The Rashīdī History 145: CHAPTER XXXIII. · ACCOUNT OF THE KAZAK AND THEIR SULTÁNS: THE ORIGIN OF THEIR NAME AND THEIR END.
The Tarikh-i-Rashidi (Elias, Ross) 145
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CHAPTER XXXIII. · ACCOUNT OF THE KAZAK AND THEIR SULTÁNS: THE ORIGIN OF THEIR NAME AND THEIR END.
145.1
When Abulkhair had made himself master of the whole of the Dasht-i-Kipchák, he desired to remove several of the Sultáns of the race of Juji, in whom he detected symptoms of seditious designs. Karái Khán and Jáni Beg Khán, perceiving the intentions of Abulkhair Khán, fled, together with a few other Juji Sultáns, to Moghulistan. This country was at the time under the Khánship of Isán Bughá Khán, who received them favourably and assigned a corner of Moghulistán for them to live in. Here they dwelt in peace. On the death of Abulkhair, differences arose between the Uzbeg Ulus. As many as were able, repaired to Karái Khán and Jáni Beg Khán, for the sake of peace and security; and in this way [the two Kháns] became very powerful. Since they had first of all separated from the mass of their people, and for some time had been in an indigent and wandering state, they got the name of Kazakh which has clung to them [ever since].
145.2
On the death of Karai Khan, his son Baranduk Khan succeeded to the Khanship, while Kasim Khan, son of Jani Beg Khan, like his father, became obedient and submissive to Baranduk Khan. In addition to Baranduk Khan, Karai Khan had many sons, and Jani Beg Khan had others besides Kasim Khan. Among [Jani Beg's sons] was Adik Sultan, who married Sultan Nigar Khanim, the fourth daughter of Sultan Yunus Khan, on the death of Mirza Sultan Mahmud, son of Sultan Abu Said Mirza. After the devastation of Tashkand, Adik Sultan abandoned Shahi Beg Khan to join the Kazak, and was followed by Sultan Nigar Khanim. But Adik Sultan dying soon after this, Kasim Khan took Sultan Nigar Khanim to wife. At the death of Adik Sultan, Kasim Khan obtained complete ascendency, and Baranduk was Khan in name only. Finally he banished Baranduk Khan, who repaired to Samarkand and died in exile.
145.3
Kasim Khan now brought the Dasht-i-Kipchak under his absolute control, in a manner that no one, with the exception of Juji Khan, had ever done before. His army exceeded a thousand thousand. In the year 924 he died, whereupon contests ensued among the Kazak Sultans. He was succeeded in the Khanate by his son Mumash Khan, who, in one of the wars, died of shortness of breath, and was succeeded by Tahir Khan, son of Adik Sultan. Being a harsh man, he practised much cruelty, so that his people, who numbered about 400,000 persons, suddenly deserted him and dispersed, while he was left alone among the Kirghiz, and died, at last, in misery. Nearly 30,000 men being now collected together in Moghulistan, they appointed as their Khan, Balash Khan, brother of Tahir Khan. But the wheel of Fate has made such strange revolutions, that for the last four years, not a trace has been visible of these people. In the year '30, the Kazak numbered a thousand thousand; in the year '44, not a vestige of all this host remains on the face of the earth. They will be frequently mentioned [in this history] in connection with the Khan. Such is the story of the Kazak.
145.4
Even previous to the time of Kasim Khan's assumption of the title of Khan, his power was so great that no one considered Baranduk Khan; nevertheless he did not wish to live side by side with Baranduk Khan, because, if near him, he would not be able to pay him due respect, but would offer him opposition; and [he felt that] if he did treat him with honour, he could not reconcile passive submission with his own private convictions. He therefore kept at a distance. Baranduk Khan lived at Sarai Chuk, and Kasim Khan, in order to be far away from him, went to the confines of Moghulistan. He made Karatal his winter quarters, intending, early in the spring, to return to his original capital; when one of Kitta Beg's men, with some of the chief inhabitants of Sairam, arrived, bringing the keys of Sairam and beseeching him to accept the town, which he did. He then marched on Taraz, which the Moghuls call Tangi. In advance of himself, he despatched one of his own Amirs, into whose hands Kitta Beg delivered the town of Sairam. [Kitta Beg waited on Kasim Khan in person, and induced him to attack Tashkand.] Kasim Khan then set out with a countless army for Tashkand, where Suyunjuk Khan had fortified himself within the citadel. Kasim Khan arrived, spent one night outside, and then turned back again, plundering all the environs of Tashkand as he went. The rest of the events of Kasim Khan's life will be related in their proper place.