“PEDAGOGS”
international research journal ISSN:
2181-3027
_SJIF:
5.449
https://scientific-jl.com/ped
Volume-87, Issue-1, August -2025
4
THE AMIR WHO LEFT THE "HALF-KINGS"
BEHIND OR AMIR ABDULAHAD
Abduvohidova Rukhshona Doniyorbek kizi
Namangan State University, History student
E-mail: ruxshona01062005@gmail.com
Tel: +998931021725
Abstract:
This article provides information about the biography of one of the last
Bukhara Mang'it emirs, Emir Abdulahadkhan, his accession to the Bukhara throne and
the political and social situation of the emirate during his reign, his travels, and his
relations with the Russian emperors.
Keywords:
Bukhara Emirate, Emir Muzaffar, Shamshodayim, Ostanakul
Kushbegi, Nicholas II, nickname "Ojiz", Ismail Gaspirali, "Muzaffaria", Karmana,
Petersburg, Moscow, Caucasus, Order of "Andrey Pervozvanniy", Terek Cossack army
honorary title.
After Emir Muzaffar, who ruled the Emirate of Bukhara for twenty-five years,
died of illness on October 31, 1885, his son, Emir Sayyid Abdulahad, who ascended
the throne, ruled the Emirate of Bukhara from 1885 to 1910. Emir Abdulahad was
appointed Beg of Karmana from the age of 14. According to the information of Russian
tourists, the future Emir lived a very simple life in Karmana. Amir Abdulahad was
officially enthroned on November 4, 1885, when he was seated on a white felt chair in
the Bukhara arch [ 1. – P. 343 ].
Sayyid Abdulahad Bahodirkhan was born on March 16, 1857, in the city of
Karmana, Bukhara Emirate. His father was Amir Muzaffar, and his mother was
Shamshodayim, who was of Iranian origin. Shamshodayim was one of the most
intelligent women of her time and was considered the beloved wife of Emir Muzaffar.
In addition to her son, Shamshodayim also had a daughter named Saliha. Emir
Muzaffar married her to his nephew Amonullah [2].
Abdulahad was raised by his mother from a young age. He learned the abjad and
alphabet from a teacher named Hamid Ma'qul.
Abdulahad was interested in poetry from a young age, and wrote poems under the
pseudonym "Ojiz". However, he did not create a special collection. Examples of his
poems are cited in the commentaries of some artists.
His contemporaries remembered him as a kind, just, pious, modest and cultured
person.
According to the Mangid dynasty, the crown prince of the Bukhara Emirate ruled
the Karmana region. Amir Muzaffar appointed his eldest son Abdulmalik (1848–1909)
“PEDAGOGS”
international research journal ISSN:
2181-3027
_SJIF:
5.449
https://scientific-jl.com/ped
Volume-87, Issue-1, August -2025
5
as heir to the throne and governor of the Karmana region, but after 4 years Abdulmalik
was sent to the Guzor region as governor. During the Russian invasion (1868), due to
disputes between Abdulmalik and Amir Muzaffar, Emir Muzaffar deprived him of the
right to the throne. Then, when the emir was about to transfer the right to the throne to
his second son, Chorjoy Beg - Nuruddin, Nuruddin died suddenly. Then, he appointed
his next son Abdulfattah as heir to the throne. In 1869, Abdulfattah was sent to the
Russian Emperor Alexander II and received the emperor's consent to the succession.
Soon after, Abdulfattah also died. After that, the Emir appointed Muzaffar Abdulahad
as heir to the throne. In 1883, Amir Muzaffar Abdulahad was sent to the imperial
capital by Alexander III (1881–1894) to participate in the coronation ceremonies on
the occasion of his accession to the throne of the Russian Empire and to confirm his
future succession to the throne of the Emirate of Bukhara.
Abdulahad was accompanied by the Minister of Internal Affairs Salim
Parvanachi, the governor of Hissar Astanakul Kushbegi, and several other Bukhara
residents. Their mission was to improve relations with Russia. The historian
Muhammad Salim, who went on this trip with Abdulahad, writes in his work "Kashkuli
Salimiy":
At that time, there were no rails [trains]. We traveled to the Orenburg region by
mail cart, and from there by train to Petersburg. By order of the Russian Tsar, we were
placed in the "Karontodel" hotel. The Russian Emperor presented each of us with
medals, gold watches, and diamond rings. We went to see the gardens and palaces.
This official hospitality lasted sixty-two days. Then, returning to Bukhara, we informed
the emir that friendly relations with Russia had been strengthened.
