Kazakh historian Zhaksylyk Sabitov has debunked a common misconception about Abulkhair Khan. According to his research, Abulkhair was the supreme ruler not only of the Junior Jüz but of the entire Kazakh Khanate, reports infohub.kz.
The scholar noted that Abulkhair Khan is widely known, but many details of his biography remain insufficiently covered. "One of the major misconceptions is that he is considered the khan only of the Junior Jüz. In 1718, Abulkhair was already the supreme khan of the entire Kazakh Khanate. It's just that in the later years of his life his authority somewhat wavered in this regard," Sabitov explained.
Furthermore, Abulkhair actively participated in all military campaigns of the Kazakh Khanate since the 1700s. He took part in the Bashkir uprisings and battles against the Dzungars. "When the 'Aktaban Shuburyndy' ('Years of Great Disaster') began, he was the commander-in-chief. In 1722-1723, together with Bogenbai Tabyn, they renounced their allegiance to the Dzungar Khanate," the historian added.
After the 1730s, his power began to wane, but he continued to rule until 1748.