Uzbek khan(1283-1341/42) – is the ruler of the Golden Horde, between 1312/13-1341/42. Islam was proclaimed as the official religion of the Golden Horde by Uzbek Khan.
Biography
Uzbek (Muslim name – Sultan Giyas ad-Din Mukhammed) is one of the famous rulers of the Golden Horde.
Uzbek khan is the brother of Toksy Khan and the grandson of Mengu-Temir. In the first decade of the XIV century, when Uzbek khan and his son Zhanibek came to the power, the Golden Horde state became stronger. Medieval data is characterized by the appearance of a “handsome, fair-minded, nice Muslim and brave young man” [1, p. 174].
The arrival of Uzbek khan in power is closely linked to the tragic events in the history of the Golden Horde. For example, Utemis Hajji, the author of the “Genghis-Name” informs the following story about this event. Tokta khan (1290-1312) murdered other princes of the sons of Batu Khan in order to leave power in his beloved son Elbasar. However, by fate, Elbasar passed away earlier before his father. It is now known that after Tokta Khan the Golden Horde would also pass to other generations of Zhoshi. The khan was envious and frustrated who felt this. At that time the Queen of Byzantium, the widow of Togrul, whosehusband was killed by the hands of Tokta khan, Kelin-Bayalinwho was the wife of Tokta opened a mysterious secret. Her sona great Uzbek was alive, who was real son of Togrul, frightening by the anger of Tokta Khan he was hiddenin the Sherkes Mountain.
Knowing this information the khan was happy and Kelin-Bayalin were given 2 tumen troops and was sent 4,000 people ruled by kiyat Isatay and anzhut Alatay to bring the boy. However, Tokta khan died before this army brought Uzbek. The elder Tokty Badzhir Tokbuga Uigur who used this situation captured the ruling of Palace. When Uzbek and his companions heard about it, they sent a message to Sarai, and told him that they would recognize his authority. In turn, Badzhir TokbugaUigursaid that“I was forced to do this in order somebody else would not have a throne before coming to Uzbek. Is there any way to take over authority when my lord`s son is alive? Let the ruler come. The people and the khanate are belong to him”. In fact, he is thinking about how to eliminate Uzbek. One of the orders Sangusun informed kiyat Isatay about the true intent of this Uigur. Therefore, Uzbek khan and his companions invaded the horde and tore down the head of traitor.
To express his gratitude to the commanders who influenced his authority, Uzbek khan gave Alatau thestate consisted of ming tribe, kiyat Isatay was given also Zhosh’s descendants withwarriors and people. This was also a form of punishment for the Zhoshi`s descendants who acknowledged the authority of “karasuiek” Uigur. Utemis Hajj reported thatfurtherkiyat Isatay had freed the Shaybani descendants among the descendants of Zhoshi who were given to him and gave them even the tribes as Karlyk and Buiryk [2, p. 102-105].
Certainly, in this data is clear that most stories of ancient time had been reported as conversations from generation to generation. However, from this story, we can see that the main reason for the coming of Uzbek khan to authority, who had not “right” to the throne of Golden Horde, had obtained possession of the Saiyn(Batu) Khan , was the result of the decision of tribal rulers and their specific actions. Therefore, the role of tribal leaders and their roles in the political life becomes stronger, as they had the privilege of supporting him.
The beginning of the XIV century was rememberedas increasedinfluence of the Muslims in the Golden Horde. As we have already noted, when Uzbek khan was coming to the power, his opposethe son of Tokti Khan was supported by the shamanism preacher’s steppe aristocracy. Uzbek was supported by other part of feudal aristocracy, who was a preacher of Islam and related to trade and Muslim centers of the city. After Tokty khan, the Muslims began to form a groupwho had felt that Elbasmysh came to power. Everything was headed by the famous amir Kutlyk Temir [3, p. 587-589]. Kutluk Temir and his brothers and some Muslim clergies supported the candidacy of Uzbek Khan. There are three different opinions about Islam as a state religion in the historiography of the Golden Horde, as a result of the events of 1312 when Uzbek Khan came to power. The first waswritten in “the history of Sheikh Uaiys” as followings: “In the same year, Tokty Khandiedin the Deshti Kipshak. His eldestson was Elbasmysh and chief commander was Kadak. He wanted Elbasmysh to take the throne after Tokty. AndTulyshi’s son Uzbek advised with Kutluk Temir in Khoresm and came to the Hordeto wish condolences to the khan’s death. While telling condolence Uzbek killed Elbasmysh with knife. And Kutluk Temir killed Kadak by stabbing with a knife. In this way, the Khanate’s power went to Uzbek” [4, p. 198].
