Revisiting the Fall of Aq Masjid: Khoqand Instability and the Russian Conquest
Tokbolat S. Dzhursunbaev B.
January 2026SAGE Publications Ltd
War in History
2026#33Issue 13 - 22 pp.
The 1853 capture of Aq Masjid was a decisive moment in Russias Central Asian expansion, acting as a springboard for further advances. Traditionally seen as a response to Khoqandi raids on Qazaqs under Russian protection, this article challenges that view and emphasises the impact of internal instability within the Khoqand Khanate. Russia strategically exploited civil strife and political fragmentation that had weakened Khoqands leadership. Archival materials, including Qazaq intelligence documents, Russian military correspondence, and Khoqandi chronicles, reveal that the campaign was less a reaction to raids and more a calculated move to capitalise on Khoqands internal divisions.
Aq Masjid , Central Asia , intelligence , Khoqand Khanate , Qazaqs , Russian conquest
Text of the article Перейти на текст статьи
Department of History and Geography, Sherkhan Murtaza International Taraz University, Taraz, Kazakhstan
Department of History and Geography, Dulati Taraz University, Taraz, Kazakhstan
Department of History and Geography
Department of History and Geography
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026