ETHNIC PROCESSES IN CENTRAL ASIA DURING THE TIMURID ERA (14TH–15TH CENTURIES)

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the ethnic processes that took place in Central Asia during the 14th–15th centuries, a period closely associated with the Timurid era, when Amir Timur and his descendants transformed the political and cultural landscape of the region. The purpose of the study is to identify the patterns of ethnic consolidation among the Turkic and Mongol tribes and to assess the influence of Timurid policies on the ethnopolitical structure of the region. The research employs comparative-historical, source-study, and typological methods, enabling the correlation of medieval written sources with contemporary academic interpretations. The main sources include the chronicles of Nizam ad-Din Shami, Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi, Mirza Haidar Dughlat, and Abulgazi Bahadur Khan, which provide valuable data on the ethnic composition, migrations, and sociocultural transformations of that time. Particular attention is given to the interaction between nomadic and sedentary cultures, processes of migration and assimilation, as well as the spread of Islam and the development of linguistic identity. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the systematic comparison of Timurid historical materials with modern ethnological and historiographical studies, which allows for a refined understanding of the dynamics of ethnogenesis in Central Asia. The findings demonstrate that the Timurid period was a decisive stage in the formation of the Kazakh ethnos and in the broader evolution of the Turkic civilization in the region.