The second group of authors showed the change of power in the palace because of religious revolution. After the death of Tokty khan, the war began between the Muslims and the secularists. Numerous Mongolian aristocrats were opposed Uzbek as the illegal seizure of power. Among them were Manzhuk`s sonsTaz and Tungyr. Later, when Uzbek came to the power, he killed both of them and some local rulers. In the work of Hafiz Abru, there was one of the sons of Tokty, among 120 descendants of the Genghis, who opposed Uzbek [4, p. 278-279].
The third variant was based on an event in the history chronicles of Ibn Dukmak. There was noted that, “there was not left descendant after the death of Tokty Khan, KutlykTemir talked with his elder wife of Togruldzhi and put Uzbek to power”. [1, p. 323]. Thus, the data show that coming to power of Uzbek Khan was different.
There are various assumptions about the death of Uzbek khan. During the life Uzbek khan declared that Tinibek would be inheritor among his three sons. From 1333 years, he served as the heir to the state affairs, headed the khan army. According to data, during the death of Uzbek khan Tinibek was not in the New Palace, he was in the campaign to conquer the land of Shagatai. It is possible to conclude that the khan’s death will be happened suddenly, otherwise he would not send his heir to Central Asia. Tinibek, who heard the khan’s death, hurried to arrive in capital and to rule the khanate as soon as possible. When he was on the road, her mother agreed with her emirs and gave the throne to her second son, Zhanibek. At the same time, people were sent to Tinibek as if they welcome the khan from entering the capital. “The commandments came to him began to kiss his hand, then they struck him down and killed him. Later, they came to Zhanibek and informed him all about his brother. Zhanibek killed his younger brother Kydybek, and began to rule the country alone”.
Merits
For the first time in the history of the Golden Horde, Islam had been declared as the state religion by Uzbek. According to Abilgazy informed that he accepted Islam by Zengi-Ata who was the descendant of Arystan-Bab, the teacher of a great Sufi figure, an ideologist among the great Turkic tribe Akhmet Yassaui, and his follower Seid-Ata. [4]. According to folk legends, the ultimaterole to guide the khan in the acceptanceof Islam was done by the great Sufi master Baba Tuklas (later he was called Baba Tukti Shashti Aziz in the Kazakh epic tradition as the preceptor of heroes).
“The Chronicles Collection” describes the situation between an anonymous and persistent Uzbek and Islamic opponents: “We obey you, but how much is your matter in our faith? How we accept the religion of the Arabs by refusing Genghis Khan’s army and law (direct)?”, “He (Uzbek), -the author later wrote, “stood his ground. As a result, they hated Uzbek and tried to destroy him. To this end, they organized a meeting where they planned to kill him. When Uzbek came to the meetingKutluk Temir secretly pointed theplan of emirs by his eyes. Uzbekrode his horse and went away immediately, gathered his troops and defeated them. Toktay’s son with 120 princes of Genghis Khan’s dynasty were killed, and the emir informed it was hold in respect [4, p. 278-279].
According to the information, Uzbek khan declared Islam as a state religion, and he punished groups violently which did not accept Islam voluntarily and opposed it. For example, it was written thatambassador of the Golden Horde khan to the Egyptian sultan (19th – 16th April, 1314), congratulating the Sultan on spreading the Islam from China to the very edge of the West countries, and there were only a few people who did not follow Islam in their country. Further, there was reported that the khan told them as they agreed to the government they had either acceptthe religion voluntarily or the war, and they had chosen the latter, and they had been punished severely [1, p. 163]. Uzbek khan strengthened his power by overwhelmingly opposing the separatist groups that were against his rule.
