National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

( 192 )

Kilaochi to Khujand to protect that frontier. Awlay Khan died at Tâshkand a T.S.

month after this defeat, and Yûnus Khoja, a descendant of the Khalif Umar, then became Khan in his place. Three months later, in 1214 H. (1799 A.D.) Nârbota

Beg died, and was succeeded by his son Alim Khan. At this time Abdurrahman was lying paralytic at Khujand, and his son Abdûlla Mirza became Koshbegi with the new Khan; but Alim, jealous of the great influence he had acquired and dreading his rivalry, had the infirm old man brought to him at the capital, and executed him at the Khoja Turab Mazer, a shrine two far8akh from the city. .

Alim had reigned eight years when, in 1222 H. (1806 A.D.), he went against Yûnus at Tashkand and took the city. In the assault Abdtulla Koshbegi was wounded,

and after a month died from the effects of the injury. His son, Rahman Cull Mirza, succeeded as Koshbegi " Lord of the family," or " Controller of the household." Alim Khan stayed a year at Tâshkand to settle the country, and then appointing his own governors returned to the capital.

Two years later, however, he was recalled by disturbances there, and leaving his brother Umar in charge of Khokand hurried off with a large army to Tâshkand. He was detained here a year in quelling the revolt, and finally quieted the country by many executions and severe punishments. Owing to his cruelties the chief people fled from the city, and joining Umar at Khokand set him on the throne as Khan. On this Alim set out to recover his capital, but was encountered at Tocsan Cawûn by the rebel chiefs who seized and executed him, 1226 H. (1810 A.D.) .

Umar Khan now ascended the throne in his own right. He had a troubled reign of twelve years, and died in 1238 H. (1822 A.D.) and was succeeded by his eldest son, Muhammad Ali Khan. On his accession to the throne Jahangir Khoja fled from Khokand and, joining the Kirghiz, raised them to hostility against the Chinese at Kashghar, and in 1825 with them seized the country. Muhammad Ali Khan joined him there in June of the following year to secure the conquest for himself, but, being coldly received and losing many men in the siege of the Chinese citadel, he hastily retreated to his capital.

Four years later he sent his General Hacc Cull Beg, with Yûsuf Khoja and a strong army, to avenge the defeat of Jahangir and annex Kashghar to his own dominions. His activity in this direction excited the jealousy of Nasrulla or Bahadûr Khan, the Amir of Bukhara, who marched against him. Consequently Muhammad Ali Khan, in the end of 1830, recalled his General from Kashghar after he had been there only three months, and the Khoja returned with him just as the Chinese reinforcements arrived to recover the place.

Muhammad Ali Khan reigned successfully for nineteen years, and was the most powerful of all the Khokand Khans. The states of Khutan, Yarkand, Kashghar, Uch Turfan, and Aksû, though in the possession of the Chinese, paid the zakczt collected from Musalman merchants to him, and he appointed his own agents in these towns for the realization of these dues, and for the protection of the interests of the Musalmans. The Jattah country of Ziinghar up to Ila, and the whole of Mogholistan up to Kizil Jar also paid zakcit to him. In the direction of Organj he annexed Akmasjid and Kumosh Kurghân, and in that of Bukhara all the country up to two farsakh of Jizzak acknowledged his rule.

Said, the Amir Hydar of Bukhara, died in the second year of his reign, in 1240 H. (1824 A.D.), and was succeeded by his son Amir Nasrulla, called Bahadtir Khan. On his accession to the throne Muhammad Ali Khan sent his Koshbegi, Azim Bay, to him with messages of condolence and congratulation. The new Amir acknowledged Muhammad Ali as his elder brother, and with his envoy returning to Khokand sent his own ambassador and rich presents ; other envoys went and came, and a treaty of perpetual friendship between the two States was concluded. It was after this that Muhammad Ali, in 1827, undertook his campaign against the Kirghiz ; and in the succeeding years made tributary all the Zûnghar country and the western cities of Kashghar, held by the Chinese, up to Aksû inclusive.