Tuqay-Timurids, Shibanids, and the Crimean Khanate in Qādir ʻAlī Beg’s historiography: How did the Later Jochid Sources Understand the Reorganization of the Jochid Ulus?

Abstract

Research objective: This article reviews the structure of Qādir ʻAlī Beg’s historiography and compares it with other Later Jochid sources while considering its historical understanding of the Tuqay Timurids, Shibanids, and Crimean Khanate. In addition, it considers how such texts understood the reorganization of the Jochid Ulus. Research materials: Qādir ‘Alī Beg’s historical understanding is deeply reflected in the order of dāstāns in the original part. Based on the structure and historical understanding of Qādir ʻAlī Beg’s historiography, this article pays attention to the structure of other Later Jochid sources such as: Anonym. Tavārīkh-i Guzīda(-yi) Nuṣrat-nāma, Maḥmūd b. Amīr Walī’s Baḥr al-Asrār fī Manāqib al-Akhyār, Ötämish Ḥājī’s Chingīz-nāma / Qara Tavārīkh, Abu’l-Ghāzī’s Shajara-yi Turk (va Mughūl), and Seyyid Muḥammed Riḍā’s Seven Planets in Report about Tatar Rulers. Results and novelty of the research: In general, the Later Jochid states are called “khanates” by the name of the territory or group they ruled. However, when we look at the structure of the Later Jochid sources, including Qādir ʻAlī Beg’s historiography, the descriptions in the sources further confirm that each state was recognized by its ruling family. Complementing the history and genealogy, the consciousness of belonging to the “Jochids / Jochid Ulus” was preserved, and it is seen that they recognized their belonging to the “Tuqay Timurids” and “Shibanids.” Qādir ʻAlī Beg’s historiography and the other Later Jochid sources have a common historical understanding that the Jochid Ulus was reorganized by the “Tuqay Timurids” and “Shibanids.” This work inherited the tradition of Turkic-Mongolian historiography; in addition, in this respect this work can be positioned as one of the Later Jochid sources. Against the widespread theory that the fall of the “Great Horde” in 1502 was the fall of the Jochid Ulus (Golden Horde), there is a remarkable ongoing argument that the Crimean Khanate claimed to be the successor of the “Great Horde.” On the other hand, from the description of this work and the Shajara-yi Turk, we confirm that no specific information about the Crimean Khanate was brought neither to the Later Jochid states in the east, nor to Kasimov. The relationship between the Crimean Khanate and the other Late Jochid states, the study of historical understanding of the Later Jochid sources and their comparison with the sources of neighboring states is an important issue for future research.