THE PARTICIPATION OF THE SIBERIAN COSSACKS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE “CHARTER ON THE SIBERIAN KYRGYZ” IN THE 20-40S OF THE XIX CENTURY
Authors: ПРОХОРОВ И.Р. 
Published: September 2024

Статья посвящена изучению особенностей реализации реформы М.М. Сперанского по организации внешних округов в Среднем казахском жузе, в соответствии с Уставом о сибирских киргизах. Главную роль в реализации этой реформы сыграло Сибирское казачье войско. Расположенные в казахской степи казачьи станицы и поселки позволили прекратить вмешательство среднеазиатских государств в жизнь казахов, обеспечили мирное развитие казахских земель под властью России. Вместе с тем создание внешних округов вызвало противодействие со стороны части местной знати и населения, возглавленное потомками хана Аблая. Важную роль в сопротивлении российской администрации играли действия Кокандского ханства по подчинению казахских земель Среднего жуза. Среди важнейших причин успеха реформы М.М. Сперанского отмечается заинтересованность казахских родовых правителей в установлении твердой власти в регионе под покровительством России, способствовали этому и столкновения среди казахов разных родовых структур.

The article is devoted to the study of the role of the Siberian Cossack army in the implementation of the reform of M.M. Speransky. The author analyzed modern Kazakh and Russian historical literature, archival documents of the Historical Archive of the Omsk region related to the reform of M.M. Speransky in the Middle Kazakh Zhuz. The article uses the principle of consistency, which allows us to consider the political features in the territory adjacent to the Siberian border of Russia, in the Kazakh steppe and Central Asia as a single process. The content of the documents shows that the Siberian Cossacks became the main driving force of the reform. The transformations were carried out primarily in the interests of the Russian Empire, however, the fundamental interests of the Kazakhs, primarily representatives of the ruling class, were taken into account. The introduction of a new management system contributed to the suppression of cattle theft and the settlement of long-standing conflicts between Kazakh tribal units over the possession of pastures. The actions of the Kokand Khanate aimed at conquering the Kazakh lands of the Middle Zhuz and separating the Kazakhs from ties with Russia had a negative impact on the reform. The Kokand rulers actively recruited their supporters among the representatives of the Kazakh aristocracy and involved them in military operations in the territory of the Middle Zhuz. It soon became clear that the senior sultans elected in the outer districts of the Omsk region did not have sufficient power and authority to keep the population under their control in obedience. The real power in the steppe was increasingly concentrated in the hands of the Siberian Cossack army, which became the main guarantor of the success of M.M. Speransky’s reform. The uprisings led by members of the family of Kasym Ablaikhanov and other sultans, which covered the entire territory of the outer districts, especially vividly demonstrated this fact. Military force had to be used to suppress them. Nevertheless, the new administrative structure proved to be viable and achieved its goals - the establishment of real Russian power in the territory of the Middle Kazakh Zhuz. The analysis of publications shows that researchers of the national liberation movement in the territory of the Middle Zhuz paid little attention to the strife within the Kazakh ruling class. Meanwhile, the weakness, intrigues and strife of the Kazakh aristocracy - the sultans - became one of the reasons for the success of M.M. Speransky’s reform. As a result, most of the Kazakh sultans supported the Russian reform, and supporters of the restoration of Khan’s power were in the minority.