In particular, we revive the names of the batyrs - defenders of the people that have sunk into eternity and thousands of buried in oblivion - we continue to return from non-existence. For example, earlier on the Syrdarya there were many historical places, fortresses, cities.

One of these places is the fortress Zhulek. Zhulek is a fortress built in the 1st half of the 19th century on the right bank of the Syrdarya, near the railway station Baigekum, Shieli district of the Kyzylorda region. It was built during the times of Kokand Khan Omar (1809-1822) with the goal of conquering the right bank of the Syrdarya. After the attack of the troops of Rus, in 1856 civilians were forced to leave the fortress. In 1861, Zhulek captured the troops of Russia. In the same year, on the right bank of the Syrdarya, 1.5 kilometers from the fortress, a flotilla No.3, a post office and other structures were built. At the same time the Russian explorer A.K. Gaines in his works "Diary of 1866. Travel to Turkestan" such evidence is given: "August 22nd. By the evening we began to drive up to the settlement Zhulek. The nearer we approached it, the thicker and more often the salt tree became. The pheasants here were an incredibly large number, and, of course, in some of our villages you can meet fewer hens than pheasants here. The view of Zhulek from a distance is very beautiful. From the middle of the fortification a tall tower of a beautiful church rises and a small but well-kept shaft stretches out. Near the fortification is seen a thick garden, left from the Kokand times. According to the practical taste of Asians, this garden consists of aspen and purple willow trees - trees, suitable for construction."

In this work, the fortress Zhulek, which existed in the 19th century, is very well described. And what was the beautiful nature of the fortress Zhulek, built 160 years ago? I'm amazed!

Until now, the people do not forget the names of the numerous Batyrs of Zhulek. The Kazakhs have sayings: "The people who honor the dead do not lose anything," "Until the dead rest, the living will not have wealth," which contain a deep educational sense of a cautionary character. In order that the names of our ancestors - batyrs were not forgotten, I want to tell you about the famous people and their courage.

Near Zhulek, in the vicinity of Shieli, Syrymbet batyr is buried. Batyr Syrymbet was from the Old Family, tribe Alban. Our ancestor - batyr lived in the XVII century. The grave of the batyr Syrymbet is located in the present Kyzylorda region, Shieli district, near the village of Zhulek, near the holy Zhugy of the Kozey tribe of the Kipchak family. Later, his descendants installed an ancestor - batyr a tombstone. The famous Alban Rayymbek batyr is the great-grandson of the batyr Syrymbet. His family settled in the now Almaty region. He probably died during the raids near the Syrdarya. On the sacred ground of Zhulek, in the ІІ half of the ХІХ century, the son of Kenesary Khan, the legendary Sultan Tayshyk, also died.

Now I want to acquaint you with the following Batyrs of the Syrdarya, who lived near Zhulek:

Batyr Kozhamsugir, a saint.

He was from the Kipchak clan of the Kara-Tora-Tuyakty tribes. Batyr Kozhamsugir lived in the present Kyzylorda region, Shieli district, in the Sary-Arka region, in the second half of the 17th century and the first half of the 18th century. The grave of our ancestor-batyr is in the present Kyzylorda region, Zhanakorgan district, near the ancestor of Khorasan Baba.

Tomb of Kozhamsugir batyr

Kozhamsugir batyr is a famous hero who participated in the Kazakh-Dzungarian war. The surviving information about the batyr is very small. The ancestor of this man was Tory batyr; nevertheless, batyr Kozhamsugir is the great-grandson of the batyr of the Tory. According to the published under the leadership of Zh. Beisenbaiuly in 1994 by the publishing house "Ana tili" genealogy of the Kazakhs, Alpeis was born from the Tory, from him Tuyakty and Koibar. Kozhamsugir was born from Koibar. Kozhamsugir is a direct descendant of the batyr. According to the testimony of a resident of the city of Kyzylorda, the elder of Sezbek Ormanbetov, according to the records left by his ancestors, such ancestor as Koibar did not exist. The father of Batyr Kozhamsugir - Tuyshkemen Alpeisuly was the grand-nephew of Batyr Kudaimendi Kulpeisuly "Kokmuryn". This man was a famous batyr on his land; he was nicknamed Kokmuryn by the people. The closest relatives of Kozhamsugir, his grandfather's kinsman batyr Botykarauly, batyr Abasuly Shagir, Bazarkul batyr, his son Malai batyr are the fearless sons of the Syrdarya. Coming from an exclusive family of batyrs, batyr Kozhamsugir did not hit the dirt in the face, his great-grandson Kenshimuly Mendikul was biy, and his son, the mighty Kul, was a batyr who defended the Kazakh people from enemies. Biy Mendikul lived in the second half of the XVIII century and the first half of the XIX century.

Batyr Zhakap

He was of the clan - Kipchak tribes of Kara-Tory-Shashty (Kenzhegul) -Baysary. Batyr Zhakap lived in the present-day Shieli district of the Kyzylorda region in the first half of the nineteenth century.

