Ahmad Alaq

Infobox Monarch
name =Ahmad Alaq
title =Khan


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reign = Eastern Moghulistan (Uyghurstan): 1487–1503
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predecessor =Yunus Khan
successor =Mansur Khan
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father =Yunus Khan
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date of death =1503
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Ahmad Alaq (died 1503) was Khan of eastern Moghulistan (Uyghurstan) from 1487 to 1503. He was the second son of Yunus Khan. His mother was Shah Begum, fourth daughter of Badakhshan prince Lali, who was considered to be the descendant of Alexander the Great.

Life

During his father's lifetime Ahmad was behind several rebellions against him. When Yunus Khan took up residence in Tashkent in 1484, Ahmad and a large body of Moghuls fled to the steppes. In 1487, Ahmad's father died and was succeeded in the territory he still controlled by another son, Mahmud Khan.

Ahmad's reign was marked by conflicts with several of his neighbors. Conflict over Hami with the Ming Dynasty China resulted in an economic blockade of the region, which allowed the Chinese to eventually emerge victorious. A campaign against the Mirza Abu Bakr Dughlat‎, of the Dughlats of the south-west Tarim Basin, who were in theory vassals of the Moghul khans, resulted in the temporary acquisition of Kashgar in around 1499. Expeditions against the Kalmyks also seem to have resulted in a measure of success. For these expeditions he was nick-named " "Alach (Alaq)" ", "Slaughterer".

In the early 16th century, Ahmad and Mahmud decided to counter the growing power of the Uzbeks under Muhammad Shaybani. The two brothers united the forces and launched a campaign against the Uzbeks, but Muhammad Shaybani proved victorious in battle and took them both prisoner (Babur also was among his uncles' army and participated in this battle in Ferghana Valley, that had turned into disaster, but managed to flee south and hide in mountains with his mother, Kutluk Nigar Khanim, daughter of Yunus Khan, and few followers). They were soon released, but Ahmad died shortly afterwards, in 1503. He was succeeded in Uyghurstan by his eldest son Mansur Khan. According to Mirza Muhammad Haidar, Dughlat he had 19 sons total, most prominent of whom were:
*Mansur Khan- ruler of eastern Moghulistan or Uyghurstan in 1503-1543 (it included cities Aksu, Uch Turpan, Bai, Kucha, Chalish or Karashahr, Turpan and Kumul).
*Sultan Said Khan- seized power from Dughlat Amirs' Dynasty of Yarkand state in 1514 (known at the time as "Mamlakati Yarkand" or "Kashgar Emirate", it included cities Kashgar, Yarkand, Yangihissar, Hotan and at short times also Aksu and Uch Turpan) in West Kashgaria and united in 1516 western and eastern parts of Kashgaria in one centralized state- Kashgar and Uyghurstan. Died in 1533 of asthma during military expedition in "Ursang" ( Great Tibet ).
*Sultan Khalil Sultan- ruler of western Moghulistan in 1503-1508 (present Kyrgyzstan). Was drowned in river near "Akhsi" in Fergana Valley after he was captured there by Uzbek sultans.
*Chin Temur Sultan- was in service of both Sultan Said Khan and Mansur Khan, but eventually fled to Babur of Moghul Empire in India. Died of violent dysentery in Agra and was buried there.
*Yunus Temur Sultan- fled from service of Sultan Said Khan and Mansur Khan and entered to Babur service in India.

References

Mirza Muhammad Haidar Dughlat. "Tarih-i-Rashidi" ( History of Rashid ) or "The history of Moghuls". Written in Kashmir in Chagatai language in 1541-February,1547. Translated by Edward Denison Ross. London, 1895. ISBN 81-86787-02-X, ISBN 81-86787-00-3
M.Kutlukov. "About emergence of the Yarkand State". Almaty, 1990