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Abd Al Rashid KhanKhan of the state of Mamlakat-i Moghuliye (otherwise called Moghuli or Yarkand Khanate) (1533-1559), as well as Central Moghulistan (1537-1559). Son of Sultan Said Khan.
Date of Birth: 01.01.1509
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Abd ar-Rashid Khan I: Ruler of Mamlakat-i Moghuliye and Central Moghulistan
Early Life and Rise to Power
Abd ar-Rashid Khan I was the son of Sultan-Said Khan, the ruler of Mamlakat-i Moghuliye (also known as Moghulistan or Yarkand Khanate). In 1523, he became the governor (hakim) of Aksu, where he successfully suppressed a rebellion led by Emin-Khoja-Sultan.
Upon his father's death in 1533, Abd ar-Rashid Khan I ascended to the throne. He enacted a significant shift in foreign policy, abandoning the traditional alliance with the Uzbek-Kazakh confederation and forming an alliance with their former enemies, the Shaybanids of Mawarannahr.
Triumphs and Expansion
In 1537, the allied forces of Abd ar-Rashid Khan I and the Shaybanids secured a decisive victory over the Kazakhs at the Battle of Chagat. This victory extended Abd ar-Rashid Khan I's authority over Central Moghulistan.
Around 1553, he appointed his eldest son, Abd al-Latif Sultan, as hakim of Central Moghulistan, based in Aksu, to counter the raids of Kazakhs and Kyrgyz tribesmen.
Kyrgyz Resistance and Battles
Despite Abd ar-Rashid Khan I's military successes, he faced ongoing resistance from the Kyrgyz. After suppressing their raids, the Kyrgyz would retreat to the Ili-Irtysh region and return with renewed aggression. Nevertheless, he managed to establish influence over the areas north of the Mamlakat-i Moghuliye borders, temporarily halting the Kyrgyz westward expansion.
Death and Legacy
In 1555 or 1556, Abd al-Latif Sultan was killed in battle with the Kazakhs. In retaliation, Abd ar-Rashid Khan I launched a crushing attack on the Kazakhs around Lake Issyk-Kul.
While unable to fully subjugate the former territory of Moghulistan, Abd ar-Rashid Khan I's rule transformed the Mamlakat-i Moghuliye into a regional power and temporarily stabilized the borders of his domain.
