Post by hjernespiser on Nov 26, 2009 8:14:54 GMT 3
This was posted at khoomei.com. Translated by Heda Jindrak.
khoomei.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=517
There's a Tuvan song called Kongurei with variations amongst the Tsengel and Jungar Tuvans that preserves memory of a land or political entity called Khongorai. Someone finally got the story.
Khongorei
From “Istoriya yeniseiskikh Kyrgyzov” (History of the Yenisei Kyrgyz), PartIII,
pgs153-157, and 180-
V.Ya.Butanayev, Yu.S. Khudiakov
N.F. Katanov Khakass State University
ABAKAN 2000
The formation of the ethnopolitical union “KHONGORAI”
After the fall of the Mongol Yuan Empire, which included The Sayan-Altai territory, Mongolia, harrowed by internecine warfare, lost its rule over the Kyrgyz. The Kyrgyz used this opportunity to initiate successful attempts to found their own state. At the end of the 14th century, the Kyrgyz united with the Oirats in the fight against Eastern Mongols, taking the leading position in this union. The leader of the Kyrgyz tumen in Oirat federation, Ugechi-Kashka, decided in 1399 to establish a new official name for his region. Apparently, during 15th-16th centuries, various clan groups (Tumats, urduts, Keraits, and others), who, through the will of the Mongol rulers turned up in the valley of Middle Yenisei, were united under the aegis of the Kyrgyz into a single ethno-political union “Khongor”, or “Khongorai”. This conclusion is based on review of a wide spectrum of sources, and first of all, written documents of 17th-early18th centuries. Besides that, a rich folklore heritage of the peoples of South Siberia preserved for us the name “Khongorai” in the capacity of the old name for Khakass-Minusinsk region. In the Khakass language, as a result of contraction of consonants, this historical name began to sound like “Khoorai” It has been widely used in heroic epos, historical legends and poetic speech..
According to the opinion of of turkologist B.I. Tatarintsev the word Khongorai (Kongurai) can be traced to the geographic designation of the mountain-steppe regions of Minusinsk depression. In the epoch of late middle age, when the Kyrgyz state was born, the name “Khongorai” became a political designation under which various ethnic groups with different origins but similar in way of life became unified.
This described form of unification of people, in the language of local population, received the name “tolai” (toly, toro), that is, an ethnopolitical union. The various “tolai” were used paired with the name “Khoorai” (TolaiKhoorai).
The role of the Kyrgyz in the ethnopolitical union “Khongorai” was so large, that in Russian documents of 17th century, the Khakass-Minusinsk region received the name “Land of the Kyrgyz”. Some neighboring peoples, for example, the Shors, used to call Khakassia by a two-part name – “Khyrgys Khoorai – Kyrgyz Khongorai”.
The Khakass who are the descendants of the Kyrgyz culture, identified the nation “Khoorai” mentioned in the historical stories with the Kyrgyz. For example, in the legend “Khyrgys chaazy” it was emphasized: Khyrgystyn togys mun tolai khoorai chony” Kyrgyz nine-thousand union of nation Khoorai”. Aside from the expression “nine-thousand union of Khoorai”, the couplet “tueben Khoorai”, that is, tumen Khongorai, is also used in Khakass legends.
The folklore materials are consistent with the historical facts of 13th century, when the Mongols, having conquered the Sayan-Altai area in accord with their military administration, formed a tumen of Kyrgyz in this area. The chronicle Yuan-shi states: “When the Yuan dynasty took power, this nation (Tszilitzis), consisted of nine thousand households.” Comparing the above facts from the written sources with the historical memory of the nations of Sayan-Altai, it can be stated that the Kyrgyz at the end of the 13th – trough the first half of the 14th centuries represented a tumen which supplied nine thousand fighters for the Mongol army. This is the period to which the new ethnopolitical formation called “Khongorai” can be ascribed.
