# Qazaghan

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Mongolian aristocrat who ruled Central Asia

**Qazaghan** (died 1358) was the [amir](/source/Amir) of the [Qara'unas](/source/Qara'unas) (1345 at the latest – 1358) and the effective ruler of the [Chagatai](/source/Chagatai_Khanate) *ulus* (1346–1358).

The following opinions were expressed about the ethnic origin of the Qazaghan: 1) [Vasily Bartold](/source/Vasily_Bartold) wrote that Qazaghan was very likely from the Kauchin tribe;[1] he believed that the Kauchins were a [Turkisized](/source/Turkic_peoples) [Mongol](/source/Mongol) tribe;[2] 2) In his other early work, Bartold called Qazaghan a [Turkic](/source/Oghuz_Turks) emir.[3][4]

Qazaghan's lineage is mostly unknown; it is possible that he became head of the Qara'unas through appointment instead of inheritance[5] In 1345 he rebelled against his sovereign, the [Chagatai Khan](/source/Chagatai_Khans) [Qazan](/source/Qazan_Khan_ibn_Yasaur), but was defeated. The following year he tried again and succeeded in killing the khan. Qazan's death signified the end of the effective power of the Chagatai khans within the *ulus*; subsequent khans were rulers in name only. Qazaghan, in the interest of maintaining an image of legitimacy, contented himself with his title of amir and conferred the title of khan on descendants of [Genghis Khan](/source/Genghis_Khan) of his own choosing: first [Danishmendji](/source/Danishmendji) (1346–1348) and then [Bayan Quli](/source/Bayan_Quli) (1348–1358).

During the twelve years that Qazaghan served as the [power behind the throne](/source/Power_behind_the_throne), the khanate devolved into a loose confederation of tribes that respected the overall authority of Qazaghan and his puppet khans, although he primarily commanded the loyalty of the tribes of the southern portion of the *ulus*. Following the example of the khans before him, Qazaghan raided northern [India](/source/India). He also sent several thousand troops to aid the [Sultan of Delhi](/source/Sultan_of_Delhi), [Muhammad bin Tughluq](/source/Muhammad_bin_Tughluq), against rebels in his country in 1350 or 1351 and also supported his son [Firuz Shah Tughlaq](/source/Firuz_Shah_Tughlaq) to the throne. Following complaints from the [Arlat](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arlat&action=edit&redlink=1) and the [Arpardi](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arpardi&action=edit&redlink=1) tribes, who were members of the *ulus*, of raids by the [Kartids](/source/Kartids) under Mu'izzu'd-Din, Qazaghan coordinated a [punitive expedition](/source/Punitive_expedition) with most of the tribes of the southern part of the *ulus*. The coalition sacked [Herat](/source/Herat) and gathered a large amount of plunder.

In 1358 Qazaghan was assassinated by the son of Borolday, who had been amir of the Qara'unas before Qazaghan. He had aroused the anger of his murderer by denying him the [tumen](/source/Tumen_(unit)) of Borolday. He was succeeded as leader of the Qara'unas by his son, [‘Abdullah](/source/%E2%80%98Abdullah_(Chagatai_Khanate)).

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Бартольд1_1-0)** Бартольд В. В. (1968). *Сочинения. Том V. Работы по истории и филологии тюркских и монгольских народов* (in Russian). Москва: Наука. p. 172.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Бартольд2_2-0)** Бартольд В. В. (1968). *Сочинения. Том V. Работы по истории и филологии тюркских и монгольских народов* (in Russian). Москва: Наука. p. 34.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Бартольд3_3-0)** Бартольд В. В. (1963). *Сочинения. Том II. Часть 1* (in Russian). Москва: Наука. p. 78.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** V. V. Barthold (1956). *Four Studies on Central Asia*. p. 137.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Manz, p. 160

## References

- Manz, Beatrice Forbes, *The Rise and Rule of Tamerlane*. Cambridge University Press, 1989, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-521-34595-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-34595-2).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Qazaghan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qazaghan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qazaghan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.