Internal and External Policies of Khan Tauke
Внутренняя и внешняя политикa хaнa Тaуке
Sarsenbayev B.S. Kabuldinov Z.Y. Sandybayeva D.M. Oralova A.А.
2025Kalmyk Scientific Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences
Oriental Studies
2025#18Issue 61182 - 1201 pp.
Introduction. At the turn of the eighteenth century, the Kazakh Khanate was under strong pressure from the Dzungar Khanate, took simultaneous diplomatic steps to establish relations with Russia and maintain contacts with neighboring Central Asian states. Khan Tauke (1680–1718) emerged as a most authoritative ruler of the period. His activities were aimed at strengthening khan’s authority and power, ending internal conflicts, and shaping customary law through the introduction of the Zheti Zhargy code. A distinctive aspect of his foreign policy was the establishment of alliances with the Kyrgyz, which yielded a united front against the Dzungar aggression. Goals. The study attempts an analysis into some particulars of Khan Tauke’s domestic and foreign policies, and highlights the role of Kazakh–Kyrgyz cooperation in resisting the Dzungar pressure. Materials and methods. The work focuses on materials from St. Petersburg Branch of the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SPbF ARAN) and the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts (RGADA), as well as on published sources, including Epistolary Heritage of Kazakh Ruling Elites, works by A. Levshin and L. Meyer, modern historiographical editions. The study employs the principles of historicism, objectivity, and systemic analysis in combination with a value-based approach that helps interpret Khan Tauke’s policies in wider historical contexts of early modern Central Asia. Results. The paper shows that Khan Tauke succeeded in overcoming internal feuds, strengthened the authority of biys, and institutionalized legal norms through the Zheti Zhargy. His foreign policy combined defensive measures against the Dzungar, diplomatic contacts with Russia, and systematic cooperation with the Kyrgyz. The participation of Kyrgyz biys in joint assemblies and the integration of Kyrgyz elites, such as Kokum Biy, into the governance system of the Khanate reflected the institutionalized character of these alliances. At the same time, Khan Tauke was seeking to stabilize relations with the Kalmyk and temporarily reduced tensions on the western borders. These measures ensured relative stability within the Khanate and strengthened its international standing. The institutionalization of Kazakh-Kyrgyz cooperation under Khan Tauke thus seems a key episode of steppe diplomacy that offers new perspectives for understanding mechanisms of political survival in early modern Central Asia.
biys and batyrs , Dzungar aggression , Kalmyks , Kazakh Khanate , Khan Tauke , kurultai , Kyrgyz-Kazakh relations , Kyrgyzes , Zheti Zhargy
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Nazarbayev Center for Interfaith and Cross-Civilizational Dialogue, 1A, Bokeykhan St, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology, 28, Shevchenko St., Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71, Al-Farabi Ave., Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Nazarbayev Center for Interfaith and Cross-Civilizational Dialogue
Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
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