Every nation has leaders that it prides itself on. For the Mongols, this is Genghis Khan, for the French - Napoleon, for the Russians - Peter I. Among the Kazakhs, such people were the famous ruler and commander Abilmansur Ablai Khan. The biography and activities of this person will be the subject of our study.
The situation in the lands of the Kazakhs
Before we move on 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.
Since the mid-17th century, the entire history of the Kazakh Khanate has been associated with the struggle against the Dzungarian aggression. Dzhungars are a Mongolian tribe that managed to create a powerful state and sought to seize the vast nomads located on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. More than one generation of Kazakhs suffered from the invasions of this people. For a while, the jungars even managed to subjugate the southern regions of the country.
In the fight against foreign invaders, the single Kazakh state in 1718 was divided into three parts - the Younger, Middle and Senior Zhuz.
It was in such a difficult political situation that Ablai was born.
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 into the family of a noble Kazakh, Korkem Uali-Sultan. Ablai Khan was named after his grandfather - the famous ruler of the Elder Zhuz, whose residence was Tashkent. But at birth he had a different name - Abilmansur.
Already at the age of thirteen, Ablai Khan lost his father, who was killed in a skirmish with the Dzungars. From an early age, he was forced to rely only on himself. The guy was hired by a shepherd to Tolebiy, 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 Abilmambet became the khan of the Middle Zhuz in 1734, he received the title of sultan and the post of military leader.
In the early 40s in Orenburg, Ablai, Abilmambet and other noble people of the Middle Zhuz agreed on a protectorate of the Russian Empire over their lands. Thus, they hoped to enlist the support of a strong power in the fight against the Dzungars and other Central Asian states.
Initially, Ablai acted very successfully in the war against the Dzungars, having won a number of victories over them. But already in 1742, Ablai Khan found himself in captivity, having been defeated by Jungar hordes on the Ishim River. However, this captivity was not in vain. Ablai learned the Dzungarian culture, language, customs, became closely acquainted with their ruler Galdan-Tseren and made friends with many noble Dzhungars.
In 1743, with the participation of the Russian side, there was an exchange of Ablai for another high-ranking captive.
Meanwhile, the situation has radically changed. Galdan-Tseren died, and a significant part of the land occupied by the Dzungars was captured by the Manchu troops of the Qing Dynasty, which ruled in China. Now the Kazakhs have temporarily teamed up with their old enemies to repel the Chinese. But soon this alliance broke up, and Ablai was forced to make an alliance with the Qing House, and in 1756 he and the khan of the Middle Zhuz actually recognized vassal dependence on China.
In 1756, Ablai personally visited the Chinese capital of Beijing, where he received the high title of van from the emperor.
At the same time, the Kazakh military leader did not give up the Russian protectorate and constantly maintained ties with this northern country.
Acceptance of the Khan's title
No less interesting will be his further biography. Ablai Khan in 1771 received the Khan's title of Middle Zhuz. It happened after the death of Abulmambet. And although by tradition one of the close relatives of the deceased was to inherit the throne, the people and the nobility of the Middle Zhuz considered that only Ablai deserved the highest title.
During his reign, he was able to subjugate most of the territories of two other zhuzes, therefore he rightly called himself the great khan of all Kazakhs.
At a time when the Pugachev uprising was raging in Russia , Ablai led a rather wise and cunning policy. On the one hand, he promised support for the rebel and even personally met with him, but on the other, he negotiated with representatives of the Russian throne and assured them of his loyalty. Ablai, for one reason or another, still did not provide actual assistance to Pugachev.
He wanted to carry out a series of significant reforms that were supposed to promote the spread of agriculture among the Kazakhs and, ultimately, lead them to settled, but ran into fierce resistance from the nobility, who saw innovations as restrictions on their rights and independence.
Death
Before his death, Ablai, seeing that the nobility did not accept his reform of transferring Kazakhs to settled agriculture, voluntarily renounced power and retired to the lands of the Elder Zhuz. He died in 1781 with his death in Tashkent, and was buried in the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed.
Ablai left behind a lot of children. Only males, there were 30 people.
Heritage
Kazakhs still remember what great benefit Ablai Khan brought to his land. Biographies and historical figures are of interest to all people, not just Kazakhs, but for the people the memory of the hero is sacred. Many monuments were erected throughout Kazakhstan, feature films were shot about him. 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.