Shigai Khan

Shigai Khan ruled from 1580 to 1582 years.

Shigai Khan – Kazakh Khan, the head of the Kazakh Khanate in 1580 – 1582 years, the son Zhadik-Sultan. During his reign, Shigai concluded a new alliance with Abdullah Khan II, directed against Tashkent Khan Baba Sultan. In fact, the power in the Khanate in the hands of his son Shigaya – Tauekel Sultan, who led a decisive struggle with the Khan of Tashkent, which ended in victory for the Kazakhs.

After 1580 in written sources mention disappeared Hak-Nazar Khan, and Khan called his cousin Shigai-Khan, who lived a long life of about 80 years, however, the known facts of his life are sketchy. The following information about its origin. The pedigrees of the Kazakh khans, composed of A. Levshin, he called the son Dzhadika (Zhadika).
According to Muhammad Haidar Dzhadik Sultan died soon after in 1503. Mother Sheehan Khan was Abaykan-bikem.
Under the old Tatar legend, cast GF Miller, Ahmad Giray, a brother of the Siberian Khan Kuchum, was married to the daughter of Shigaya, “the prince of Bukhara.” Nevertheless, Shiga was with him at enmity and once had sent people who trick lured Ahmad Giray and killed him on the bank of the Irtysh River. According to V. Sonya-Zernov, this “prince of Bukhara” was Shigay Khan.

In “Sharaf-name-yi shahs” Hafiz Tanysha reported that “Shiga for many years was the master of the steppes and deserts,” which may mean that he led a certain part of the Kazakhs, before he was awarded the title of Khan. However, his name is not mentioned in the description of the war with Hak-Nazar Baba Sultan and other descriptions of military operations, which may mean that he was kept away from other Kazakh khans.
After the death of Hak-Nazar Shiga yourself opposed Baba Sultan to prove their loyalty to Abdullah Khan II, which according to Hafiz Khan Tanysha Shiga “for a long time showed himself as a supporter of his Majesty the Emperor Abdullah Khan.”

Go to the side Shigaya shaybanida Abdullah Khan II was a notable political event of the Kazakh Khanate of the second half of the XVI century, as the Kazakh khans were long and bitter enemies Shaybanidov in the struggle for power in the Dasht-i-Kipchak. In July 1581 Shigai Khan and his sons Tauekel-Sultan and others arrived at the camp Abdullah Khan II and met him. Abdullah Khan II gave him the exceptional honor, gave as iqta land Khujand and made a feast.

The reasons go Shiga Khan to the side of Abdullah Khan II is not quite clear. Some investigated as MP Vyatkin, explain this growth might Abdullah Khan II and consciousness of impotence Shigaya. Others, such as AP Chuloshnikov believe that the defeat of the Kazakhs on the banks of the River Talas Baba-sultan weakened them and they were under a double threat – from the rebel Baba Sultan and Mogul’skii khans-Chagataidov.
At the same time on the side of Abdullah Khan II passed, not all Kazakhs, but only that part of them, which was ruled by Shigai-Khan (as reported by Hafiz Tanysh “unanimous squad and like-minded people from the forces of the Kazakhs”). Besides transition Shigaya occurred in 1581, and Abdullah Khan II officially became Khan of the Uzbeks in 1583 only. At Abdullah Khan II had many rivals in the struggle for the throne, and he was interested in the support of Shigai -Khan; Tauekel later, in the service of Abdullah Khan II, he participated in its struggle against other Shaybanidov and their extermination.

Shigai Khan and his men had a great reputation among the Uzbek sultans. So, Hafiz Tanysh writes that when Abdullah Khan II arrived in Dizak, then with Kazakh soldiers to his victorious troops are joined Sheehan Khan, who enjoyed his special location. Abdullah Khan II appointed in the vanguard of the army of one of sultans Shigai Kazakh Khan and his son Tauekel-Sultan.

At the beginning of 1582 Abdullah Khan II has taken another Ulug-Tagsky campaign against Baba Sultan and his supporters succeed. Shiga-Khan also took part in this campaign, which became his last. At the latest mention of Shiga in connection with these events is contained in the “Sharaf-name-yi shahs” Hafiz Tanysha. After his death, Khan’s power was inherited by his son Tauekel.