The Russian historian N.Veselovsky wrote about Uzbek khan “this was a wonderful khan who set discipline in the Horde… During his rule, the state reached its highest level of development and power”. It should not be understood that the Khan’s individual shares in relation to representatives of other religions were the dominant political directions, it was as a general rule. According to R. Grusse, “the Mohammedan goals of the Uzbek khan did not prevent him to behave liberalconcerning to Christianity”.Pope John XXII thanked the Khan for his tolerance to the Catholic missions in his letter to Uzbek khan in 1338 July 13. During Uzbek and Zhanibek ruled the Golden Horde had a great reputation in the international arena after establishing considerable relations with the East and the West.
The radical Islamization of the Great Steppe and the reputation of this religion in the national tradition are depicted in the chronicle of Shakarim Kudaiberdiuly: “Uzbek khan was a Muslim and turned his whole nation to Islam. Since then, our people had not changed their religion”. The Khan’s active denominational policy was proved by Kazakh folklore, proverbs, sayings and songsdepicting the time of Uzbek Khan’s reign were preserved (for example, the proverbis used by Kazakh and Nogai “religionleft by Uzbek”). As a result of the religious reforms of the XIV century, Islam became the religion in the Kipshak steppes. Preservation of the remains of religious pluralism and shamanism inherent in nomads. At the end of the XV century, the conservation of residue of pluralism and shamanism belonged to nomadic could not prevent the formation of uniqueness of Central Asia ethnic-confessional associations of Hanafi-Sunnis Turkic-Muslims.
In this way, during the 30-years rule (1312-1342), Uzbek khan tookthe power in his hands, overcoming various uprisings in the regions. The princes of Zhoshi`s descendants recognized his authority and fulfilled all the requirements of the khan. In 1333, Ibn Battu, who visited Crimea, Middle and Lower area of the Volga and Khorezm, called Uzbek as the only ruler of Zhoshi`s tribe. On the Chinese map of the Mongolian possessions of 1331 there werepresented borders of the Mongolian states, including the Golden Horde map during Uzbek Khan. In this map the Golden Horde was considered as a unique state and the territory from the Irtysh River to the Syr Darya represented as the property of Uzbek Khan.
While Uzbek was ruling, the Mongols regained some of their traditional foreign policies after the death of Berke. During the feudal tension, the khans did not deal with Russian tribes. Khan’s privileges (taking thousands, hundreds, to handle gathering taxes to the Russian princes, giving concessions to the Russian believers, etc.) made the Russian condition much easier. And Uzbek khan subordinated to the Russian princes, who has been contended to each other to the power.
In 1318 Mikhail Yaroslavovich Tverskoy, in 1326 Dmitry Mikhailovich Tverskoy and Alexander Novosilsky, in 1327 Ivan Yaroslavovich Ryazansky, in 1330 Fedor Starodubsky, in 1339 Alexander Tverskoy and his son Fedor were killed. Now, there are more and more unitive punk squads in Russia [5, p. 333]. The fearsome Russian princes themselves brought tax to the khan. The Mongolian power in the Russian land moved to a new stage where military pressure was replaced by economic pressure.
After balancing forces in the North East, Uzbek government has also taken several measures against Lithuania, which has been a strong factor in the north-west. The Mongols could not resist the formation of this state, but could be weakened by systematic campaigns. As a result of similar campaigns of the XIX century, the movement of Lithuanians to the west were stopped.
The same policy was used by the Mongols in connection with Poland. In the 20’s of the XIV century, the upheaval of the Polish invasion caused great tension in the West. In the worst of these campaigns, in 1329the Pope Rome sent a special message, calling for all Western European rulers “toorganize crusades against the Tatars”, promising that all criminals of participants would be forgiven. However, this crusade did not happen. The Mongols destroyed the Lublin land in 1337 against the Pope’s message. Next year, “countless numbers of Uzbek Tatars penetrate into Poland and Hungary and robbed them” [5, p. 334].
It is clear that the foreign policy of the Golden Horde had been intensified byincluding the success of the war with Khulagids in the Caucasus and sending the large number of troops in the leadership of the heir rulers in the occupation of Shagatai warriors in Central Asia. The victorious wars of Uzbek khan with neighbors’and the successful state policy had turned back the forceof the Golden Hordeand made it one of the strongest countries in Europe and Asia.
