The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-07-26
KARooB KHAN 4HE,1RooPER
A King Who Could not Read or Write, But
Ruled Wisely and We'll, &

trail ASIA" opens anew fascinating chap.
ter in Oriental history. Though none
of the popular standard authorities upon
biography, Appleton, johnson or Vaper'
can, mention his name. "The Trooper
King of Turkestan" has played an i'm
portant part in recent history.
tits within the last century that Tur'
kestan has cast off the Chinese yoke and
become once more an independent pow
er--has changed autocrats, to speak more
precisely. The last great popular out
break occurred in 1864, when Yorkund
was besieged, and the Chinese garrison,
finding resistance hopeless, collected
around the powder magazine of the fort
ress and blew it up. During the anar.
chic period the then Khan of Khokand
sent Buzurg Khan Hodia, a descendant
of the ancient Hodja rulers, to Kashgar
to give him an opportunity to restore
the dynasty. With him, as one of HE
lieutenants. was despatched Yakoob
Khan, a native of Piskent, near Tash-
kend, who in 1853 had taken part in the
stubborn defence Of Ak-Masjid for twen-
ty-fVe days against the Russians under
Perovsky. So bold, ambitious and clever
a man as this second in command, vers.
ed in the two great arts of Oriental di.
plomacy and war, was not likely to re-
main subordinate, and after having
used the shadow of Buzurg Khan's name
30 long as it served him, he asserted
himself, and his ability and energy ap.
pearing all the more conspicuous by con-
trast with the exCesses and imbecility of
his nominal chief, dethroned him. His
next step was to overthrow their com
mon sovereign, Hobee-Booliah, Khan of
Khokand by successive intrigues or ex-
peditions he extended his rule and in
creased his importance till, in 1873, the
adventurer, then become the most pow
erful of Asiatic sovereigns, was recogniz-
ed by the Sultan Abdul Aziz as Ameer of
Kashgar. The Russians for a long time
refused to recognize him, and the diplo-
matte struggles over this point form an
interesting chapter in Eugene Schuyler's
book on "Turkestan." Yakoob Khan at
first closed his country to Russian trade,
but brave and enterprising trader pen
etrated to Kashgar, and the Khan sent
his nephew to conclude commercial
treaty. This was in 1868. Matters were
delayed on both sides till, in 1871, the
Ru slams, fearing that Yakoob Khan
would attempt the conquest of Kuldja,
occupied that province, and Yakoob
Khan, alarmed thereat and by the move
ments of the Chinese, fortified Aksu and
sent an embassy to Calcutta. The Rus
SLAMS renewed negotiations, but through
a Khokandian, which induced Yakoob
to challenge them to send "a Russian en-
voy, even if he were only shepherd, as
being some one of more account than a
merchant" They complied, and took
the first step, sending a mission under
Baron Kaulbars, but the Badaulet's pride
was not even then satisfied, and it was
not until the advance of the Russian
troops had been stopped that he consent
ed to sign the treaty of June %, 1872
After this formal recognition he sent an
envoy to the Gar, and took his rank as
a sovereign. The Russians, it is needless
to say, distrusted him, and accused him
of fermenting troubles in the khanates,
after his entering into quasi
intimate relations with England. A pol |
icy of assisting the Chinese, as more
neighbors, to recover sover-
eighty, was also discussed, but laid aside,
because it was considered that
It would be better to use force against |
Kashgar, when it had to be used, directly |
and for the exclusive benefit of Russia.
During the session of the Constantinople
conference Yakoob Khan visited the
capital of his suzerain, and was feted by |
5he Sultan and the representative of the
Gar, Gen. Ignatieff, who was, however,
Unable to induce him to visit st. Peters
)urg. r
A trooper who could neither read nor
write. Yakoob Khan was a born man
lger and ruler of men. He fostered trade
10 that it flourished to an incredible ex-
,ent, and visited theft and disorder with |
such severity that life and property were
Is safe in his dominions as they are said
% have been in the England of Alfred
md the Ireland of Moore's ballad. His
yallows were always occupied, and tri-
ling offenses were punished with death.
To be late at or absent from the mosque
,ost the lax Mohametan a sound fog
ring. On the other hand, besides giving
he people stable form of government
md prosperity beyond their dreams
benefits the more highly appreciated af.
er the anarchy which attended the
downfall of the Chinese sway-he was a
. ruler of not ouerous tastes, and in such
matters as the abolition Of temporary
marriages and the promotion of interna-
ional commerce showed himself social
ind economic reformer Of earnestness
md practicability.