We first meet with the name Khongorai in Russian documents of the middle of 17th century. In 1666, at the request of Krasnoyarsk military chief for Yermak Isheyev, the emissaries of Altyn-khan “Uzan and comrades” stated that:”they know this Kyrgyz Yerenak, he nomadizes in the Kyrgyz lands of Kongurai, and pays a large yasak to our great ruler as well as to Lauzan Taishi:. In this particular source, there is obvious identification of the Russian concept of Kyrgyz” and the Turko-Mongol name “Kongurai” (Khongorai).
Many nations and states were given names by their neighbors which were far from similar to their self-identification. In that way, Kyrgyzstan in Russian documents of 17th C. was named “Brutskaya land”, because the Tian-Shan Kyrgyz were called “Buruts” by the Dzungarians. On the other hand, Dzungaria, in Russian sources, was known as “Land of the Kalmyks”, and Dzungarians, whose self-identification was “Oirat”, were called nothing else but “Black Kalmaks”.
The name Khongorai in Russian diplomatic language was used in cases where the text was translated from Mongolian or Manchurian writings. For example, according to an announcement by the Tsin government, in 1707 the Russian people built Abakan cape at a place called Khongorai, “which is close to Zengoria”, and in this area Khongorai is where our existing Kyrgyz and Urianchai nomadize and work”. (italics mine- Uriankhai is old name fro Tuva and TuvansHJ.)
The authenticity of this name is confirmed by many persistent compound expressions used in historical folklore which are now somewhat obscure. For example Tile Khoorai, Tyuktig Khoorai, Al Khoorai, Tag Khoorai, Chazy Khoorai, Khamykh Khoorai, etc.
The ethnopolitical union Khongorai, as is apparent, belonged to early state formation type with undeveloped forms of social institutions. The famous historian N. Kozmin believed that the union of the Kyrgyz in 17th century “was really a state, but at that time in decline”.
Another point of view was expressed by S.V. Bakhrushin, who denied the state organization of the Kyrgyz, and supported the theory that they had a patriarchal-clan system of social organization. “With the existence of the archaic patriarchal-clan organization in the Kyrgyz society, - he wrote, - it is impossible to speak of any beginnings of state-type organization. But the fact of neighboring mighty states drew them into very complicated relationships and supported formation of very strong ties between various clans which were in the Kyrgyz land”. However, he was forced to admit that the “Kyrgyz land” “politically represented a single whole” and in external relations with Russia it expressed independence. Right at the beginning of 17th century the first Russian emissaries admitted the head of “Kyrgyz country” as “Kirbits-tsar”, that is, they recognized his sovereignity. The Kyrgyz themselves explained to the Russians : “In their own lands they originated and in those same lands there was no Mughal tsar nor prince, no Mughals nor Kalmyk Taishi ever conquered these lands by war and there were no military detachments sent there.”
In geographic relations Khongorai or “Kyrgyz lands” represent contemporary Khakass-Minusinsk region. The memory of the Kyrgyz rule in the Middle Ages was presewrved to this day in many toponymic names of Sayan-Altai. Thanks to the latter, it is still possible to approximately delineate the former borders of their ethnic territories, which, in the southwest, are along the Kirgiz River(Khyrghys sug) in the upper Abakan; in the south along the river Kurgusuk (Khyrghys sug) in the Western Sayan mountains; in the east along the river Kirgizyul (Khyrghys chul) in the valley of river Syda; in the north along the river Kurgusuyul (Khyrghys chul) in the valley of river Chulym; and in the northwest along the river Kirgizka (Khyrghys chul) in the valley of river Toma.
In the chronicles of Yuan dynasty, there is this description of the rivers of the Kyrgyz contry: “River Tsiankhe (that is, river Kem-Yenisei- V.B.) flows through the center of their lands to the north-west. Besides that, in the south-west there is a river named Apu (i.e.Abyghan = Abakan –V.B.) and in the north-east river Yusyui (i.e.Yupcyu- Upsa or Tuba – V.B.) they all flow into the Tsian and then to the river Ankela (i.e.Ankara – V.B.) and in the north they flow into the sea”.