In the period of the Golden Horde strengthening, there was no mention of the constituent invitations, and vice versa was heldkhan’s council where relatives of the khan and the commanderstook part in. With regard to this issue, it is possible to note the council about the marriage of Uzbek`s sister to the Egyptian sultan in 1316. This council was attended by the khan dynasty and 70 emirs and tyumen members to arrange the marriage contract [1, p. 439-440]. But this meeting was mostly as a family council. In other cases, related to the issues of public administration there was held the Khan’s “divan” council, which was set up by Khan himself. The factnot mentiongabout divan during previous khansshowed that the state was centralized by Uzbek khan. Arab writer al-Omari (who died in 1343) gave detailed description of the khan’s council during Uzbek and Zhanibek. Al-Omari wrote: “The rulers of this sultan – were great emirs of four tribes, the highest of themwerecalled beklerbek, that is the great emirs. All important matters were solved by these four Sultans, and if one of them was stayed out, then his name will be written down the decree…” [1, p. 439-440].
“The affairs were solved by vizier. And the vizier decided things without them, vicegerents were given orders by the vizier, and wrote their names to the decrees. The vizier -was the real Sultan who manages the divisions, divides them, and runs military affairs as beklerbek, even in the most important cases”.Two members joined in the four emirs werethe member of the Councilhad been identified by beklerbek and vizier. Beklerbek (commander of emirs) headed military affairs, and controlled the Tyumens, thousands, hundred and tens, and the second vizier engaged in civilian affairs of the state. As the Golden Horde was primarily a military-feudal state, the head of the military unit beklerbek was honored than civilian. That is why al-Omarireported that beklerbek was in the highestposition among the four councils” [1, p. 249, 348, 411.].
Regulation of governing bodies was carried out in connection with the centralization of public administration during the rule of Uzbek khan. At the beginning of the formation of the Golden Horde, the power was dismantled and the state was divided among the brothers of Batyi, each of them headed his own nation as a semi-independent ruler. Now, when the state centralized, former territories became territories under the command of the territorial administration.
The governors of the area gained wide power in their possessions. So when the Egyptian sultans contacted the khan, they usually sent their certificates to central authorities and regional leaders. The most prominent representatives of the feudal aristocracy were appointed to the post of the governor of the area, most of them were representatives of the same dynasty as inheritance to the territorial authority.
The Golden Horde state became one of the largest medieval states during the Uzbek rule. Separation of Zhoshi’s descendants from the Mongol Empire and the warsdirected to the independence was successful. The weakening or total subordination of the former half-indigenous tribes belonging to Batyi led to strengthening of the khanate.
The centralization of the state has grown considerably and the bureaucratic administration apparatus had been established in the center and at the local places. Country management was in the hands of the divan council. The local government that closely connected with the central administration and the central apparatus were dominated by local rulers which subjugating the khan`s council divan of four emirs.
In general, the administrative system of the Golden Horde state is one of the most unexplored issues. However, according to available information, the supreme power of the Golden Horde belonged to the khan,after the khan to beklerbek or to the great Karasha bek and the vizier. The great Karasha bekcontrolled the State Council divan that consists of four karasha bek, the Supreme Court, Foreign Affairs, and Army.The state council were subordinated the heads of tumens, the heads of regions and towns subordinated them [6, p. 122]. According to medieval information of writers al-Kushkandi and al-Muhibbiy, the chief of the supreme state administration of Great Zhoshi was the “council of four head emirs”. As mentioned above, the highest positionamong them was the beklerbek or the whole state of army was controlled by bek [1, p. 347]. He oversaw the affairs of the entire army, including emirs,thousands, tumenbasys [1, p. 348].
The Sultan of Egypt in his letters written to the bekler bekKutlybuka of Zhanibek Khanpromoted by these titles as: “The ruler of Uzbek land, the emir of the highest position, the great, the scientist, honest, creator, supporter, conciliator … the greatness of Islam and the Muslims, the head of two world rulers, the head of the troops and the clergyman,the head of the army, the conciliator of kings and sultans, the sword of the Muslim ruler” [1, p. 230]. This showed us how much the reputation and position of the beklerbek, who was at the second place after the khan of the Golden Horde.
