Maslyuzhenko D.N. Turko-Mongol Traditions in the “State of Nomadic Uzbeks” of Abu al-Khair Khan

The author of this article identifies the daily and political traditions in the Khanate of Abu al-Khair, which researchers traditionally call the “State of nomadic Uzbeks”. This State was created in the south of Western Siberia in the 1430’s and annexed by military means to the land of Shiban’s (the...

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Main Author: D.N. Maslyuzhenko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Marjani Institute of History 2014-09-01
Series:Золотоордынское обозрение
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Online Access:http://goldhorde.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/%D0%97%D0%BE%D0%BB-%D0%9E%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%B7%D1%805-121-138.pdf
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author D.N. Maslyuzhenko
author_facet D.N. Maslyuzhenko
author_sort D.N. Maslyuzhenko
collection DOAJ
description The author of this article identifies the daily and political traditions in the Khanate of Abu al-Khair, which researchers traditionally call the “State of nomadic Uzbeks”. This State was created in the south of Western Siberia in the 1430’s and annexed by military means to the land of Shiban’s (the younger brother of Batu) descendants. The overwhelming majority of researchers consider it as a Muslim State since its very foundation, substantiating their allegations by indication both on the reading of khutba in honor of Khan after he took the “throne of Sain Khan” and on the presence of the sheikhs and Sufis in his entourage. At the same time, the authority of Abu al-Khair had the strong support of nomadic elite of more than twenty tribes. Precisely this elite, its inquiries and interests, which were advocated on the nobility councils, formed the existing political and daily traditions. These traditions reflect the preservation of Turko-Mongol customs among nomadic populations. We can find analogies of these practices in the earlier customs among the precursors of post-Golden Horde State, i.e., in the Mongol Empire and the ulus of Jochi. Traditions of the Abu al-Khair’s Khanate represented a phenomenon of cultural inertia, which were restored in the conditions of Islamization and could become the adats. This effect is particularly significant in view of the specific attitude of Sufi tariqats to the phenomena of social life. In political terms, of particular importance among these was the restoration of the Toy and the related kurultay that could take place in accordance with the existing steppe (animals) calendar. The khans restored the ritual of robes and belts’ distribution as the main mechanism for redeployment of posts and responsibilities among the steppe aristocracy. Military tradition was also focused on samples of the previous time, which was particularly manifested in the selection of wings and avant-garde. In the course of military operations, there was the prevalent practice of magical rites known since the early Middle Ages and aimed at influencing the weather by means of the magic stone “yada” and Yadachi-sorcerers.
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spelling doaj-art-65f69da285114da89f44bf3451e83db42025-08-20T02:51:50ZengTatarstan Academy of Sciences, Marjani Institute of HistoryЗолотоордынское обозрение2308-152X2313-61972014-09-013121138Maslyuzhenko D.N. Turko-Mongol Traditions in the “State of Nomadic Uzbeks” of Abu al-Khair KhanD.N. Maslyuzhenko0Kurgan State UniversityThe author of this article identifies the daily and political traditions in the Khanate of Abu al-Khair, which researchers traditionally call the “State of nomadic Uzbeks”. This State was created in the south of Western Siberia in the 1430’s and annexed by military means to the land of Shiban’s (the younger brother of Batu) descendants. The overwhelming majority of researchers consider it as a Muslim State since its very foundation, substantiating their allegations by indication both on the reading of khutba in honor of Khan after he took the “throne of Sain Khan” and on the presence of the sheikhs and Sufis in his entourage. At the same time, the authority of Abu al-Khair had the strong support of nomadic elite of more than twenty tribes. Precisely this elite, its inquiries and interests, which were advocated on the nobility councils, formed the existing political and daily traditions. These traditions reflect the preservation of Turko-Mongol customs among nomadic populations. We can find analogies of these practices in the earlier customs among the precursors of post-Golden Horde State, i.e., in the Mongol Empire and the ulus of Jochi. Traditions of the Abu al-Khair’s Khanate represented a phenomenon of cultural inertia, which were restored in the conditions of Islamization and could become the adats. This effect is particularly significant in view of the specific attitude of Sufi tariqats to the phenomena of social life. In political terms, of particular importance among these was the restoration of the Toy and the related kurultay that could take place in accordance with the existing steppe (animals) calendar. The khans restored the ritual of robes and belts’ distribution as the main mechanism for redeployment of posts and responsibilities among the steppe aristocracy. Military tradition was also focused on samples of the previous time, which was particularly manifested in the selection of wings and avant-garde. In the course of military operations, there was the prevalent practice of magical rites known since the early Middle Ages and aimed at influencing the weather by means of the magic stone “yada” and Yadachi-sorcerers.http://goldhorde.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/%D0%97%D0%BE%D0%BB-%D0%9E%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%B7%D1%805-121-138.pdfnomadic IslamizationTurko-Mongol traditionsnomadic eliteShaybanidsState of the nomadic UzbeksKhan Abu al-Khair.
spellingShingle D.N. Maslyuzhenko
Maslyuzhenko D.N. Turko-Mongol Traditions in the “State of Nomadic Uzbeks” of Abu al-Khair Khan
Золотоордынское обозрение
nomadic Islamization
Turko-Mongol traditions
nomadic elite
Shaybanids
State of the nomadic Uzbeks
Khan Abu al-Khair.
title Maslyuzhenko D.N. Turko-Mongol Traditions in the “State of Nomadic Uzbeks” of Abu al-Khair Khan
title_full Maslyuzhenko D.N. Turko-Mongol Traditions in the “State of Nomadic Uzbeks” of Abu al-Khair Khan
title_fullStr Maslyuzhenko D.N. Turko-Mongol Traditions in the “State of Nomadic Uzbeks” of Abu al-Khair Khan
title_full_unstemmed Maslyuzhenko D.N. Turko-Mongol Traditions in the “State of Nomadic Uzbeks” of Abu al-Khair Khan
title_short Maslyuzhenko D.N. Turko-Mongol Traditions in the “State of Nomadic Uzbeks” of Abu al-Khair Khan
title_sort maslyuzhenko d n turko mongol traditions in the state of nomadic uzbeks of abu al khair khan
topic nomadic Islamization
Turko-Mongol traditions
nomadic elite
Shaybanids
State of the nomadic Uzbeks
Khan Abu al-Khair.
url http://goldhorde.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/%D0%97%D0%BE%D0%BB-%D0%9E%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%B7%D1%805-121-138.pdf
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