Kerei Khan

Kerei Khan (Kazakh: Керей хан, Kereı han) was a co-founder and the first Khan of Kazakh Khanate from 1465 to 1473.

There are currently two versions how the first dynasty of the Kazakh khans originated. According to one of them is that they were from the House of Orda-Jedzhena. On the other, they were descendants of the thirteenth son of Jochi-Khan-Toucas-Timur. In the second half of the 1450's, part of the nomadic population headed by Janibek and Kerei separated themselves from the rule of Uzbek Khan Abu'l-Khayr. They migrated to Mogulistan and settled in the valleys of the Chu and Kozy-Bashi rivers. Khan of Moghulistan united with them, offering them support against their opponents. Around 200,000 nomads who suffered from endless feudal quarrels and wars were grouped up around Janibek Khan and Kerei Khan, who had huge power and influence that it sparked fear in Abul Haira, in which he undertook a military campaign in Mogulistan in 1468, but died suddenly on his way. After the death of Abu'l-Khayr, his son Sheikh-Khaydar Khan took power. All the opponents of Abu'l-Khayr teamed up and began an active struggle against him. The reign of Sheikh-Haydar Khan was short-lived and he was eventually murdered by the Siberian Khan Ibak. Kerei received supreme power in eastern Dasht, who appointed his brother Janibek as the ruler of the west wing. Despite Kerei Khan and Janibek Khan possessing a significant military force, they fought against Shibanidov for power over the East Dasht-i Kipchak. Kerei Khan and his followers fought for the creation of an independent state which developed in political, cultural and economic terms. In the course of this conflict, Kerei Khan was killed. His name in the sources was last time mentioned in the events of winter 1473.^[1] The secession led by Kerei and Janibek was an important link in the chain of events that led to the formation of the Kazakh Khanate and the creation of the Kazakh nationality itself.

Since the end of the 15th century the term "Kazakh" acquired a political character, which was being used to designate individual feudal estates that were created by Kerei and Janibek, and from the beginning of the 16th century, after part of the tribes moved from the modern territory of Kazakhstan headed by Shaibani Khan in Maverannahr, the term began to acquire an ethnic character. It is unknown to what made Kerei and Janybek separate, and which location did the Kazakh Khanate originate. A number of authors wrote that the Khanate was formed at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries and that the migration of Kerei and Janibek was only the start of the formation of the Kazakh Khanate. ^[2]

Memorial

On June 1, 2010, in Astana near the Museum of the First President of Kazakhstan, with the participation of Nursultan Nazarbayev, a monument to Kerei and Janibek was opened by the sculptor Renat Abenov. The total height of the monument from the base to the crown of the banner is 12 m, the height of the figure of Janibek Khan in full length is 5.25 m, with a spline of 5.45 m. The height of the sitting figure of Kerei Khan is 4 m. The weight of the monument is 16.2 tons ^[3]'

References