Four centuries later the same was stated in Russian documents: “…river Yenisei flows through the Kyrgyz country; and along this side of Yenisei at the Abakan and Uibat rivers live and along the Yenisei many Kyrgyz people, and on the other side of Yenisei and Upsa also live Kyrgyz, who call themselves Tubans…”.
Historical toponymy of Sayan-Altai confirms the opinions of authoritative researchers about that the ancient state, which formed in the valley of Middle Yenisei carried the name “Kyrgyz”. There is a complete absence of names “Khyagas” or “khakass” which again confirms the fact that that the term “Khakassia” is not native to the region.
In 17th century the south border of Khongorai was represented by the mountains of Western Sayans (Sayan Stone), behind which the nomadic subjects of Altyn-Khan lived.
The etymology of the mountain name can be traced to the Khongor term “Soyan”, which means “Tuvan Mountains, and reflects the ethnic borders of two neighboring peoples.
In the monuments of Ancient Turkic writing and Arabo-Persian sources of 10th-11th centuries, the Sayans are called “Kogmen”. The given toponym, slightly changing its form, survived until our days. On the ancient road from Tuva to Khakassia (along river Any) in the upper eaches of the river Dzhebash is a swowy peak “Koipen taskhyl”, which in Russian is called Kopeny. The Ancient Turkic toponym Koipen-Kogmen that is preserved in the national memory bears witness to cultural borrowing of the Khakass from the previous inhabitants of Sayan-Altai.
The northern border of Khongorai passed along the middle reaches of river Chulym, which is in local lahguages called uus (Iyus) The hydronym comes from the Ancient Turkic “ueguez” – river. During the 17th century the northern border of Kyrgyz country moved southward from river Yaya and Kiya to the Black iyus and from the Melets and Krasnoyarsk capes to river Ogur.
In administrative relations Khongorai was subdivided into four uluses-counties, and kishtim (liege-hj) dependencies. In the north of the Kyrgyz country in the valley of Iyus and Gods’ lakes (Tigir Koel) is the area of Alty-Sary ulus. The name is derived from Khongor word “altynzarkhy”, northern. In Russian documents altysatsy (altynsary) were called “lower Kyrgyz”, that is, they lived farther downstream the Yenisei from other Kyrgyz. With time of mongol conquests the political center of Kyrgyz country moved from the Abakan valley northward. Between the Black and White Iyus rivers was the residence of the most significant Kyrgyz princes. Theat is why altysary had a second name “The Great Kyrgyz”. The Kyrgyz uluses consisted of the traditional nomadic lands of the princes families and aimaks (clans) of the simple populace. Among the Altysary ulus, written sources note the following aimaks: Kyzyl, Kamlar, Shui, Achin, Ygin. The kishtim dependencies od Altysary princes were located in the valleys of rivers Chulym, Kiya, Tom, and northern capes of Kuznetsk Alatau.
Isary ( Yezerski, Dzhesarski, yelisarski) ulus was located in the geographic center of Khongorai, downstream the Yenisei from the confluence with Abakan river to river Ogur. The name, most likely, is derived from the Khongor “issarkhy) – inner (or, possibly, iskerki” – eastern?). The base population of of the ulus consisted of the Kyrgyz clans “Kereits” and Ezers”, and therefore in Russian documents it is frequently called Yezersky or Kereitsky. The nomadic lands of the Isars nobles were located at the confluence of river Erba and river Abakan. Amnong the Ezer aimaks were Kamasin, Kachin, Arin, Yastin, Khaiton (Kandy) along river tuba, Syi along river Syda, Kashin along river Mana. Beside that, their kishtim dependencies stretched downstream along the Yenisei, including Ubei, mana, Kacha, and others.
