CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PEDAGOGICS (ISSN: 2767-3278)
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VOLUME:
Vol.06 Issue07 2025
10.37547/pedagogics-crjp-06-07-02
Page: - 07 -10
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Culture and Educational Thought During the Golden Horde
and Nogai Period
N.A.Reymova
Independent researcher, Karakalpak State University named after Berdakh, Uzbekistan
Received:
12 May 2025
Accepted:
08 June 2025
Published:
10 July 2025
INTRODUCTION
The conquest of Central Asia by Genghis Khan in the
1920s and the subsequent brutal actions of the Mongols led
to a considerable deterioration of living conditions for the
local population. The peoples living in this territory offered
heroic resistance to the Mongol invasion, but the forces of
the popular resistance could not withstand the Mongol
brutality and cunning. As a result, a significant part of the
Uzbeks and Kazakhs moved to regions along the Volga
(Yedil) and Ural (Jaiyq), and the majority of the
Karakalpaks settled in the territory from the river Don to
the Ural, where there was a state of Kipchaks, including
peoples who spoke Kipchak languages, including
Karakalpaks, Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Tatars and nomadic
Uzbeks [1;152].
The Mongol invasion caused considerable destruction to
Khorezm. However, after the formation of the Golden
Horde in the second half of the 13th century, life in the
region, including Urgench, began to gradually recover and
this city became a major center for trade, handicrafts and
culture. During the archaeological excavations of the
Khorezm expedition on the south-eastern outskirts of the
Ustyurt plateau in Karakalpakstan, the ruins of the city of
Shemach, a monument of the era of the Golden Horde were
discovered. There was a mosque in the city, as well as
mahalli (quarters) of potters and craftsmen. Gold Horde
coins were also found, indicating the development of trade
in this city. In his studies historian A. Yakubovsky noted
the significant influence of Khohrasmian culture on the
culture of the Golden Horde [2;115].
The Main Findings and Results
According to sources, the culture of the Golden Horde and
Nogaili period occupies an important place in the history
of Central Asia because it reflects the identity of the
Turkic-speaking peoples and has had a significant
influence on the development of civilization in the region,
in particular, through the pedagogical ideas of their
thinkers.
The work of poets-sages who lived in the period of the
Golden Horde and Nogaili, had a significant influence on
the formation of public thought and pedagogical attitudes
of the Karakalpak people. In particular, sages such as Asan
Qaygi, Quba Jirau, Ketbuga Jirau, Soppasli Sipira Jirau and
Jirenshe Shishen have created terme (white poem), tolgau
(historical poem) and dastans with a meditative sense
related to the education of young people. The musical
world of the Karakalpak people begins with the musical
instrument “qobiz”. The people say that Qorqit ata is a feast
(spiritual patron) of the qobiz, because he invented this
musical instrument, created several musical melodies and
ABSTRAC
The article examines the importance of the pedagogical views of Karakalpak wise thinkers Soppasli Sipira Jirau and Asan Kaigi
in the education of youth, and also highlights the culture of the Golden Horde and Nogay periods .
Keywords:
Golden Horde, Nogai, Volga (Yedil), Ural (Jayiq), narrator, education, parenting, sage, poet.
CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PEDAGOGICS (ISSN: 2767-3278)
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laid the foundation for the term “jirau”[3;19].
Soppasli Sipira Jirau was an outstanding poet whose works
belong to the written literature of the Karakalpaks of the
Golden Horde and Nogayli periods. He is considered the
founder of the school of Karakalpak jirau, famous
storytellers. His name is widely known among the
Kipchaks, Mangits and Nogais who inhabited the
territories from the Volga to the Don, including the vicinity
of the Aral and Caspian Seas, Crimea and the Caucasus.
Jirau had an exceptional mind and talent, historical sources
write that he lived for about 180 years in the period from
the time of Genghis Khan’s conquest of Central Asia until
the fall of the Golden Horde in the vicinity of Mangishlak,
on the banks of the Jaiyq River, in the capital of the Nogais,
Saraichik. The exact date of his birth and death is not given,
but his life spans the period from the reign of Genghis
Khan to the time of Taihu Khan and his son Tokhtamish
(1383) [4;234]. Detailed information about his life is
presented in the tolgau “arrinman”. Also, historical sources
claim that the jirau always wore soppas (ancient
headdress), therefore he was called Soppasli Sipira.
According to such sources, the jirau had thirty children and
during his long life he saw ninety-six khans during the
reign of the Golden Horde until the era of Tokhtamish
Khan. He performed his epic tales at meetings attended by
up to twenty khans. Jirau also served as an adviser to many
khans. Ch.Valikhanov, a famous Kazakh scientist and
ethnographer, was the first to introduce the name of
Soppasli Sipira jirau into scientific circulation [5;34].
