Battle of Urmity

The Battle of Urmity was a significant military engagement fought circa 1635 between the Dzungar Khanate, led by Erdeni Batur, and the forces of the Kazakh Khanate, under the command of Jangir Khan. The battle, which ended in a decisive victory for the Dzungars and the capture of Jangir Khan, is widely considered one of the first major recorded clashes in the Kazakh–Dzungar Wars, a century-long struggle for dominance over the Central Asian steppe. ^[1]

Background

In the early 17th century, the Dzungar Khanate emerged as a powerful and expansionist state in Dzungaria. Under the ambitious leadership of Erdeni Batur, the Dzungars sought to expand their territory westward into the fertile pastures of Zhetysu (Semirechye), which were the heartlands of the Kazakh Middle Juz. The Kazakh Khanate, at this time, was often politically fragmented among its three Jüzes (Hordes), making it vulnerable to a centralized and militarized power like the Dzungar Khanate. ^[2]

The Battle

Battle of Urmity
Part of the Kazakh–Dzungar Wars
Date c. 1635 [3] Location Near the Ili River, Jetisu, Kazakh Khanate (modern-day Kazakhstan) Result Dzungar victory Jangir Khan captured [4]
Belligerents
Kazakh Khanate	Dzungar Khanate
Commanders and leaders
Jangir Khan  (POW) [5]	Erdeni Batur
Strength
Unknown	Unknown, but significantly larger
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Unknown

The exact date and precise location of the battle near the Ili River are lost to detailed history, but it is chronicled in historical traditions. Erdeni Batur launched a major offensive into Kazakh territories. The Dzungar army, likely larger and better organized, met the forces of Jangir Khan, the ruler of the Kazakh Middle Juz, at a place referred to in sources as Urmity (or Urmitaty). ^[6]

The Kazakh forces were defeated. The most significant outcome of the battle was the capture of Jangir Khan himself by the Dzungars. His captivity lasted for a considerable period, during which he was held as a political hostage. ^[6]

References

1. Khodarkovsky, Mikhail. Russia's Steppe Frontier. Indiana University Press, 2002, p. 123...
2. Khodarkovsky 2002, p. 122. sfn error: no target: CITEREFKhodarkovsky2002 (help)
3. Khodarkovsky, Mikhail. Russia's Steppe Frontier. Indiana University Press, 2002, p. 123...
4. Khodarkovsky, Mikhail. Russia's Steppe Frontier. Indiana University Press, 2002, p. 123...
5. Khodarkovsky, Mikhail. Russia's Steppe Frontier. Indiana University Press, 2002, p. 123...
6. Khodarkovsky 2002, p. 123. sfn error: no target: CITEREFKhodarkovsky2002 (help)