Civil war in the Kokand Khanate

Civil War in the Kokand Khanate
	Part of Internal conflicts in Central Asia
Date	February 1862 – July 1863
Location	Kokand Khanate (modern-day Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan)
Result	Kyrgyz-Kipchak victory
Territorial; changes	Control over Kokand Khanate territories fluctuated; limited external intervention by Bukhara
Belligerents
Commanders and leaders
Strength
Casualties and losses
	The conflict ended with the capture of Khujand by Kyrgyz-Kipchak forces and the establishment of Sultan Seyid Khan as khan.

The Civil War in the Kokand Khanate was a series of internal conflicts in the Kokand Khanate from February 1862 to July 1863, centered around a power struggle between the nomadic and settled agricultural elites. The conflict concluded when Emir Muzaffar and Khudoyar Khan retreated to Bukhara, solidifying the Kyrgyz-Kipchak nobility’s control.

The conflict began with the assassination of Malla Khan, which fractured the political elite and initiated a dual-power system in the khanate.

The Beginning of the War

In February 1862, Malla Khan was assassinated, creating a power vacuum that divided the khanate’s elite and set off a civil war. Khudoyar Khan was appointed as the khan in Tashkent, while Shahmurad Khan took control in Kokand. Shahmurad’s faction advanced toward Tashkent and laid siege but failed to capture it. At Khudoyar's request, Emir Muzaffar of Bukhara intervened, forcing Shahmurad’s supporters to retreat to the capital.

A subsequent rebellion in Kokand allowed Khudoyar to capture the city, but he soon informed the Emir of Bukhara that he no longer required their support. This escalated tensions between the competing factions and sparked numerous battles, including the Battle of Asaka in June 1862, where Alimkul’s forces emerged victorious over Khudoyar’s.

Course of Events

In the summer and fall of 1862, the Kyrgyz-Kipchak forces led by Alimkul seized several strategic areas, including Kasan, Namangan, and Chust. Meanwhile, a siege on Andijan began in August 1862, resulting in its capture in January 1863. The capture of Margilan followed in April 1863 after intense fighting. Alimkul’s forces amassed a large army (approximately 40,000 troops) by rallying various regional groups, and the conflict expanded into numerous battles that inflicted devastation on villages and fields.

Intervention of Bukhara

Following the capture of Margilan, Alimkul’s forces neared Kokand. Although the city was defended by a sizable garrison of Bukharan and Khudoyar's forces, they hesitated to engage in direct combat. A sortie attempt by the Bukharans and Khudoyar’s troops managed only to stall Alimkul's advance temporarily. Eventually, Emir Muzaffar arrived in Kokand, but internal conflicts among the Bukharan and Kokandian forces hindered coordinated efforts. With strategic planning, Alimkul prompted the retreat of the Emir and Khudoyar to Bukhara without a decisive battle.

The End of the War

As Emir Muzaffar retreated, a final challenge from Alimkul requested a showdown near Margilan, which the Emir declined. Realizing the untenable situation, the Bukharan forces plundered many Kokand villages on their way out, further devastating the khanate.

In July 1863, Alimkul’s forces under Mingbai captured Khujand after a siege, pushing Bukharan forces back to Samarkand and effectively ending the civil war. Sultan Seyid Khan was declared the new ruler of the khanate.

Consequences of the War

The two-year struggle restored power to the Kyrgyz-Kipchak nobility. The war inflicted severe economic damage on the khanate: widespread poverty, disrupted trade, and a depleted treasury left the region in a fragile state. Reports noted a decline in livestock, especially horses, and the khanate’s military was poorly equipped. This period of anarchy severely weakened the Kokand Khanate, paving the way for external threats in the years to come.

References

Beisembiev, T.K., Kokand Historiography: Research on Central Asia in the 18th-19th Centuries, Almaty: TOO "Print-S", 2009, p. 293.
Nabiev, R.N., From the History of the Kokand Khanate: Feudal Economy of Khudoyar Khan, Tashkent: Publishing house of the FAN of the Uzbek SSR, 1973, p. 61.

Literature

Beisembiev, T.K., Kokand Historiography, Almaty: TOO "Print-S", 2009.
Nabiev, R.N., From the History of the Kokand Khanate, Tashkent: FAN Publishing, 1973.
Nalivkin, V., A Brief History of the Kokand Khanate, Kazan, 1886.
Babajanov, B.M., Kokand Khanate: Power, Politics, Religion, Tokyo, Tashkent, 2010.