Alimqul
Encyclopedia
`Alimqul (ca. 1833 – 1865) was a warlord in the Kokand Khanate
, and its de facto ruler from 1863 to 1865.
Alimqul was born in Buchun Bitkan near Kokand
ca. 1833, into a family of a Kyrgyz-Kipchak bey
s. He studied in madrasah
s in Andijan
and Kokand
, earning the title of mullah
, and for a while he himself served as the biy
of Qurghan Tepa, near Andijan.
In 1858, Alimqul helped Malla Beg (Malla Bek) overthrow his brother Khudayar Khan by bringing the Kyrgyz over to Malla Beg's side. Malla Beg, upon seizing the Kokandian khan's throne in November 1858, rewarded Alimqul with several successive promotions. In 1860, already governor of Marghilan, Alimqul was in charge of a large Kokandian force that defeated invaders from the Emirate of Bukhara
.
Alimqul actively participated in the struggle for power that ensued after the death of Malla Beg in a February, 1862, coup. He soon succeeded in thwarting Bukhara's attempt to bring Khudayar Khan back to power. Not being of royal blood himself, Alimqul elevated Malla Beg's minor son, Sultan Sayyid Khan as a titulary khan, and ruled the country himself as the commander in chief of the military (Amir-i Lashkar).
In late 1864, Alimqul was instrumental in sending Buzurg Khan and Yaqub Beg to Kashgar
. Once established as Kashgar's ruler, Buzurg and Yaqub sent Alimqul an ambassador, Mir Baba, with rich gifts. Although Mir Baba met with Alimqul, he did not have a chance to deliver the presents: Alimqul was wounded and died when defending Tashkent
against the Russians in May 1865.
Khanate of Kokand
The Khanate of Kokand was a state in Central Asia that existed from 1709–1883 within the territory of modern eastern Uzbekistan, southern Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan...
, and its de facto ruler from 1863 to 1865.
Alimqul was born in Buchun Bitkan near Kokand
Kokand
Kokand is a city in Fergana Province in eastern Uzbekistan, at the southwestern edge of the Fergana Valley. It has a population of 192,500 . Kokand is 228 km southeast of Tashkent, 115 km west of Andijan, and 88 km west of Fergana...
ca. 1833, into a family of a Kyrgyz-Kipchak bey
Bey
Bey is a title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. Accoding to some sources, the word "Bey" is of Turkish language In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word...
s. He studied in madrasah
Madrasah
Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
s in Andijan
Andijan
Andijan or Andizhan is the fourth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and the capital of the Andijan Province. It is located in the east of the country, at , in the Fergana Valley, near the border with Kyrgyzstan on the Andijan-Say River...
and Kokand
Kokand
Kokand is a city in Fergana Province in eastern Uzbekistan, at the southwestern edge of the Fergana Valley. It has a population of 192,500 . Kokand is 228 km southeast of Tashkent, 115 km west of Andijan, and 88 km west of Fergana...
, earning the title of mullah
Mullah
Mullah is generally used to refer to a Muslim man, educated in Islamic theology and sacred law. The title, given to some Islamic clergy, is derived from the Arabic word مَوْلَى mawlā , meaning "vicar", "master" and "guardian"...
, and for a while he himself served as the biy
Biy
Biy were elected judges and administrators in Kazakhstan. Biys are below Sultans in rank.According to the website of the :In the 17th and 18th Centuries the nomadic Jungar tribes directed by the Chinese Bogdykhans started a large scale war against the Kazakh khanate...
of Qurghan Tepa, near Andijan.
In 1858, Alimqul helped Malla Beg (Malla Bek) overthrow his brother Khudayar Khan by bringing the Kyrgyz over to Malla Beg's side. Malla Beg, upon seizing the Kokandian khan's throne in November 1858, rewarded Alimqul with several successive promotions. In 1860, already governor of Marghilan, Alimqul was in charge of a large Kokandian force that defeated invaders from the Emirate of Bukhara
Emirate of Bukhara
The Emirate of Bukhara was a Central Asian state that existed from 1785 to 1920. It occupied the land between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, known formerly as Transoxiana. Its core territory was the land along the lower Zarafshan River, and its urban centres were the ancient cities of...
.
Alimqul actively participated in the struggle for power that ensued after the death of Malla Beg in a February, 1862, coup. He soon succeeded in thwarting Bukhara's attempt to bring Khudayar Khan back to power. Not being of royal blood himself, Alimqul elevated Malla Beg's minor son, Sultan Sayyid Khan as a titulary khan, and ruled the country himself as the commander in chief of the military (Amir-i Lashkar).
In late 1864, Alimqul was instrumental in sending Buzurg Khan and Yaqub Beg to Kashgar
Kashgar
Kashgar or Kashi is an oasis city with approximately 350,000 residents in the western part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Kashgar is the administrative centre of Kashgar Prefecture which has an area of 162,000 km² and a population of approximately...
. Once established as Kashgar's ruler, Buzurg and Yaqub sent Alimqul an ambassador, Mir Baba, with rich gifts. Although Mir Baba met with Alimqul, he did not have a chance to deliver the presents: Alimqul was wounded and died when defending Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
against the Russians in May 1865.
Literature
- Timur Beisembiev. "The Life of Alimqul: A Native Chronicle of Nineteenth Century Central Asia". Published 2003, Routledge (UK). 280 pages. ISBN 0700711147
- Beisembiev T. K. Kokandskaia istoriografiia : Issledovanie po istochnikovedeniiu Srednei Azii XVIII-XIX vekov. Almaty, TOO "PrintS", 2009, 1263 pp., ISBN 9965-482-84-5.
- Beisembiev Timur K. "Annotated indices to the Kokand Chronicles". Tokyo: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Studia Culturae Islamica. № 91, 2008, 889 pp., ISBN 978-4-86337-001-2.
- Beisembiev T.K. "Ta'rikh-i SHakhrukhi" kak istoricheskii istochnik. Alma Ata: Nauka , 1987. 200 pp. Summaries in English and French.