Utemis Haji reported the name of Kutlyk Buka who had the throne of Sain Khan that was from the Naiman tribe of Khyzyr knah, came by the invitation of Uzbek khan`s wife Taydullah Begim during the “revolution” of the Golden Horde State [2, p. 112]. The authors of the data reported, that Kutlyk Buka advised to Naiman Khizr khan not to marry Taidulla who dyed her hair black and wanted to marry him. [2, p. 112]. The name of Kutlyk Buka emir was referredmany times in the references of the history of the Golden Horde. G.A. Fedorov-Davydov, concerning to thesedata,in 1347they mentioned the names of emirs as Maglu-Bey, Yagaltay, Yadkhozin and Kutlyk Buka, who took part in the negotiations with Venetiansinstead of Zhanibek khan, but in 1358 there were three emirs except the above-mentioned three names as Maglu-Bey, Kutlyk Buka, Yagaltay, who participated in the negotiations ofVenetians with Berdibek Khan [7, p. 146].
In the work of medieval Arab historian al-Mukhibbid, Kutlyk Buka was called Inak, and was reported that as formed tradition was one of the four emirs in the land ofUzbek Khan. The author identifies that Kutlyk Buka Inak was the“vice-governor of Zhanibek Khan” [1, p. 348] Analyzing this data, we concluded that in 1351 el- Mulhibba called Inak as Kuta Buka, and Kutlyk Buka who had been involved in the negotiations with Venetians were the same person. Russian scientists who conducted a dating source study of the Golden Horde state found in Venice in the XIV century, concluded that Kutlyk Buka was Ulug Karashi bek of Zhanibek Khan in 1351-1357 [8, p. 113]. Further researchers hadinformed thatKutlyk Buka served as the ruler of the Crimean Tyumen in short period (from September 1358 to 1359) [8, p. 109]. The researcher further noted that in 1337 he was known as one of the elders (brother) of Uzbek khan, in 1345was the head of the Altyn Orda army encircled the city Kafe, later Mogul Bukhan (Mogal-Bey) great bek of the khans of Zhanibek and Berdibek [1, p. 269] was known as the brother of Kutlyk Buka [8, p. 208]. According to the information, Mogul Buga had been killed by Khizir khan in 1360 [9, p. 79].
In the history of the Golden Horde greatkarasha beks became the second person after the Khan, solving all the important issues. Even if the khan’s decisions were largely dependent on the policy and direction of the great karasha beks` referendum, we will not be mistaken. This is because the Arab historian, al-Omari reported about Uzbek khan as: “In dealing with his state, he (Uzbek Khan) was limited only to the general features of the case, based on this can be noted that the authority of the emirs, who held all the vital power of the state has grown stronger [10, p. 367-368].
During Uzbek khan ruled, there was also observedthe economic rise of the Golden Horde. At that time, the number of cities increased dramatically, and in the 30th of the XIV century the khan began to build the new capital – Saray-al-Zhadid. Trading caravan roads were not only safe but also convenient. 33 Horezm, Russian, Caucasian, Genoese, Venetian, Egyptian, German and other merchants had become regular and familiar people at the Saray markets. The true source of prosperity in the Golden Horde was taxes, gains from war and trade revenues. The transit condition of the state between East and West and the arrival of rich traditions with Islam demanded and encouraged nomads to change inwardly. At that time, the power of the khan strengthened, his reputation increased. In foreign policy, Uzbek khan paid great attention to the war against the khulagids and tried to unite Azerbaijan.
The prosperity period in the cultural life of the Golden Hordetook place during Uzbek khan. In the first half of the XIV century religious and cult monuments were built in the largest cities of the Golden Horde. It is known that the first mosque construction began at the time of Berke Khan. However, the construction of the massive mosque and the development of civilization correspond to the character of Uzbek khan who regarded Islam as the state religion. For example, Kutlyk Temir Minaret that was 60 meters high, built in the 1320-1330s during Uzbek khan where were written names of the ruler of Ancient UrgenchKutlyk Temir and Uzbek Khan, and mausoleum was constructed for his wife, Torebek belle the daughter of Uzbek khan was the brightest monuments of Islamic architecture in the history of the Golden Horde.
