Kazakh Khanate

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Kazakh Khanate (Kazakh: Қазақ хандығы, Russian: Казахское ханство) was a medieval Kazakh state that existed in 1456-1731, located roughly on the territory of present day Republic of Kazakhstan.

[edit] History

Kazakh Khanate was founded in 1456 on the banks of Zhetisu (seven rivers) in the south eastern part of present Republic of Kazakhstan by Janybek Khan and Kerei Khan. During the reign of Kasym Khan (1511-1523), the Kazakh Khanate expanded considerably.

Kasym Khan instituted the first Kazakh code of laws in 1520, called "Qasym Khannyn Qasqa Zholy" (Bright Road of Kasym Khan).

Other prominent Kazakh khans included Haknazar Khan, Esim Khan, Tauke Khan, Abylai Khan.

Kazakh Khanate did not always have a unified government. The Kazakhs were traditionally divided into three parts - Senior Zhuz, Middle Zhuz, and Lesser Zhuz. All zhuzes had to agree in order to have a common khan. In particular, in 1731 there was no strong Kazakh leadership, and the three zhuzes were incorporated into the Russian Empire one by one. At that point, the Kazakh Khanate ceased to exist.

Kazakh Khanate is described in historical texts such as the Tarikh-i-Rashidi (1541-1545) by Muhammad Haidar Dughlat, and Zhamigi-at-Tavarikh (1598-1599) by Kadyrgali Kosynuli Zhalayir.