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Kashgar-Turfan
(Chagatai) Khanate |
In the beginning of the fifteenth century, the Chagatai Dynasty
established dominion in the Eastern Turkestan and the ancient Uighur region. These people
had adopted the religion of Islam and they were fighting with Oyrat and Kalmuk people who
were not Muslims and they usually were involved in wars against them.
Veyiz Khan who was the ruler of Chagatai people maintained his
domination between the years of 1418-1428 and on the other hand, he opened irrigation
channels and tried to develop agriculture. He had established dominion in the entire
Kashgar, Yarkent and Hotan cities and their environs.
Veyis Khan died in the year of 1429 and a struggle for the throne burst
out between his sons, Esen Buga and Yunus Bey. Emir Doglat Seyyid Ali supported Esen Buga
and Esen Buga ascended the throne. His brother, Yunus Bey who was a scholar and a man of
letters took shelter in the side of Ulug Bey from Timurogullari dynasty.
Yunus Bey did not give up his claims in the throne and he watched for
an opportunity to ascend the throne. When Esen Buga died in the year of 1462, he found the
opportunity that he looked for and he captured the entire western Chagatai region through
the support of Timurlu Ebu Said Khan. However, the environs of Kasghar, Yarkent and Hotan
remained under the domination of Turkish Doglat family that was subject to Chagatai Khan
in form.
When Timurlu Ebu Said died, his sons were on strained terms with each
other. Yunus Khan was also involved in these struggles. He captured Tashkent from Timurlu
people in the year of 1484 and he moved his capital city from Turfan to Tashkent. Upon the
death of Yunus Khan in the year of 1486, his son, Ahmet replaced him. Ahmed Khan organised
victorious military expeditions against Oyrat and Kalmuk peoples and he captured Kashgar
and Yenihisar and annexed these places into his country. He governed in Aksu and Turfan,
and the new Uighur region and his brother, Mahmud Khan resided in Tashkent and governed
the western regions of the country.
Menawhile, Muhammed Şıbanî who was subject to and in the service of
Mahmud Khan declared his khanate in Turkestan and penetrated into Samarkand. Upon this
event, the brothers, Ahmed Khan and Mahmud Khan united their forces and advanced towards
Şibani. However, as we have observed in the preceding section, Şibani won a victory in
this war and he took prisoner the brothers of Ahmed and Mahmud Khans. Then, Şibani
annexed Tashkent and Sayram to his country and let the prisoner brothers free.
Ahmed Khan died in the year of 1503 and he was replaced by his son,
Mansur. Mansur was known as the Uighur Khan, and his brother, Said Khan governed Kasghar,
Yarkent and Hokand. The two brothers endeavoured great efforts in order to disseminate the
religion of Islam.
Upon the death of the Uighur (Turfan) Khan, Mansur in the year of 1543,
the struggles for the throne came into existence and China incited this turmoil. However,
the Turfan Khanate or Sultanate survived for a long time despite its decline.
Pursuant to Said Khan that governed the Kashgar branch of the khanate,
he was replaced by his son, Abdürreşit (1565). However, the khanate that was exposed to
the attacks of Doglat, Khirghiz-Kazakh people became smaller and smaller gradually and at
the end of the 16th century, it was only consisted of Kashgar. This region became
submissive to China in the period of Manchu dynasty (1644-1911). However, the rebellions
carried on.
The rebellion initiated by Yakub Bey in the year of 1866 was oriented
towards the declaration of independence of Turkestan. Yakub Bey was called with the title
of "Atalık Ghazi". He refused the submission to China and he declared himself
as Kashgar Khan. The Eastern Turkestan was under the threat of Chinese people from the
east, Russians from the north, and English people from the south.
These states provided all sorts of promises to him, but they watched
for an opportunity to invade his country on the other hand. Aware of this situation, Yakub
Khan knew that the state to which he should become submissive would be the Ottoman Empire.
Therefore, he sent envoys to this state in the year of 1870 and declared his submission to
Sultan Abdulaziz.
Ottomans could not provide any help and assistance apart from sending
military teachers and a specific amount of weapons to Kashgar since their situation was
not so good in that period.
Yakub Khan died in the year of 1877 and the resistance was suppressed.
The Chinese people annexed Kashgar-Turfan (Chagatai) Khanate to their lands and they
called this region with the name of Sinkiang (Sincan) that meant the "Newly Conquered
Country".
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