Abulgazi

Abulgazi 

Born 1603; died 1663. Khan of Khiva, historian and poet. Lived in Urgench, his birthplace.

In 1645, Abulgazi was proclaimed khan by the Aral Uzbeks and, after persistent internecine warfare, he became khan of Khiva. He waged a long and cruel war with the Turkmen and Kalmyks and with the Bokharan khanate to consolidate his power. In 1663 he passed the throne to his son Anushe.

Abulgazi was the author of two historical works, Turkmen Genealogy and Family Tree of the Turks, which contain valuable information on the history of the Turkmen, Uzbek, Karakalpak, and Kazakh peoples and numerous details about their legends, fables, proverbs, and adages. His historical works have been translated into Russian and other European languages.

REFERENCE

Kononov, A. N. “Rodoslovania turkmen.” Soch. Abu-l-Gazi, khana khivinskogo. Moscow-Leningrad, 1958. [Research, texts, and translations.]