Altyr (Oltyr) ulus stretched along the left bank of river Abakan from Uibat to the confluence with Tashtyp. It was the southernmost or the uppermost in reference to the stream of Yenisei. The inhabitants, for that reason are called “Upper Kyrgyz” in Russian documents. The origin of the name of the ulus is a mystery to this day. It is fully possible that the name is connected with an ethnonym, because among the Kyrgyz who were later chased away to Dzungaria from Altyr ulus was a clan of “Opttyr”.
Within the Altyr ulus, there were aimaks Sagai, Chetubur, Saryglar, Icheg, Beltyr, Taban, Sayan, Chistar, Irgit, Khapkhyn, and others.
“Kishtim lands” of this ulus were the taiga valleys of Kuznetsk Alatau, (Uelgennig syn) along the rivers Tom, Mrass, Kondom, and Norther Altai up to Teletskoye lake.
Tuba ulus encompassed the entire right bank of the Yenisei from the Sayans to the river Syda, and quite possibly, the the steppes of the right bank of Abakan river. Its center was located in the valley of river Upsa (Uepsue), which, for that reason, was called river Tuba by the Russians, after the leading clan of Tuba. Another sdtrong clan “Modar” (Motortsi)) took up the lands in foothills of the Sayan mountains. Despite some ethnic differences, Modars and Tubans considered themselves “one people and clan and family” with the Kyrgyz.
Within the Tuba ulus, there were these aimaks: Baikotov, Kol, Ushter, Kamenno-Motor or Koibal, Yarin, Bokhtin, Alyt, Buguss, Alakham, Kornaskham, and Bugachev.
Three uluses of the left bank had geographic designations ( lower, upper, inner), which appears to be a mark of territorial-economic connections of Khongorai. It is fully possible that similar administrative subdivisions existed even before the time of the Kyrgyz state, because in the 9th century, the rule of the “Khyagass ruler” was realized with the help of three ministers-begs, but in 13th century, three emirs stood at the head of the Kyrgyz.
In such a way, the Middle Age epoch in the valley of middle Yenisei, encompassing the time from the break-up of the mongol empire at the end of 14th century to the annexation to Russia at the beginning of 18th century, is associated with the historical development of the ethnopolitical formation Khongorai. (pgs153-157)
(pgs180-)
The annexation of Khongorai to Russia and administrative reorganization of Kyrgyz uluses.
khoomei.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=517
There's a Tuvan song called Kongurei with variations amongst the Tsengel and Jungar Tuvans that preserves memory of a land or political entity called Khongorai. Someone finally got the story.
Khongorei
From “Istoriya yeniseiskikh Kyrgyzov” (History of the Yenisei Kyrgyz), PartIII,
pgs153-157, and 180-
V.Ya.Butanayev, Yu.S. Khudiakov
N.F. Katanov Khakass State University
ABAKAN 2000
The formation of the ethnopolitical union “KHONGORAI”
After the fall of the Mongol Yuan Empire, which included The Sayan-Altai territory, Mongolia, harrowed by internecine warfare, lost its rule over the Kyrgyz. The Kyrgyz used this opportunity to initiate successful attempts to found their own state. At the end of the 14th century, the Kyrgyz united with the Oirats in the fight against Eastern Mongols, taking the leading position in this union. The leader of the Kyrgyz tumen in Oirat federation, Ugechi-Kashka, decided in 1399 to establish a new official name for his region. Apparently, during 15th-16th centuries, various clan groups (Tumats, urduts, Keraits, and others), who, through the will of the Mongol rulers turned up in the valley of Middle Yenisei, were united under the aegis of the Kyrgyz into a single ethno-political union “Khongor”, or “Khongorai”. This conclusion is based on review of a wide spectrum of sources, and first of all, written documents of 17th-early18th centuries. Besides that, a rich folklore heritage of the peoples of South Siberia preserved for us the name “Khongorai” in the capacity of the old name for Khakass-Minusinsk region. In the Khakass language, as a result of contraction of consonants, this historical name began to sound like “Khoorai” It has been widely used in heroic epos, historical legends and poetic speech..
