Kuchum
Encyclopedia
Kuchum khan
(died ca. 1605) was the last khan
of Siberia Khanate
(1563–1598).
Küçüm Khan's attempt to spread Islam and his cross border raids were vigorously opposed by the Russian Tsar who sent a force of Cossacks to confront him head on. Küçüm is particularly noted for the vigorous resistance he gave to the Russians invaders.
against the incumbents brothers Yadegar (Yädegär) and Bekbulat, who were both vassal
s of Russia
. In 1563, Yadegar was defeated and Kuchum assumed the throne. In 1573, Kuchum conducted a raid on Perm
. It was this and other minor raids which prompted the Tsar of Russia to support a Cossack
invasion of Siberia.
In 1582, the Siberia Khanate was attacked by the Cossack
ataman
Yermak, who defeated Kuchum's forces and captured
the capital Qashliq
. Kuchum retreated into the steppes, and over the next few years regrouped his forces. He suddenly attacked Yermak on August 6, 1584 in the dead of night, and killed Yermak and most of his army; regaining control of the now ruined Qashliq. Kuchum attempted to unite the rival factions within the khanate nobility but met with resistance. After an unsuccessful attempt on his life by Qarachi
Sayet khan (Säyet), Kuchum was forced to move his horde to the steppe south of the Irtysh
river. There he attempted to establish a new khanate, engaging in war against Russian governors.
In 1590 Kuchum raided the Tatars around Tobolsk who were paying yasak
to the Russians. In 1591 Koltsov caught Kuchum on the Ishym River and captured two of his wives and his son Abdul-Khair who was later given estates in Russia. In 1594 the fort at Tara
was built in part to control Kuchum who was in the area. In 1595 Kuchum's followers were raided on the upper Irtysh. In 1597 Kuchum asked for negotiations and the Tsar and Abdul-Khair wrote from Russia offering estates in Russia in return for surrender. Before September 1598 Andrey Voyeykov
caught a large group of his followers at a place called Ub Lake and later caught Kuchum on the Ob River. Kuchum fled, but the Russians killed two of his sons and captured five other sons, eight wives and eight daughters. A Muslim cleric was sent to negotiate. Kuchum replied, describing himself as deaf and blind and without subsistence and said that he had not submitted before and would not submit now. This was his last contact with the Russians. He is believed to have died c. 1605 in Bukhara
. In 1620 his son Ishim-khan married a daughter of Kho Orluk
who was then leading his people from Dzugharia to the Volga.
Kuchum is portrayed in numerous Tatar and Russian songs and legends. His descendants remained in Muscovy, eventually assuming the title of Sibirsky.
In 1591, Kuchum's son, Abul Khayir was the first of his dynasty to convert to Christianity
. His conversion was followed by the conversion of his entire family who eventually assimilated into the Russian nobility. For instance,
although Abul Khayir's son was known as Vasily Abulgairovich, his grandson's name, Roman Vasilyevich, could no longer be distinguished from a native Russian name.
In 1686, the tsar decreed that the dynasties of the ruler of Imereti
a in the Caucasus along with the Tatar princes of Siberia and Kasimov
were to be into the Genealogical Book of the Russian nobility.
In 1661 a man who was said to be a descendent of Kuchum fought the Russians in Bashkiria. In 1739, during the Bashkir War
, Karasakal was said by some to be a Kuchumid.
(died ca. 1605) was the last khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
of Siberia Khanate
Siberia Khanate
The Khanate of Sibir were the patrilineal descendants of Shayban , the fifth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. The Khanate had an ethnically diverse population of Siberian Tatars, Khanty, Mansi, Nenets and Selkup people. Along with the Khanate of Kazan it was the northernmost Muslim state....
(1563–1598).
Küçüm Khan's attempt to spread Islam and his cross border raids were vigorously opposed by the Russian Tsar who sent a force of Cossacks to confront him head on. Küçüm is particularly noted for the vigorous resistance he gave to the Russians invaders.
Background
Kuchum was the son of prince Mortaza from the Shayban dynasty (Şäyban). In 1554, he contested the throne of the Siberia KhanateSiberia Khanate
The Khanate of Sibir were the patrilineal descendants of Shayban , the fifth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. The Khanate had an ethnically diverse population of Siberian Tatars, Khanty, Mansi, Nenets and Selkup people. Along with the Khanate of Kazan it was the northernmost Muslim state....
against the incumbents brothers Yadegar (Yädegär) and Bekbulat, who were both vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
s of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. In 1563, Yadegar was defeated and Kuchum assumed the throne. In 1573, Kuchum conducted a raid on Perm
Perm
Perm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
. It was this and other minor raids which prompted the Tsar of Russia to support a Cossack
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
invasion of Siberia.
War with Russia
See Conquest of the Khanate of SibirConquest of the Khanate of Sibir
The Khanate of Sibir was a Muslim state located just east of the middle Ural Mountains. Its conquest by Ermak in 1582 was the first event in the Russian conquest of Siberia.-Russia:...
In 1582, the Siberia Khanate was attacked by the Cossack
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
ataman
Ataman
Ataman was a commander title of the Ukrainian People's Army, Cossack, and haidamak leaders, who were in essence the Cossacks...
