Battle of Akhsi
This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (August 2014) ) |
Battle of Akhsi/Archiyan | |||||||
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Part of Uzbek-Moghul Wars Timurid-Uzbek Wars Timurid Civil Wars | |||||||
Transoxiana & Turkestan | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Timurids |
Timurids | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Sultan Mahmud Khan (POW) Sultan Ahmad Alaq Khan (POW) Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur Muhammad Dughlat Hissari Mirza Muhammad Hussain Dughlat Qamber Ali Bayg Sarik-bash Mirza Sultan Muhammad Khanikeh Qasim Bayg Kishkeh Mahmud Chiras Chief Ayub Yaqub Begchik Chief Khwaja Abul Makaram (POW) † Baba Khan Mirza (POW) † Sultan Sa'id Khan Sultan Mansur Khan Sultan Khalil Sultan Ahmed Mirza Dughlat Jan Hassan Barin Barin Chief Mir Shah Kochin Baba Shirzad Dost Nasir Khwaja Muhammad Ali Tajik † Mirza Kuli Kokaltash Karimdad Khudaidad Turkmen Mazid Taghai Nasir Beg † Muhammad Ali Mubashir † Khusroe Kokaltash † Naiman Chihreh † Syed Qasim Jahangir Mirza II Ibrahim Bayg Kuchak Ali Bend Ali Bayg Jan Kuli Bayan Kuli Abdul Quddus Sidi Kara Khwaja Hussaini |
In the early 16th century, Sultan Mahmud Khan, the Chagatai Khan of Western Moghulistan, and Sultan Ahmad Alaq Khan, the Chagatai Khan of Eastern Moghulistan, decided to counter the growing power of the Uzbeks under Muhammad Shaybani. Sultan Ahmed Tambol had rebelled against his Timurid master Babur and declared his independence. But when Babur tried to reconquer his territory with the help of his uncles (the above named Khans), Ahmed Tambol sought the assistance of the Uzbeks. The two Moghul brothers united their forces and launched a campaign against Tambol, but Muhammad Shaybani surprised the Khans and proved victorious in battle of Akhsi and took them both prisoner.
Background
Sultan
Sultan Mahmud Khan had to defend Tashkent from the Timurids of
In 1501 C.E., Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur had lost
Battle of Akhsi/Archiyan
Sultan Mahmud Khan, leaving his son Sultan Muhammad in Tashkent with a strong army, left for Andijan. He also left
But as soon as Muhammad Shaybani Khan received intelligence of the movements of the Moghuls he hastened with an army of 30,000 men from Samarkand to Ferghana, passing by Uratippa on his road. Mirza Muhammad Hussain Dughlat was under the impression that he was about to be besieged by the Uzbeks so he prepared the fort. But Muhammad Shaybani came in the afternoon and encamped close to the town and at sunset he broke up his camp and marched away with all possible speed, so that before the men in the fort had begun to inquire in which direction he had gone, he was many miles away. When it was discovered that he had marched towards Ferghana, several messengers in succession were dispatched, to give notice to the Khans of his approach. The messengers and the enemy arrived at the same moment. Neither the army of Tashkent, nor that of Uratippa, had time to come to the aid of the Khans.
The Khans had not yet reached Andijan. Akhsi or Archiyan (possibly a town a few miles away from Namangan), which was one of the strongest forts in that country, was occupied by Shaikh Bayazid, brother of Tambol; he was treating about submission, and for that reason the Khans had tarried near the fort. At this juncture, Muhammad Shaybani Khan came up with 30,000 men. The Khans had hardly enough time to draw up in line, when, after a short conflict, the Khans were put to rout by the overpowering numbers of the enemy. Their horses being rendered useless with fatigue, the two Khans were taken prisoner. As for Babur, he fled to the hills to the south of Ferghana.
Aftermath
Muhammad Shaybani Khan treated the prisoners well and freed them after they surrendered Khwaja Abul Makaram, Tashkent, and Shahrukhiya to him. He also concluded several marriage alliances with his family and the Khans' families. He also incorporated almost 30,000 Moghuls into his army. Moghulistan was weakened as a result of this defeat. On the return of the Khans to their old residence, the younger Khan, Ahmad Alaq fell ill and died shortly afterwards. He was succeeded in Uyghurstan by his eldest son Sultan Mansur Khan. As for the elder Khan, Sultan Mahmud Khan resigned to his brother's children all the country and people that had belonged to their father, while he himself withdrew, with those few of his own people who yet remained, to the deserts of Moghulistan. There he spent five years, during which time nothing of importance happened to him until 1508 when he decided to meet Muhammad Shaybani to seek favors. When he reached Ferghana, Muhammad Shaybani received intelligence of this, he immediately dispatched men to seek the Khan out. These men were coming in exactly the opposite direction to the Khan, whom they met and slew, together with his five young sons, at