Jirau, who had a religious worldview, said that he lived a
long life because he often ate “sarqit” from heads of state,
officials and great people, and was honored to receive
blessings. The people, amazed by the wisdom and
longevity of the poet, include him in the category of
miracle workers as a man “who saw Khazret Qidir seven
times and whose dua (prayers) are accepted.” The historian
Ibn Battuta, who visited Saraichik in the 1430s, mentions
Soppasli, an outstanding storyteller of the Turkic peoples
[6;74]. Throughout his life, Soppasli demonstrated his art
of storytelling, visiting numerous places of the Golden
Horde.
Jirau, being a descendant of the Kipchak clan, lived in an
era when the peoples of the Golden Horde had not yet
formed into modern nations. Therefore, he is considered a
sage, thinker and poet, representing the common culture
and spiritual values of these peoples. In addition, the
literary work and storytelling art of Sipira Jirau are
widespread among the Karakalpak, Kazakh and Bashkir
peoples. Jirau met with various khans in Desht-i-Kipchak.
He was a great sage, a penetrating observer who analyzed
the political decisions of the khans. He also studied how
the khans governed the people, what moral demands they
made, and what consequences – both positive and negative
– their rule brought to the country. The poet, who actively
participated in the management of state affairs and advised
the khan on domestic policy, could not help but touch upon
the issues of education and upbringing. His concept of
forming a good society through improving the character
and behavior of people implies the need for targeted work
in these areas. This, in turn, entailed increased attention to
the issues of education and upbringing, as well as to the
problem of creative development of youth. Thus, the poet’s
activity, objectively, led to the realization of the
importance of these aspects for the development of society
and the state. This can be seen from the way he,
demonstrating his mastery in the palace of the khans and
before the people, always performed tolgau, filled with
human wisdom and instructions. Among the heritage he
created, the dastan “Edige” has a special significance. His
tolgau, such as “Awız ayǵaq, til tayǵaq”, “Toreler”,
“Qırımnıń qırıq batırı”, “Bir degende ne jaman” and others
are not only poetic works, but also great examples of
didactic poetry, the content of which widely presents
instructions and advice for young people related to
upbringing and education [4;235].
One of the most attractive aspects of the tolgau of Sipira
jirau is the strength of his philosophical thought and
resourcefulness. The songs of the jirau, touching the hearts,
were intertwined with the aspirations of the people.
Therefore, in the poetry of Soppasli Sipira jirau stands out
not as a creator, but as a master of words, that is, with his
way of creating tolgau, the beauty of speech, nationality
and depth of philosophical thought, which puts him in first
place among other storytellers [7;5].
The poet relies on Islamic teachings in his work. He shows
loyalty to the teachings and traditions of Islam, which his
contemporary Berke Khan accepted. Soppasli Sipira jirau
was a wise man who had seen a lot and accumulated rich
life experience, was knowledgeable in all areas, thought
deeply and had the ability for creative thinking.
Tokhtamish Khan, noticing his ability, invites him to his
palace to get to know him better. Then Sipira-jirau, turning
to the khan, whose cruelty was written on his face, says:
“The time has come, and you have become a khan, I know
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you will kill me, but nothing will come of it for me, I
should have died long ago. If you kill me, I will go to
heaven as a man who died at the hands of a tyrant” [4;235].
It follows from this that the worldview of the jirau is
influenced by Islamic teachings, in particular, the idea of
the immortality of the soul, resurrection on the Day of
Judgment and the existence of heaven and hell. During the
reign of Genghis Khan and his descendants, characterized
by brutal conquests and oppression, the poet nevertheless
demonstrated a democratic view of the world and a
commitment to humanism. He had a value-based attitude
towards man. He demanded justice and truth in resolving
all issues concerning humanity. Jirau persistently pursued
his goals and could even openly express his thoughts about
injustice to the khan and his viziers. He explained that
whoever violates justice, no matter who he is, must be
judged for his guilt, must have human dignity, draw
conclusions based on reason, and have the ability to think.
In his tolgau “Awız ayǵaq, til tayǵaq” the jirau analyzed
good and bad days in social life with the help of symbolic
images.
The collapse of the khanate during the time of Tokhtamish
Khan is explained by the unjust rule of the ruler. Also in
the tolgau created by the jirau, we can see deep
disappointment with the destructive actions of the officials
surrounding the khan, who did not care about the welfare
of the people, but acted in mutual opposition. Upset by the
fact that Tokhtamish Khan himself condoned tyrannical
actions, the storyteller told him to his face the
shortcomings in the management of society: “You take
lives, you cannot give life” [8;118] - thus, the wise advisor
and poet denounced the khan for his bloodthirstiness and
lack of mercy. The poet’s tolgau “Toreler” is aimed at
exposing the atrocities of some khans and their officials in
governing society. He reminds them of the need to openly
tell them to their faces about their cruel actions in
governing the people and learn to refrain from oppression,
evil and outrage. He hopes that some officials and rich
people, realizing the wrongness of their bad deeds, will be
able to direct themselves to good deeds.