Yermak, who defeated Kuchum's forces and captured
Battle of Chuvash Cape
The Battle of Chuvash Cape led to the victory of a Russian expedition under Yermak Timofeyevich and the fall of Siberia Khanate and the end of Khan Kuchum's power. The battle took place near Qashliq .-Context:...
the capital Qashliq
Qashliq
Qashliq, Isker or Sibir was a medieval Siberian Tatar fortress, in the 16th century the capital of the Khanate of Sibir, located on the right bank of the Irtysh River at its confluence with the Sibirka rivulet, some 17 km from the modern city of Tobolsk.The fortress is first mentioned in...
. Kuchum retreated into the steppes, and over the next few years regrouped his forces. He suddenly attacked Yermak on August 6, 1584 in the dead of night, and killed Yermak and most of his army; regaining control of the now ruined Qashliq. Kuchum attempted to unite the rival factions within the khanate nobility but met with resistance. After an unsuccessful attempt on his life by Qarachi
Qarachi
Qarachi was the highest level of noble within Turkic khanates of 14-16 centuries, such as Siberia Khanate and Kazan Khanate. The name could be applied to the member of the four extended families: Shirin , Barghen , Arghen , Qepchaq ....
Sayet khan (Säyet), Kuchum was forced to move his horde to the steppe south of the Irtysh
Irtysh
The Irtysh River is a river in Siberia and is the chief tributary of the Ob River. Its name means White River. Irtysh's main affluent is the Tobol River...
river. There he attempted to establish a new khanate, engaging in war against Russian governors.
In 1590 Kuchum raided the Tatars around Tobolsk who were paying yasak
Yasak
Yasak or yasaq, sometimes iasak, is a Turkic word for "tribute" that was used in Imperial Russia to designate fur tribute exacted from the indigenous peoples of Siberia.- Origin :...
to the Russians. In 1591 Koltsov caught Kuchum on the Ishym River and captured two of his wives and his son Abdul-Khair who was later given estates in Russia. In 1594 the fort at Tara
Tara, Russia
Tara is a town in Omsk Oblast, Russia, located about north of Omsk, at the confluence of the Tara and Irtysh Rivers at a point where the forested country merges into the steppe. It serves as the administrative center of Tarsky District, although it is not administratively a part of it...
was built in part to control Kuchum who was in the area. In 1595 Kuchum's followers were raided on the upper Irtysh. In 1597 Kuchum asked for negotiations and the Tsar and Abdul-Khair wrote from Russia offering estates in Russia in return for surrender. Before September 1598 Andrey Voyeykov
Andrey Voyeykov
Andrey Matveyevich Voyeykov was a Russian voyevoda. It is known that he was employed by tsar Feodor I of Russia and sent to Siberia as a military commander of Tara. He became famous for defeating the last Siberian khan Kuchum in the Barabinsk Steppe in 1598, whose entire family would be taken...
caught a large group of his followers at a place called Ub Lake and later caught Kuchum on the Ob River. Kuchum fled, but the Russians killed two of his sons and captured five other sons, eight wives and eight daughters. A Muslim cleric was sent to negotiate. Kuchum replied, describing himself as deaf and blind and without subsistence and said that he had not submitted before and would not submit now. This was his last contact with the Russians. He is believed to have died c. 1605 in Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
. In 1620 his son Ishim-khan married a daughter of Kho Orluk
Kho Orluk
Kho Orluk , was an Oirat prince and Tayishi of the Torghut-Oirat tribe. Around 1616, Kho Orluk persuaded the other Torghut princes and lesser nobility to move their tribe en masse westward through southern Siberia and southward along the Emba River to the grass steppes north of the Russian garrison...
who was then leading his people from Dzugharia to the Volga.
Kuchum is portrayed in numerous Tatar and Russian songs and legends. His descendants remained in Muscovy, eventually assuming the title of Sibirsky.
In 1591, Kuchum's son, Abul Khayir was the first of his dynasty to convert to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. His conversion was followed by the conversion of his entire family who eventually assimilated into the Russian nobility. For instance,
although Abul Khayir's son was known as Vasily Abulgairovich, his grandson's name, Roman Vasilyevich, could no longer be distinguished from a native Russian name.
In 1686, the tsar decreed that the dynasties of the ruler of Imereti
Imereti
Imereti is a province in Georgia situated along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni river. It consists of the following Georgian administrative-territorial units:#Kutaisi #Baghdati region#Vani region#Zestafoni region...
a in the Caucasus along with the Tatar princes of Siberia and Kasimov
Kasimov
Kasimov is a town in Ryazan Oblast, Russia, which serves as the administrative center of Kasimovsky District . The town is situated on the left bank of the Oka River...
were to be into the Genealogical Book of the Russian nobility.
In 1661 a man who was said to be a descendent of Kuchum fought the Russians in Bashkiria. In 1739, during the Bashkir War
Bashkirs
The Bashkirs are a Turkic people indigenous to Bashkortostan extending on both parts of the Ural mountains, on the place where Europe meets Asia. Groups of Bashkirs also live in the republic of Tatarstan, Perm Krai, Chelyabinsk, Orenburg, Tyumen, Sverdlovsk, Kurgan, Samara and Saratov Oblasts of...
, Karasakal was said by some to be a Kuchumid.