Policy of the Russian Empire Regarding the Qazaq Nobility (Based on Legislative Sources)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69567/3007-0236.2023.2.247.261Keywords:
Russian Empire; legislative sources; Qazaq nobility; administrative reforms in Qazaqstan; source studiesAbstract
The article analyzes legislative sources of the Russian Empire and their data about the policy of the Russian Empire in relation to the Qazaq nobility. The issues of interaction between the Russian government and the Qazaq nobility, the policy of attracting the noble and influential representatives of Qazaq society to cooperate with the Russian administration for the implementation of colonial tasks of Russia are considered on the base of legislative acts of the Russian Empire. The analysis of legislative acts shows that the Russian authorities spared no expense to attract the Kazakh nobility to their side. The Russian Empire sought to form a loyal official corps among the local population to carry out its policy in the conquered region. For this purpose, it used various material incentives, including cash grants and gifts; allowed Qazaq sultans, bays and biys to own pastures as property, protected their property and allowed its inheritance; exempted Qazaq officials from paying taxes and various duties, and gave them the right to collect certain types of taxes from the Qazaq population. Representatives of the Qazaq nobility who showed loyalty to the empire were appointed to administrative positions in the tsarist colonial apparatus, became senior sultans, volost rulers, biys, etc. They were entrusted with some judicial functions in the Qazaq Steppe. To conduct colonial office work locally, scribes and interpreters were trained in special schools. The Muslim clergy was also attracted to the Russian service. Recognition of the privileged rights of the Qazaq nobility, which supported and implemented the official policy of the Russian Empire, allowed it to fully establish itself in the Qazaq Steppe. The Qazaq nobility became part of the colonial administration apparatus of Russia.
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