Қытай архив деректеріндегі Дәулетбай батыр: тарихи тұлғасы мен қызметі

Abstract

Following the collapse of the Dzungar Khanate, the Kazakh people inhabiting the eastern regions gradually returned to their ancestral lands. In 1757 (referred to in Kazakh historical records as the «Year of the Ox»), the Kazakh Khanate and the Qing Empire established formal political and economic relations. Thereafter, bilateral trade flourished. Horse trading initially began in Urumqi (1758), followed by the establishment of official trade markets in Ili (1761) and Tarbagatai (1764), where the exchange of horses for silk developed rapidly. At the same time, political relations between the two states became increasingly important, requiring both sides to resolve various issues arising along the frontier. In this process, not only the khans and other political leaders but also batyrs and biys played significant roles. This article focuses on this aspect by examining the historical position and socio-political functions of the institution of the batyr in the Kazakh Khanate through the example of Dauletbai Satyuly. It argues that, during the second half of the eighteenth century, batyrs performed not only military duties but also political, diplomatic, and administrative functions. Drawing upon Qing archival materials and other historical sources, the study analyzes Dauletbai Batyr’s authority among the Kazakh tribes of the Tarbagatai region and his contributions to frontier security, intelligence and information exchange, and the maintenance of external political relations. The article also examines the source value of archival materials, the interrelationship between historical memory and oral tradition, and the significance of studying Kazakh batyrs in contemporary historiography. Furthermore, it explores the role of batyrs in regulating intertribal relations, strengthening social cohesion, and mobilizing the population toward common political and military objectives. The study concludes that Dauletbai Satyuly and other batyrs constituted an important socio-political group that contributed substantially to the military and political stability of the Kazakh Khanate and to the preservation of its unity and statehood. By introducing new archival evidence, this research offers a deeper understanding of the institution of the batyr in Kazakh society and provides a fresh perspective on its historical legacy