NUR-BERDY-KHAN - RULER OF AHAL AND MERV. PART 2

The work deals with the life path of Nur-Berdy Khan, one of the key heroes of Turkmen history. Being the chief khan of Ahal, he played a significant role in the life of Merv, where he lived for many years. In the wars with Iran and the Khanate of Khiva, Nur-Berdy Khan showed himself as an outstanding commander and leader, and the clashes with the Russian army during the First Akhal-teke expedition revealed his talents as a strategist and diplomat. Realizing that the tactics of quick onslaughts and regular raids practiced by the Turkmens did not give the necessary result in relations with the Russian Empire, Nur-Berdy Khan became an adept of the most productive in such a case diplomatic line of conduct both with representatives of the imperial authorities and neighboring states. The figure of Khan is the subject of numerous stories and legends, depicted in tradition and works of fiction. However, the scientific literature practically does not cover the biography of Nur-Berdy Khan, except for several small brochures. The author has made an attempt to fill the gap. The numerous sources analysis and review of historiography of the 19th century made it possible to reconstruct the historical situation in the Turkmen society in the second half of the century before the last century and helped to better understand the political situation in the Central Asian region as a whole.