In 1885, while traveling around the borders of the emirate, Amir Muzaffar, who
had contracted cholera, was bedridden in the Shirbudun palace outside Bukhara. The
emir's close friends immediately sent a message to Abdulahad, who was in Karmana,
about this. Fearing that unrest would break out in the country, Amir Muzaffar's
condition was kept secret from the public until Abdulahad arrived. By order of his
lieutenant Mulla Mahmudbi, Amir Muzaffar was secretly taken to the Bukhara Arch at
night and died there.
Upon receiving the news, Abdulahad set off with 1,000 servants, visited the grave
of Bahauddin Naqshband on the way, and reached Bukhara. The div of the deceased
Muzaffar was placed in the Hazrati Imla cemetery in Bukhara.
A few days later, Abdulahad Khan's official enthronement as the Emir of Bukhara
will take place. The ceremony will be attended by courtiers, government
representatives, religious officials, and elders of Uzbek clans.
Historians describe the state of the Bukhara Emirate at the time of Abdulahad
Khan's accession to the throne as a period of decline for the country. The officials'
greed for the state treasury and their indifference to the plight of the people increased.
“PEDAGOGS”
international research journal ISSN:
2181-3027
_SJIF:
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https://scientific-jl.com/ped
Volume-87, Issue-1, August -2025
6
Lack of control over civil servants led the country to decline. In addition, the wars that
took place during the reign of Amir Muzaffar weakened the emirate economically.
Trade and commerce ceased, and the people became increasingly impoverished. Due
to poverty, many people migrated to the Turkestan Governorate, Kashgar, and
Afghanistan, which led to a decrease in the population of the emirate.
The emirate's army, which was not adapted to the times and was quite
inexperienced in military operations, was constantly spending large sums of money
from the emirate's economy [4].
When Amir Abdulahad Khan ascended the throne, the situation in the emirate was
not good. Although Amir Muzaffar, according to his contemporaries, was considered
a very intelligent person, he was somewhat old-fashioned compared to his time. During
his time, the country did not receive any advanced innovations of his time.
After Abdulahad Khan ascended the throne, Bukhara's relations with Russia
developed somewhat. The emirate's army was somewhat reduced, and Russian military
specialists were brought to Bukhara to provide military training to soldiers, that is, the
military sector was reformed.
Amir Abdulahadkhan also reformed the judicial system. He dismissed officials
who were corrupt and greedy. He dismissed all regional judges and district elders and
appointed new judges and elders. He promoted Badriddin Makhsum, who was serving
as a mufti in the emirate, to the position of chairman. He appointed Orifjon Makhdum
to the position of chairman. In 1886, he closed part of the prisons in the emirate. The
brothel in Bukhara was closed. He issued decrees prohibiting drug addiction, greed,
gambling, bribery, prostitution, and the slave trade, as well as corporal punishment of
criminals and the execution of criminals. The severity of the laws punishing the sale of
wives, bribery, greed, etc. was doubled. In 1897, by order of Abdulahad Khan, a home
for the disabled and disabled was built in Bukhara, with all the necessary conditions.
Hot meals were provided for those who stayed there twice a day. In addition, a modern
hospital and pharmacy were established in Bukhara under the supervision and order of
the emir. In 1895, Abdulahad Khan organized the Bukhara militia, which was planned
to serve in the major cities of the emirate with a staff of 2,000 people.
In 1904, Ismail Gaspirali opened a new Usul school in Bukhara with the
permission of the emir and named it "Muzaffariya" in honor of Abdulahadkhan's father.
During the reign of Amir Abdulahadkhan, relations between the Bukhara Emirate
and the Russian Empire further developed. A Russian protectorate was established over
the emirate. The entry of the Bukhara Emirate into the sphere of influence of the
Russian Empire's customs service created favorable conditions for the free movement
of Bukhara and Russian merchants on the territory of the two countries. At the same
time, it was possible for Russian industrialists to bring industry to the territory of the
Bukhara Emirate.
“PEDAGOGS”
international research journal ISSN:
2181-3027
_SJIF:
5.449
https://scientific-jl.com/ped
Volume-87, Issue-1, August -2025
7
Joint-stock companies, banks, and small industrial enterprises began to open in
the emirate. This process intensified after the commissioning of the Caspian Railway
[4].
The Russian emperor awarded Amir Abdulahadkhan the military rank of adjutant
general for his services.
Like all tsars and emirs, Amir Abdulahad had several wives. Of these, we have
identified the names of Tora Ayim, Shamsiya Ayim, Eshon Ayim, and Davlat Bakht
Ayim (later, they, like other relatives, moved to Afghanistan in 1923). From his
beloved wife Davlat Bakht Ayim, the crown prince, Olimkhan, was born.
