kazakhs.
Legacy
- One of his descendants was Shoqan Walikhanov (1835-1865), a famous Kazakh scholar and historian.
- Abylai Khan University, founded in 1941, is named after Ablai Khan.
- In 1993, Ablai Khan's image appeared on the 100 Kazakh tenge banknote.
- The 2005 Kazakhstani film Nomad tells the story of Ablai Khan's life.
- There is a special slow march in the Military Band Service named after Ablai Khan.
- A street in central Almaty is named after Ablai Khan.
- Abylai Khan (monument)
See also
In Spanish: Ablai Khan para niños
- List of Kazakh khans
- Kenesary Khan
Sources
- Alexei I. Levshin, Opisanie kirgiz-kazach’ikh ili kirgiz-kaisatskikh ord i stepei (St. Petersburg,. 1832).
- Website on the Kazakh Diaspora
- History of Kazakhstan to 1700 Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
