Ondan “Marksman”: Kazakh Sultan of the Second Half of the XVI Century

Abstract

The middle and late XVI century is an important stage in the history of the Kazakh Khanate. However, the role of individual personalities in the history of the state remains unexplored. One of the major military and political figures of that period was Sultan Ondan, the eldest son of the Kazakh khan Shigai. Despite the importance of this figure for the history of the Kazakh Khanate, there are no special studies of his biography. The purpose of this article is to reconstruct the major stages of the life of the Kazakh sultan Ondan and to highlight his role and significance in the history of the Kazakh Khanate. In the article all basic historical data about the activities of the Kazakh sultan Ondan are collected and studied. In fact, this study represents the first time in historiography that a comprehensive biography of Sultan Ondan has been reconstructed based on all available sources, which accounts for the novelty of the research. The study is based on biographical approach and historical personalistics. Ondan-sultan had a high origin, being a notable figure in the last years of the reign of khans Haknazar and Shigai. He possessed military qualities, actively participated in militarypolitical events of his time. According to sources, Ondan-sultan participated in wars with the Oirats, as well as in the war against the Tashkent ruler Baba-sultan. An important issue is his relations with the Nogai Horde. An important conclusion that can be drawn from the sources, despite their limited nature, is the significant role played by Sultan Ondan and his active participation in the major events of the history of the Kazakh Khanate during the second half of the 16th century. At the same time, it should be noted that, contrary to prevailing views in historiography, one should treat with caution data from sources that often contain contradictory information about Sultan Ondan. This article challenges the established view that this sultan died in the mid-1580s and suggests that his death occurred earlier. Furthermore, previous historiography has paid little attention to the circumstances surrounding the sultan’s death.