Amir Abdulahad was on friendly terms with the heir to the Russian imperial
throne, Nicholas II. This is probably why the relationship between them, even after
they ascended the throne, was good, if not bad. Later, Abdulahadkhan visited the major
cities of the Caucasus, Petersburg, Moscow, and presented countless gifts and greetings
to Emperor Nicholas II and his wife, whetting their appetites even more. Even,
according to sources, the emperor paid special attention to the gifts brought by his
vassals (in particular, the Khan of Khiva) to the emir. In return, the emir bought
luxurious courtyards, luxurious gardens, and mansions in Petersburg. He bought 250
sarjins (1 sarjin - 2.1 meters) of land at the junction of Kronverk Street (now Kronverk
Avenue) and Konny Street in St. Petersburg for 312,000 rubles and began work on
building a mosque.
He also built gardens and palaces in picturesque cities such as Crimea,
Zheleznovodsk and Kislovodsk, where he often rested. Having the favor and respect
of Nicholas II, Abdulahad did not bother even the governors-general of Turkestan,
whom the people called "half-tsars", but resolved all important issues with the "white
tsar" himself. In terms of the titles he received, he even surpassed the governors-
general.
After all, Amir Abdulahad received military titles that were not even available to
the "half-tsars" of Turkestan, such as Rosenbach, Vrevsky, Dukhovsky, Ivanov,
Subbotich, Mishenko, Samsanov. Nikolai Romanov awarded the emir with such
positions and titles as adjutant general, cavalry general, the nobility rank of "highest
rank" rarely granted even to Petersburg nobles and Russian princes, the highest
imperial order "Andrey Pervozvanny", the honorary title of Terek Cossack Army, and
the father of the 5th Orenburg Cossack Regiment.
Emir Abdulahad died on December 22, 1910, at the age of 52, due to kidney
disease. According to the emir's will, he was buried in the Kasim Sheikh Khanaqo in
Karmana, facing west. In 1912, a large shrine was built around the grave of
Abdulahadkhan by his son Olimkhan [3. – P. 156-158].
The grave of Amir Abdulahadkhan was opened twice during the Soviet era. The
first time the grave was opened was in 1942-1943 (according to another source, in
“PEDAGOGS”
international research journal ISSN:
2181-3027
_SJIF:
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Volume-87, Issue-1, August -2025
8
1943-1944). The assumption that Amir Said Olimkhan could not take the gold of
Bukhara with him and hid it in his father's grave was the reason for the opening of the
grave.
The grave was opened for the second time in 1984. Archaeologists who conducted
excavations in the grave did not find anything there except small finger bones. It was
concluded that the bones in it were collected and taken away when the grave was first
opened.
In 2001, during renovation work at the Qosim Sheikh complex, the
Abdulahadkhan sagana was opened there for the third time. It was found that there
were two graves inside the sagana. Scholars have suggested that the second grave
belonged to Abu Tahir Khoja Samarkandi, who died in Karmana in 1874 [5.].
In conclusion, I can say that Amir Abdulahad's accession to the throne did not
occur in times of peace, like some emirs. At that time, during the reign of Amir
Muzaffar, the territory of the emirate was occupied by the Russian Empire. The
turbulent days of the reign of Amir Muzaffar continued until Amir Abdulahad came to
the throne. During the policy of Abdulahad Khan, relations with Russia developed
somewhat, the judicial system was reformed, and some steps were taken towards the
development of the country and the interests of the people. The looting of the treasury
was stopped, the types of punishment were determined depending on the crime
committed, and the rules and regulations became twice as serious. But just as there are
two sides to the scale, there were also several aspects of Amir Abdulahad that the
people did not like. The first of these was his love of traveling. It was precisely these
trips, all the gifts and greetings given to the "white king" that fell on the shoulders of
the people. The duties and taxes paid also aggravated the situation of the people.
However, it should be noted that even in these aspects, the Russian tsars did not oppress
the people of Bukhara very much.
References:
1. Eshov B. History of state and local government in Uzbekistan. – T.: Yangi asr
avlod, 2012.
2. Sultonova K. The reign of Amir Abdulahad (on the example of A. G. Nedvetsky
- “The Rulers of Bukhara”) // International scientific journal. “MODERN SCIENCE
AND RESEARCH”, Volume 4/ ISSUE 6/ UIF 8.2/ MODERN SCIENCE.UZ.
https://inlibrary.uz/index.php/science_research/article/view/110651
3. Zamonov A. Some unknown pages of the biography of medieval historical
figures. – T.: Bayoz, 2020.
4. https://uz.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amir_Abdulahadxon
5. https://uz.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdulahadxon_daxmasi
