Kalmyks and Oirats on Medieval European Maps скачать в хорошем качестве

Kalmyks and Oirats on Medieval European Maps

This is NotebookLM-Edition in Englisch for Lecture of Dr. Batr Uchaevich Kitinov, a Doctor of Historical Sciences and leading researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences -    • «Калмаки и ойраты на средневековых европей...   A key focus of the lecture is the Anthony Jenkinson Map of 1562, which is considered highly informative and was thought lost for nearly 400 years until its discovery in Poland in the 1970s or 1980s. The map was based on the travel notes, or "podorozhnik," of the English diplomat and merchant Anthony Jenkinson. Jenkinson's Journey: Jenkinson departed London for Moscow and then journeyed to Bukhara in the mid-16th century, starting his travel from Moscow in April 1558, about four years before the map's creation. He noted that Bukhara, located in modern-day Uzbekistan, was then known as Bactria, a name preserved from a much earlier Greco-Indian historical period, illustrating how toponyms and hydronyms can endure and help identify historical processes. First Mention of Kalmyks: Jenkinson's initial reference to Kalmyks (spelled "Kolmaks" or "Kolmaks" in the text) occurs in his notes on August 21, 1558, concerning the Emba River, which he recorded as originating from "the country of the Kalmaks". Identification of "Kings" and "Kalmyks" Upon arriving in Bukhara in December 1558, Jenkinson noted that trade caravans arrived from Persia and India, but not from China due to an ongoing war. The opposing sides were described as "Cosacks" (Cossacks) and "King" (Kynge). Misidentification: The English editors of Jenkinson's accounts initially hypothesized that "King" referred to the Kyrgyz. However, because Jenkinson's notes described these "Kings" as "idolaters," the editors concluded they must be Kalmyks, as Kalmyks were believed to be the only "idolaters" in that region in the mid-16th century. Bartold's Correction: The historian Bartold, however, pointed out that this conclusion was likely incorrect. He suggested that "King" derived from "Kyrkun," a Mongolian singular form for Kyrgyz. Kyrgyz and Moguls: Bartold also explained that during Jenkinson's time, the Kyrgyz were in a close political alliance with the Kazakhs, an alliance that had lasted about 30 years since 1527. This alliance enabled them to coordinate attacks on caravans from China. Bartold further noted that the Kyrgyz were essentially Moguls who, unlike other Moguls, had not yet fully adopted Islam. They were still considered "idolaters" by more westernized Muslim neighbors like the Uzbeks, who viewed their region as an "unruly land" or "Dzhet" (meaning "bandits"). This perception of Kyrgyz as idolaters contributed to the English editors' mistaken identification of them as Kalmyks. Oirats' Migration and Empire The lecturer explains why the peoples mentioned in Jenkinson's accounts were unlikely to be Oirats (who would later be known as Kalmyks) at that specific location and time. Origins and Migration: Oirats, a group of Western Mongolian tribes, began migrating from their ancestral homeland in the Upper Yenisei region (modern Tuva) towards modern Xinjiang as early as the 13th century, during the era of Genghis Khan. Oirat Empire: By the mid-15th century, the Oirats had established a vast empire, extending from Semirechye (near Lake Balkhash) in the west to Korea in the east, encompassing all of Mongolia and the Altai region. Decline and Displacement: However, their influence waned in the second half of the 15th century due to internal conflicts. They were gradually pushed out of their territories by the Moguls, Uzbeks, and Kyrgyz, migrating towards Southern Siberia (including the Black Irtysh, Lake Zaysan, Irtysh, Tobol, and Ob rivers). By the mid-16th century, when Jenkinson traveled, the Oirats had already left the Bukhara region and surrounding eastern lands. John Johnson's Account and "Kara-Kalmak" While Jenkinson's own records do not explicitly mention Oirats, his companion, John Johnson, described a land beyond "Katay" (China) called "Kara-Kalmak," inhabited by "black people". The lecturer interprets "Kara-Kalmak" (meaning "black Kalmak") as a reference to the Oirats. The land itself was already known as "Kalmak" by the time the Oirats arrived, and the Oirats, being newcomers and distinct, came to be known as "Kara-Kalmak" or "strangers". Giovanni da Pian del Carpine's Account: This interpretation is supported by the writings of Giovanni da Pian del Carpine, a Franciscan monk who visited the court of Guyuk Khan in 1246. Carpine wrote about "forest people" (which likely referred to the Ayrats) living in a great desert south of a city named Anul, in the land of the Kara-Khitai (Kidan). This aligns with the Oirats' historical movement from Tuva (a forested region) to the Kalmak area. The Kara-Khitai, a Kidan people who had formed an empire in Mongolia before moving west to create the Western Liao state, were significant enough that their name contributed to Russia's name for China.