The branches of spiritual, cultural and intellectual implications of Islamization were emphasized the cultural rise of the Golden Horde period. This has been steadily developedon the basis of Islam and the Turkic (Kipshak) language of state’s culture and had established the foundations for the culture of polyethnic Eurasian state. The literary language of the Golden Horde was the new phase of the development of the Turkic literary language (after the Karluk-Karakhan Renaissance), which was forming centre of the Turkic language Khorezm. At the time of Uzbek Khan and Zhanibek Khan, the problem of religion in Deshti Kipshak was a special importance, and the poems on the Islamic subject were widely spread in the Kipshak steppes. The literary epics, hadiths and plot from the Quranwere entered into the literature surrounding by folklore. Spiritual Renaissance in the Golden Horde period was reflected in the heroic epic as a synthesis of Islam and nomadic culture, some of them were known as the “The Forty Heroes of the Crimea”cycle and as the meaning of scientists many works had been formed in the Kypshak-Nogai period (XIV-XVI centuries).
Let`s talk about the left wing or WhiteHorde(Ak Orda) stateof the Golden Horde when Uzbek Khan was in the power. On the left wing of the Golden Horde were reignedthe descendants of Orda Ezhen, the eldest son of Zhoshi Khan. Generally, subordinating the ruler of the left wing to the khans on the throne in the Golden Horde had been preserved orally. Rashid ad-Dyn pointed out that the White-Horde rulers considered themselves as “vassals of the Batyi Khan descendants”, in fact, they were “independent kings of their own nation” [11, p. 66].
Medieval Persian historian Muin-ad-Din Natanzi reported that the khan of theWhite Horde Sasy Buka never denied on taking part in council as subordinating way to khans of the Golden Horde while reigning during the 30-years [12, p. 129]. Erzen Khan, son of Sasy Buka, did not abandon his obedience, despite the fact that his authority had the same status as Uzbek khan. Although his son Mubarak Kozha refused to obey the descendants of Sain Khan (Batyi), his rebellion was not able to support the people. Shymtai refused to own the throne of the Golden Horde, who ruled during the rebellion of khans Zhanibek, Berdibek, and Keldibek [12, p. 129]. Therefore, it can be noted that during Uzbek Khanthe inner political unity of the Golden Horde was strong and politically stable.
From 50-60s of the XIV century, tribes settling down in the area of the White Horde, i.e. East Deshti Kipshakbecame known as “Uzbeks”. In historical researches it is recognized that the name “Uzbek” in XIV-XV centuries was not used as an ethnonym but was generally used as the common, political name of the local Turkic and Turkic Mongolian tribes of East Deshti Kypshak. Therefore, the tribes founded by the people of the Deshti Kipshak in the first half of the XIV-XV centuries were known as “92 Uzbek tribes”. The exact list of these 92 tribes had been preserved in several medieval data. The researcher T.I. Sultanov who thoroughly analyzed and introduced this data to scientific cycle, gave a clear list of 92 Uzbek tribes and analyzed them according to several criteria [13, p. 26-51]. The twenty of these tribesas jalaiyr, konyrat, alshin, argyn, naiman, kipshak, kanly, mangyt, tabyn, tama, ramadan, uysin, teleu, kerderi, sherkes, kerei, oimauyk, kyrk, kereyit are found in the tribal structure of Kazakh people [13, p. 38].
