ASTANA – Three historians from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia explored how the Golden Horde continues to shape the historical narratives and identities of their countries during a podcast organized by Kazakh historian and Golden Horde researcher Zhaksylyk Sabitov.
From left, Gaibulla Babayarov, Zhaksylyk Sabitov and Damir Iskhakov discussed how the Golden Horde continues to shape the historical narratives and identities of their countries during a podcast. Photo credit: Sabitov’s youtube channel The discussion highlighted both the shared historical legacy of the medieval empire and the distinct national perspectives that have emerged across Central Asia and the Volga Region.
According to Damir Iskhakov, an ethnologist and researcher of Tatar ethnogenesis at the Marjani Institute of History in Kazan, perceptions of the Golden Horde have changed significantly in recent decades. “There was a time when many Kazakhs believed their origins lay primarily with the Kipchaks or other earlier peoples rather than the Golden Horde.
Today, historical evidence and the composition of Kazakh clans clearly demonstrate a direct connection with the Golden Horde,” he said. He added that growing scholarly interest has strengthened understanding of the Golden Horde’s contribution to the formation of the Kazakh nation.
Gaibulla Babayarov, a specialist in ancient Turkic epigraphy and numismatics at the Institute of Oriental Studies in Tashkent, noted that bringing together experts from different countries enriches understanding of the Golden Horde. “Each country has its own unique perspective, which makes discussions like this especially valuable,” Babayarov said.
Babayarov highlighted that the Golden Horde is often mistakenly viewed as unrelated to Uzbekistan’s history. “In reality, the Golden Horde period played an important role in the ethnogenesis of the Uzbek people,” he said. While most of present-day Uzbekistan belonged to the Chagatai Ulus, the country’s northwestern territories, particularly Northern Khorezm, were part of the Golden Horde.
Many Uzbek clans originated in the Dasht-i Kipchak, with Babayarov estimating that nearly half of traditional Uzbek tribal groups trace their roots to that region. “For this reason, the histories of the Golden Horde and the Chagatai Ulus should be studied together rather than separately.
They share common roots and represent a shared historical heritage,” he said.