According to the opinion of of turkologist B.I. Tatarintsev the word Khongorai (Kongurai) can be traced to the geographic designation of the mountain-steppe regions of Minusinsk depression. In the epoch of late middle age, when the Kyrgyz state was born, the name “Khongorai” became a political designation under which various ethnic groups with different origins but similar in way of life became unified.
This described form of unification of people, in the language of local population, received the name “tolai” (toly, toro), that is, an ethnopolitical union. The various “tolai” were used paired with the name “Khoorai” (TolaiKhoorai).
The role of the Kyrgyz in the ethnopolitical union “Khongorai” was so large, that in Russian documents of 17th century, the Khakass-Minusinsk region received the name “Land of the Kyrgyz”. Some neighboring peoples, for example, the Shors, used to call Khakassia by a two-part name – “Khyrgys Khoorai – Kyrgyz Khongorai”.
The Khakass who are the descendants of the Kyrgyz culture, identified the nation “Khoorai” mentioned in the historical stories with the Kyrgyz. For example, in the legend “Khyrgys chaazy” it was emphasized: Khyrgystyn togys mun tolai khoorai chony” Kyrgyz nine-thousand union of nation Khoorai”. Aside from the expression “nine-thousand union of Khoorai”, the couplet “tueben Khoorai”, that is, tumen Khongorai, is also used in Khakass legends.
The folklore materials are consistent with the historical facts of 13th century, when the Mongols, having conquered the Sayan-Altai area in accord with their military administration, formed a tumen of Kyrgyz in this area. The chronicle Yuan-shi states: “When the Yuan dynasty took power, this nation (Tszilitzis), consisted of nine thousand households.” Comparing the above facts from the written sources with the historical memory of the nations of Sayan-Altai, it can be stated that the Kyrgyz at the end of the 13th – trough the first half of the 14th centuries represented a tumen which supplied nine thousand fighters for the Mongol army. This is the period to which the new ethnopolitical formation called “Khongorai” can be ascribed.
We first meet with the name Khongorai in Russian documents of the middle of 17th century. In 1666, at the request of Krasnoyarsk military chief for Yermak Isheyev, the emissaries of Altyn-khan “Uzan and comrades” stated that:”they know this Kyrgyz Yerenak, he nomadizes in the Kyrgyz lands of Kongurai, and pays a large yasak to our great ruler as well as to Lauzan Taishi:. In this particular source, there is obvious identification of the Russian concept of Kyrgyz” and the Turko-Mongol name “Kongurai” (Khongorai).
Many nations and states were given names by their neighbors which were far from similar to their self-identification. In that way, Kyrgyzstan in Russian documents of 17th C. was named “Brutskaya land”, because the Tian-Shan Kyrgyz were called “Buruts” by the Dzungarians. On the other hand, Dzungaria, in Russian sources, was known as “Land of the Kalmyks”, and Dzungarians, whose self-identification was “Oirat”, were called nothing else but “Black Kalmaks”.
The name Khongorai in Russian diplomatic language was used in cases where the text was translated from Mongolian or Manchurian writings. For example, according to an announcement by the Tsin government, in 1707 the Russian people built Abakan cape at a place called Khongorai, “which is close to Zengoria”, and in this area Khongorai is where our existing Kyrgyz and Urianchai nomadize and work”. (italics mine- Uriankhai is old name fro Tuva and TuvansHJ.)
The authenticity of this name is confirmed by many persistent compound expressions used in historical folklore which are now somewhat obscure. For example Tile Khoorai, Tyuktig Khoorai, Al Khoorai, Tag Khoorai, Chazy Khoorai, Khamykh Khoorai, etc.
The ethnopolitical union Khongorai, as is apparent, belonged to early state formation type with undeveloped forms of social institutions. The famous historian N. Kozmin believed that the union of the Kyrgyz in 17th century “was really a state, but at that time in decline”.
