KARA-SHAYTAN – A CONNECTING LINK BETWEEN MERV AND BUKHARA

This article is dedicated to the historical figure known under the pseudonym Kara-Shaytan (Gara-Sheitan, Black Devil). His real name remains unknown to modern historiography. His fate is closely intertwined with the history of the Turkmen people in the 2nd half of the 19th century.The aim is to gather all available material for research this person. The use of the comparative historical method, along with an anthropological approach, enables us to reconstruct the broader context of events with greater precision and detail.Bukharan, Kazakh, Russian, and European sources were consulted. These sources allowed for the construction of a coherent chronology of the military and political events. Previously unknown facts have been revealed regarding the participation of Turkmen tribes in the events surrounding the conquest of the Bukhara Emirate by the Russian Empire. New historical figures and their roles in the turbulent episodes of this period have also come to light.The study highlights the role of Turkmen guardians of order — the yasavuls — and their security service along the border between the Merv Oasis and the Bukhara Emirate. At the center of these developments stood Kara-Shaitan, whose actions contributed to the preservation of peace and stability in the region.