Together with his brothers, Batyr Zhakap spoke out against the violence of the Kokand Khanate. The brothers of our ancestor-batyr were respected batyrs. The first: batyr Otep - Baysary, Shashty, Kipchak. The second: Batyr Zhuzbay - Baisary, Shashty, Kipchak. It is known that in the first half of the nineteenth century the Kokand Khanate conquered the districts of Zhanakorgan and Shieli, now Kyzylorda Oblast. Kokand Khan reinforced the collection of taxes in the vicinity of the Syrdarya. Kazakhs from the vicinity of the Syrdarya were against this. The most resisted tribes Baysary from the Kipchak-Tory - Shashty clan and Kozey tribes of the Kipchak-Tory clan. Hearing this, the Kokand bey sends 500 warriors from the city of Turkestan to suppress resistance. Having heard about this, the Baysary and Kozey tribes migrated to Sary-Arka.

When approaching the Maysha area (now it is on the north side near Zhanakorgan and Shieli District, an uninhabited region), the Kokandis overtook them. Then batyr Otep said: "Leave all the cattle, we will save lives." However, Batyr Zhakap did not agree with this: "Sending families and cattle ahead, we ourselves must take the fight in the town of Zhalgyzagash-Karamuryn," he said. Everybody agreed with this decision. According to the tradition of that time, the battle was to begin with hand to hand fight. The Kokandis, to test the local tribes subjected to them, put forward a batyr from the Kipchak Shashty tribe, batyr Zhanazar. Batyr Zhanazar (1818 / 22-1881 / 85) at that time was already at venerable age. The combined clans of the Tory - Baisary and Tory - Kozey from their side put forward batyr of Baisary Zhuzbay. Zhuzbay batyr is an 18-year-old fellow, skillfully possessed a spear, he even hit a large beast with a spear. The Kokandis themselves, being little ones, put tall, local soldiers in the front rows. Moreover, tired of the difficult passage in the road, referring to the approaching night, suffered a duel the next day. Batyr Zhanazar goes to a duel with Batyr Zhuzbay. However, batyr Zhuzbay pretended that he was on the side of the Kokand people, because how would he kill his Kazakh brother from his own clan? In the process of dueling, batyr Zhanazar tells about the location of the Kokand people. According to the rules of those times, the army had a huge banner. When defeated, this flag was omitted. Zhanazar batyr had near the banner at the rate of Kokand, loyal people to him. Therefore, Zhanazar batyr of the Shashty tribe said: "Fight you start first, and then finish until the evening."

The battle began. The army of Batyrs Zhakap and Otep kill the local Kazakhs standing in the front ranks of the Kokand army. By collusion, companions of Zhanazar batyr are killing the standard-bearer of the Kokand people. Further, local units create panic. In such a disorderly panic, the Kokandis had to retreat back. The reason for Zhakap's service to the Kokand residents was that he was very angry with the local from the Kipchak-Tory clan, Tuyak batyr Tursynbay (1788 / 98-1853). Tursynbay had a bright long turban, when he galloped on a horse, it fluttered in the wind. From the very beginning of the duel batyr Zhakap with the words: "Where is Kalsha?" - searched for Tursynbay. As a result of the battle, some of the local soldiers flee from the battlefield with the Kokand, and a part of them - separately from them. After that, the battle ceased.

After repulsing the enemy's attack, the victors of the Kipchak family - the Tory-Shashty Baysary and the Kipchak-Tory - Kozey, having escaped the danger, flee to the steppes of Sary-Arka. The Baysary and Kozey tribes quietly move to Sary-Arka, however, vicious rumors spread faster than the wind. Rumors reach the ears of Batyr Zhakap. When batyr Zhakap with the words: "Where is Kalsha?" - searched for Tursynbay, Kozey Dosbol Bi diverted his attention, pointing in the opposite direction. Kozey Dosbol bi (1800-1890) seeing that Tursynbay ran separately from the Kokand people in the opposite direction, yet said Batyr Zhakap that he ran after the Kokand. Earlier I talked about the fact that the Kokandis fled in two. Hearing this, Batyr Zhakap was very offended by Dosbol bi from Kozey, he returns the tribe of Baysary back to the Syrdarya. And the Kozey tribe returned to Sary-Arka in the batyr Sandybaiuly Erden village from the Naiman tribe. Having lived here for 2-3 years they later return to the vicinity of the Syrdarya.

So, about well-known in the Syrdarya batyrs Zhakap and Otep, sang one of the pre-Syrdarya story-tellers, a singer Mansur Bekezhanov (1875-1933) in 1912, in his letter to Imanzhusup: "There have always been batyrs Otep and Zhakap and their sons Yermek, Tuime and Kenbay. From the Shagir tribe of the Kipchak there was a centurion Zhanazar - batyr-kazakh with a spear".

Now back to Zhakap's descendants. The grandson of the batyr Zhakap old man Auez was a participant of the Great Patriotic War, was in the "Turkestan Legion". From Auez, Seysultan was born, and then Bagdat was born in 1964. Auezov Bagdat lives in the present Kyzylorda region, Shieli district, Algabas village. The descendant of the batyr Zhuzbay, Mukhambetzhan Kazy (formerly a director of the state farm) lives in the Shieli district. The elder-storyteller Shamed Kaldybaev, who lives in this village, should know about these batyrs.