In the meantime, the issue is reported about the ethnic emergenceof Uzbek. There are two different opinions about the emergence and the meaning of the term “Uzbek” among the scholars, who are engaged in this problem. A group of researchers studying the emergence of the term “Uzbek” was associated with the name of the Golden Horde Khan Uzbek (1312 – 1342) [14, p. 147; 15, p. 301]. During Uzbek khan, the Islamic religion became the official religion of the state in the Golden Horde and the state was at the peak of its prosperity, so some researchers confirmed that historians of that time wrote the Golden Horde was called the “Uzbek Horde”, people were called “Uzbek people”, “Uzbek country”or “Uzbeks”. And the second group of researchers were against this opinion and explained that the word “Uzbek” is derived from the word “uzi bek”, that is “the master to himself” [16, p. 2., 17, p. 4]. Their common argument was that the DeshtiKipshak tribes behavedand felt themselves free. However, it can be noticed why: only the nomads in the eastern part it means northern part of DeshtiKipshak was called“Uzbeks”. Why other nomads had not been called “Uzbeks” that separated from the Golden Horde? The answer to these questions shows that the second opinion is not clear and scientifically proved.
That is why most historians support the first opinion. There are certain patterns in the appearance and origin of all the ancient and medieval ethnonyms (folk names). It is well-known that the names of most of the Turkic-speaking peoples, i.e. ethnonyms are related to the names of specific historical figures. For example, name was given as the Oguz Kagan – oguzlar, Bulgar – bulgars, Khazar – khazars, Nogai – nogais, Ashina – Ashinas. Thus, there are not few names of tribes that formedfrom individuals. At present time, all the tribes and tribe departments of the Kazakh people are called by the names of people (personality, type, color, etc.) that are related to the person’s personality. That is to say, for the Turkic-speaking people, the appearance of ethnonim in relation to the names of historical figures is normal, which is even more legitimate. So, there is the basis the term “Uzbek” also was associated with Uzbek khan of the Golden Horde. The name “Uzbek” was found in the works of Rashid ad-Din as an individual person [18, p. 124, 133, 159, 194]. It also refers in the work as “The History Guzide” of Khandalah Kazvini and his son, Zain ad-din Kazvini. [12, p. 121-122].
From the 60’s of the XIV century, the word “Uzbek” was used as ethnic origin, started to be applied as the name of the people of a particular country. The Arabian historian, al-Kalkashin, who died in 1418, he called as Toktamysh Khan, the ruler of the Uzbek state [1, p. 414]. In the book of Nazim ad-Din Shami “Zafar Namama”, there was shown Uzbek Khan instead of Urus Khan of the Golden Horde [12, p. 106].
One of the most influential khans of the Golden Horde, Uzbek khan died in 1341/42. During the 30 years The Golden Horde reached its peak when it was ruled by Uzbek khan. Uzbek Khan’s commandment, which showed his son as his great heir was broken. The Golden Horde authorities moved to another son of Uzbek khan Zhanibek.
Memory
| The image of Uzbek khan – was painted in 1394 from Angelino Dulcert portlet (portlet – seaboard, port navigation guide from port). This is the only source of the image of Uzbek khan. In the port of Dulcert was depicted the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea and half water areaof the Caspian Sea. |
Uzbek Khan as a honorable statesman was the main character of many Arabic-Persian authors of the XIV-XV centuries. In particular, Ibn Battuta was honored to have a face to face meeting with him in 1333, there was written that “He is one of the seven great and most powerful kings in the world” [1, p. 290]. There was given description as the historian-chronicle al-Mufaddal said that, “… This young man is in a state of exterior appearance, well behaved, honest Muslim, courageous, energetic and powerful person” [1, p. 197], geographer and historian al-Aini reported that: “He was a hero, a courageous, religious and pious person, respected lawmakers, loved the scholars, heeded their advice, looked at them with conviction and kindness, showed respect to the elders, and visited them”. Al-Birzali wrote: “When king [Tokty] died, then Uzbek khan came to power when he was about thirty years old. He embraced Islam and was distinguished by his intelligent and beautiful appearance”. And in another place, the description was given that “young man was good-looking, a man of good character, a brilliant Muslim and a brave man” [1, p. 174]. Az-Zahabi was in good opinion about him “a brave hero, a consensus, a true Muslim, a doer who eliminated many emirs and wizards”. [1, p. 206]. Khulaguid historian Vassaf wrote a great deal of praise for him, even there was not any friendship with Uzbek-Khan, he wrote : “Very kind king Uzbek”, “the son of Toglyk, the son of Tokty, the son of Mengu-Temir, the trust of the God andownability of power” [4, p. 172.]
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