Abul Khair Khan

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For the Uzbek leader, see Abu'l-Khayr Khan.
Stamp of Kazakhstan devoted to Abul Khair Khan, 2001 (Michel 316)
Stamp of Kazakhstan devoted to Abul Khair Khan, 2001 (Michel 316)

Abul Khair Khan (Kazakh: Әбілқайыр хан) (1693 - 1748) was leader of the Kazakh "Little Horde" (The Lesser Jüz) in present-day western Kazakhstan. During this period the Little Horde participated in the 1723 - 1730 war against the Dzungars, following their "Great Disaster" invasion of Kazakh territories. Under his leadership Kazakh militias defeated Dzungar forces at the Bulanty river in 1726 and in the battle of Anrakay in 1729.

In order to obtain Russian help against the Dzungars, Abul Khair Khan took an oath of allegiance to the Russian crown in 1731. He subsequently attempted to limit and control the amount of Russian influence exercised over the Kazakh Little Horde.

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