Tomb of Shashty ata (Kenzhegul)

The above-named Shashty is a relative of the Batyrs of Baysary of the Kipchak family.

The descendant of Kipchak Aidargazy - batyr Aidargazy Kashkyn lived in the XIX century, in the present Kyzylorda region, Shieli district.

Kenbay Zhantokayuly - Batyr, Shooter

He was from the Kipchak family, the tribes of Kara-Tory-Shashty (Kenzhegul) -Boshay-Kobes. Batyr Kenbay lived in the XIX century, in the present Kyzylorda region, Shieli district. He fought for the liberation of the Syrdarya people. Our ancestor-batyr was a well-known shooter. There is a legend that is passed down from generation to generation: once the Khan of Kokand to check how plausible the rumors about the accuracy of Kenbay batyr were invited him to his place. From history it is known that some khans, military leaders, beks were from the Kipchak clan. Kenbay batyr accepted the invitation of the Kokand Khan and, taking with him one strong shooter arrived in the Kokand lands. Unfortunately, the name of this man is already forgotten. When they arrived, when approaching the khan, Kenbay batyr, sitting on a horse, shot small bells from a khan's cap with a long shotgun with a long barrel. The frightened Khan fell to the ground. A companion of Kenbay batyr shoots down the shoe heel of the khan's boots. At the same moment, the khan's guard kills Kenbay batyr. And Kenbay’s companion escapes. This information was left due to oral sources, and the descendants of batyr confirm this.

Mansur Bekezhanov, one of the pre-Syrdarya story-tellers in 1912, in his letter to Imanzhusup mentioned Kenbay batyr.

Azhibay Karpykuly - (1791-1866) - batyr, bi

He comes from the Middle Zhuz, the Kipchak clan, the Kara-Tory-Shashty (Kenzhegul) – Boshay tribe. Batyr Azhibay lived in the present Kyzylorda region, Shieli district, in the Ulytau, Irgiz and Turgai provinces located on the Sary-Arka. The grave of the batyr is located near Lake Itayak, 6 kilometers from the village of Mailytogai, Shieli district, now Kyzylorda region. Batyr Azhibay fought for the liberation of the Syrdarya people. From the stories of the people, Azhibay batyr was a big, brave and handsome man. He was so big that he wore the fiftieth size of shoes.

The name of Batyr Azhibay became famous in 1808-1809. It was a time when the people in the Syrdarya suffered greatly from the violence of the Kokand Khan. Once 16-17 years old, Azhibay comes to visit his uncle in Zhulek. He, who collected tribute from the people of Turkestan, stopped in Zhulek. Khan was so impudent and demanded to cook him every day the meat of a black lamb. Unable to withstand such mockery, Azhibay called relatives to calm with the words: "Cattle is nothing compared to life," and told his relatives: "Do not worry, we'll stop this arrogance, just change me as a girl," he said. At the scheduled time the governors of the khan took the "girl". In the evening, the khan with the girl went for a walk. When they were alone, Azhibay batyr put a knife to the khan's throat and whispered: "Khan, your end has come, there is a limit to your mockery", to which the khan begged: "Whoever you are - you can kill me, it will not happen again and maybe, someday I will do you a favor." Khan kept his promise and at one of the Friday bazaars in Zhulek announced to the people about the appointment of Azhibay "the supreme judge". In 1822-1825 Batyr Azhibay became an assistant to the senior sultan Erden Sandibayuly.

The grave of Azhibay batyr

Our ancestor was a supporter and active participant of the national liberation struggle of the Kazakh people under the leadership of Kenesary Kasymov. At the time when Kenesary moved to the south, the people, suffering oppression and persecution of the Russian government, moved along the possessions of the Kokand Khanate in Sary-Arka, to the winter camp of Shieli. The Kokand Khan approved Azhibay ruler of his tribe.

June 11-25, 1861, on the orders of the Russian Tsar, 189 authoritative representatives from the Younger and Middle Zhuz who lived in Orenburg and Omsk were summoned to the congress about the tightening of order at the border. The participant of this congress, Azhibay, was described as: "Azhibay Karpykov is a famous Kipchak biy, who was a ruler since moving with Kenesary to the Syrdarya and before the fall of the fortress of Akmechet".

The surviving documents of the Historical Archives of the Omsk Region state: "In October 1862, in the dispute over the cattle between the families that lived near Sarysu and the Kipchaks who lived near the western foothills of Ulytau, Azhibay exerted special influence in making the decision".

Our ancestor batyr died at 75 years old. On the death of Azhibay, the famous Budabay Kabyluly (1830-1890) said:

"At fifty-eight years - like a vast sea,

At fifty-nine – he stood out from the crowd.

They called you Azhibay-Torgay, like twins.

Without cursing, Alash thanked you.

The glory of your justice has spread like the wind," - he expressed his condolences in these words.

By Bakytzhan AKHMETBEK

Translated by Raushan MAKHMETZHANOVA

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