In his tolgau, Sipira jirau paid great attention to the role of
parents in the upbringing and development of children. He
also described in his works how parents influence the
formation of a child’s worldview, his attitude to the world
around him, as well as his behavior and actions. He
believed that parents should be an example for their
children, teach them honesty, hard work, respect for elders
and care for others.
The poet believed that fathers should teach their children
wisdom and crafts, since the younger generation is the
future of humanity. He was also sure that the knowledge
and education passed on to children would serve the father
in old age, providing him with care and support.
In his tolgau, which begins with the words “Bir degende ne
jaman,” Sipira jirau, taking into account the living
conditions in society, drew attention to two issues in
education: raising boys as smart and educated, and girls in
the spirit of good behavior and modesty.
Jirau talks about the importance of family traditions in the
formation of youth, emphasizing that children learn from
their parents, adopting their behavior patterns. He believes
that sons should follow their fathers’ example, and
daughters should follow their mothers’, which is the key
point in upbringing. Girls, in his opinion, should be well-
mannered and have good manners, and young men should
demonstrate intelligence and prudence. Jirau guides the
right way, advising young people to live in mutual respect,
to show respect to elders, to observe the rules of decency,
claiming that this is a virtue inherent in modest and well-
mannered youth. He also teaches that disrespect for elders
is a bad habit, and advises to avoid such behavior.
On the issue of spiritual and moral education of youth,
Soppasli Sipira jirau first of all explained the need to
cultivate love for the homeland, honest service to the
people, respect for elders, life in friendship and
involvement in work. He emphasized that social relations
improve only when people have such character traits. In
general, when we analyze the tolgau created by Sipira jirau
from a scientific point of view, we can see that the main
ideas of educational views include patriotism, service to
the people, justice, mutual friendship, hard work and
possession of positive qualities.
One of the great thinkers of this period is considered to be
the sage and poet Asan Sabit uly. According to sources,
Asan was a descendant of Mayqi biy, a famous military
leader, one of the twelve biys who proclaimed Genghis
Khan as khan [4;240]. And in the “Shejire” (“Genealogy”)
of the poet Berdakh it is indicated that Mayqi biy is the
founder of the Karakalpak clan “Qonirat”. There are
different versions of the birth and death of Asan Qaigy.
According to one version, Asan Qaigy, an outstanding jirau
of the 15th century, was born around 1370. He was
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orphaned early, having lost his father, the hunter Sabit, and
was raised by his mother Salikha. Despite early
orphanhood and hardships, he grew up to be a wise man,
known for his life experience, eloquence and prudence.
Asan Qaigy’s wife Guljazira paid special attention to
raising her son Abat to be brave and courageous. Abat,
being a batir (hero), rendered great service to the Nogai
people [4;241]. Asan Qaigy lived in the area of the Volga
and Ural rivers. Information about his death varies, but
most often the approximate year of death is indicated -
1490. According to Kazakh scientists, Asan Qaigy died in
the land of Jideli Baysin in the territory of Uzbekistan, and
Shokhan Ualikhanov mentions in his works that Asan-ata
spent the last years of his life in Semirechye and died on
the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul [9;66]. In the life of the sage
there were several khans fighting for power, and one of
them was Ulug Muhammad Khan of the Golden Horde.
Karakalpaks and Kazakhs called Ulug Muhammad
Ormambet biy. Asan, according to some historical data,
was his adviser. When the “Great Khan” Ormambet biy
(1420) died, Asan, grieving, composed a tolgau
(reflection). The tolgau “Ormambet biy” is widely spread
among the Karakalpak people. The poet’s subsequent life
is closely connected with his activities as an adviser on
public affairs at the court of Khan Janibek (1456-1478).
Asan was a contemporary of Jirenshe-sheshen, a sage of
the Nogai era.
CONCLUSION
Asan Qaigy was an outstanding poet whose works
influenced the Kazakh, Karakalpak and Nogai cultures.
Therefore, information about his work has been widely
studied by scholars of these peoples. The works of the poet
and thinker Asan Qaigy reflect the hard life of the people
in his time, with oppression and injustice from the khans
and nobility. Asan Qaigy, being an adviser to the khan, was
not afraid to express his opinion, including criticism. In
most of the tolgau we see that the poet speaks out against
the policy of Janibek Khan’s rule. The nickname “Qaigy”
(“Sorrow”) was given to Asan because he deeply
empathized with the difficulties in the lives of living
beings, especially the difficult situation of people in
society, showing strong human feelings and compassion.
Thus, he is considered a historical figure, a man who was
worried not only about himself, but also had a heart for his
people.
In general, a deep study of the historical heritage of past
centuries, careful preservation of our national values and
their transmission to future generations are some of the
main tasks in matters of education and upbringing of our
youth.
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