The activities of the Orenburg Border Administration to establish a peaceful environment in the Junior Horde in the first half of the 19th century
Igor R. Prokhorov, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Researcher
National Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana, Kazakhstan, prohorov1974@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5952-3867
Abstract
Based on archival and published historical sources, the article examines Russia’s progress through the steppes of the Junior Horde to Central Asia. During the time under study, Russia is moving from defending its border lines in the Southern Urals to building fortifications on the borders with the countries of the region. To ensure the safety of trade caravans to Khiva, Bukhara and Kokand, and to strengthen its role in the region, the Russian administration is trying to attract the Kazakh ruling class of the Chingisids sultans, as well as the tribal rulers, to its side. Considerable efforts are being made by the Russian administration to reconcile the warring Kazakh clans, to stop baranta (cattle rustling), and to delineate the ways of nomadic Kazakhs from different tribal divisions in order to end conflicts. The most important measure to strengthen positions in the region is the construction of military fortresses. At the same time, the Russian administration believed that the main obstacle to the establishment of Russian power in the was Khiva, which raised the Kazakhs to fight against Russia. The actions of the rebellious Sultan Kenesary Kasimov in the region were considered in the same vein. It was believed that his movement was largely inspired by the Central Asian states.
Keywords
Junior Horde, Orenburg Border Commission, military governor of Orenburg, Khiva, Russian Empire.
For citation:
Prokhorov I. R. The activities of the Orenburg Border Administration to establish a peaceful environment in the Junior Horde in the first half of the 19th century. Vestnik of Orenburg State Pedagogical University. Electronic Scientific Journal, 2025, no. 3 (55), pp. 159—173. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32516/2303-9922.2025.55.10.
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