Almaliq, China
Encyclopedia
Almalik was a medieval city in Central Asia
's Ili river
basin. Its site is located within the present-day Huocheng County
in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture
of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, between the city of Yining and the border with Kazakhstan
.
Almalik was originally one of Karluk cities in the Turkic Kaganates. It is known from the accounts of the Persian historians and Chinese travellers of the Mongol era (13th to 15th centuries), in particular the Daoist Qiu Chuji
(a.k.a. Chang Chun) (1221).
According to the travel notes of Genghis Khan's chief adviser Yelü Chucai, the city of Almalik was situated between Tian Shan
and Ili River
. There were plenty of crab apple trees around Almalik. The native people called the crab apple "almalik", giving the name to the city.
An account by a Persian historian tells that in 1211, Prince Ozar of Almalik acknowledged the supremacy of Genghis Khan
. The king was later killed by the Gurkhan
of Karakitai. Genghis Khan ordered the king's son Siknak Tekin to succeed him as king of Almalik, and gave him the only daughter of his elder son Jochi
for marriage. In 1219, when Genghis Khan led his host on campaign to Persia, Siknak Tekin followed him.
The marriage between the ruler of Almaliq and a granddaughter of Genghis Khan
demonstrates the city's importance at the time. Home to people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and religions, the city became an important Islamic center under the rule of Tughluq Temur from ca.1351 to 1363. Tughluq Temür's tomb can still be seen in the town. Inscriptions also show the presence of Nestorian
Christians in the town in the third quarter of the fourteenth century.
The ancient city of Almalik is not to be confused with Olmaliq
(whose name was traditionally transcribed as Almalyk), a new mining city in Uzbekistan founded in 1951..
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
's Ili river
Ili River
thumb|right|300px|Map of the Lake Balkhash drainage basin showing the Ili River and its tributariesThe Ili River is a river in northwestern China and southeastern Kazakhstan .It is long, of which is in Kazakhstan...
basin. Its site is located within the present-day Huocheng County
Huocheng County
The Huocheng County is situated within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and under the administration of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. It's located between Yining and the border to Kazakhstan, occupies an area of 5,466 km² and has a population of 360,000...
in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture
Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture
Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture , in northernmost Xinjiang, is the only Kazakh autonomous prefecture of the People's Republic of China.-Geography and coordinates:The following figures excludes both Tacheng Prefecture and Altay Prefecture....
of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, between the city of Yining and the border with Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
.
Almalik was originally one of Karluk cities in the Turkic Kaganates. It is known from the accounts of the Persian historians and Chinese travellers of the Mongol era (13th to 15th centuries), in particular the Daoist Qiu Chuji
Qiu Chuji
Qiu Chuji was a Daoist disciple of Wang Chongyang. He was the most famous among the Seven True Daoists of the North...
(a.k.a. Chang Chun) (1221).
According to the travel notes of Genghis Khan's chief adviser Yelü Chucai, the city of Almalik was situated between Tian Shan
Tian Shan
The Tian Shan , also spelled Tien Shan, is a large mountain system located in Central Asia. The highest peak in the Tian Shan is Victory Peak , ....
and Ili River
Ili River
thumb|right|300px|Map of the Lake Balkhash drainage basin showing the Ili River and its tributariesThe Ili River is a river in northwestern China and southeastern Kazakhstan .It is long, of which is in Kazakhstan...
. There were plenty of crab apple trees around Almalik. The native people called the crab apple "almalik", giving the name to the city.
An account by a Persian historian tells that in 1211, Prince Ozar of Almalik acknowledged the supremacy of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
. The king was later killed by the Gurkhan
Gurkhan
Gurkhan was a Mongol title meaning "chief of Khans" and roughly equivalent to the older word khagan. It was held by the rulers of the Kara-Khitai in the 13th century. It comes from the Mongol Gür / Kür, meaning "wide" or "general"...
of Karakitai. Genghis Khan ordered the king's son Siknak Tekin to succeed him as king of Almalik, and gave him the only daughter of his elder son Jochi
Jochi
Jochi was the eldest of the Mongol chieftain Genghis Khan's four sons by his principal wife Börte. An accomplished military leader, he participated in his father's conquest of Central Asia, along with his brothers and uncles.-Early life:...
for marriage. In 1219, when Genghis Khan led his host on campaign to Persia, Siknak Tekin followed him.
The marriage between the ruler of Almaliq and a granddaughter of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
demonstrates the city's importance at the time. Home to people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and religions, the city became an important Islamic center under the rule of Tughluq Temur from ca.1351 to 1363. Tughluq Temür's tomb can still be seen in the town. Inscriptions also show the presence of Nestorian
Church of the East
The Church of the East tāʾ d-Maḏnḥāʾ), also known as the Nestorian Church, is a Christian church, part of the Syriac tradition of Eastern Christianity. Originally the church of the Persian Sassanid Empire, it quickly spread widely through Asia...
Christians in the town in the third quarter of the fourteenth century.
The ancient city of Almalik is not to be confused with Olmaliq
Olmaliq
Olmaliq also spelled as Almalyk is a city in the Tashkent Province of central Uzbekistan, approximately 65 km east of Tashkent...
(whose name was traditionally transcribed as Almalyk), a new mining city in Uzbekistan founded in 1951..