Another point of view was expressed by S.V. Bakhrushin, who denied the state organization of the Kyrgyz, and supported the theory that they had a patriarchal-clan system of social organization. “With the existence of the archaic patriarchal-clan organization in the Kyrgyz society, - he wrote, - it is impossible to speak of any beginnings of state-type organization. But the fact of neighboring mighty states drew them into very complicated relationships and supported formation of very strong ties between various clans which were in the Kyrgyz land”. However, he was forced to admit that the “Kyrgyz land” “politically represented a single whole” and in external relations with Russia it expressed independence. Right at the beginning of 17th century the first Russian emissaries admitted the head of “Kyrgyz country” as “Kirbits-tsar”, that is, they recognized his sovereignity. The Kyrgyz themselves explained to the Russians : “In their own lands they originated and in those same lands there was no Mughal tsar nor prince, no Mughals nor Kalmyk Taishi ever conquered these lands by war and there were no military detachments sent there.”
In geographic relations Khongorai or “Kyrgyz lands” represent contemporary Khakass-Minusinsk region. The memory of the Kyrgyz rule in the Middle Ages was presewrved to this day in many toponymic names of Sayan-Altai. Thanks to the latter, it is still possible to approximately delineate the former borders of their ethnic territories, which, in the southwest, are along the Kirgiz River(Khyrghys sug) in the upper Abakan; in the south along the river Kurgusuk (Khyrghys sug) in the Western Sayan mountains; in the east along the river Kirgizyul (Khyrghys chul) in the valley of river Syda; in the north along the river Kurgusuyul (Khyrghys chul) in the valley of river Chulym; and in the northwest along the river Kirgizka (Khyrghys chul) in the valley of river Toma.
In the chronicles of Yuan dynasty, there is this description of the rivers of the Kyrgyz contry: “River Tsiankhe (that is, river Kem-Yenisei- V.B.) flows through the center of their lands to the north-west. Besides that, in the south-west there is a river named Apu (i.e.Abyghan = Abakan –V.B.) and in the north-east river Yusyui (i.e.Yupcyu- Upsa or Tuba – V.B.) they all flow into the Tsian and then to the river Ankela (i.e.Ankara – V.B.) and in the north they flow into the sea”.
Four centuries later the same was stated in Russian documents: “…river Yenisei flows through the Kyrgyz country; and along this side of Yenisei at the Abakan and Uibat rivers live and along the Yenisei many Kyrgyz people, and on the other side of Yenisei and Upsa also live Kyrgyz, who call themselves Tubans…”.
Historical toponymy of Sayan-Altai confirms the opinions of authoritative researchers about that the ancient state, which formed in the valley of Middle Yenisei carried the name “Kyrgyz”. There is a complete absence of names “Khyagas” or “khakass” which again confirms the fact that that the term “Khakassia” is not native to the region.
In 17th century the south border of Khongorai was represented by the mountains of Western Sayans (Sayan Stone), behind which the nomadic subjects of Altyn-Khan lived.
The etymology of the mountain name can be traced to the Khongor term “Soyan”, which means “Tuvan Mountains, and reflects the ethnic borders of two neighboring peoples.
In the monuments of Ancient Turkic writing and Arabo-Persian sources of 10th-11th centuries, the Sayans are called “Kogmen”. The given toponym, slightly changing its form, survived until our days. On the ancient road from Tuva to Khakassia (along river Any) in the upper eaches of the river Dzhebash is a swowy peak “Koipen taskhyl”, which in Russian is called Kopeny. The Ancient Turkic toponym Koipen-Kogmen that is preserved in the national memory bears witness to cultural borrowing of the Khakass from the previous inhabitants of Sayan-Altai.
The northern border of Khongorai passed along the middle reaches of river Chulym, which is in local lahguages called uus (Iyus) The hydronym comes from the Ancient Turkic “ueguez” – river. During the 17th century the northern border of Kyrgyz country moved southward from river Yaya and Kiya to the Black iyus and from the Melets and Krasnoyarsk capes to river Ogur.
In administrative relations Khongorai was subdivided into four uluses-counties, and kishtim (liege-hj) dependencies. In the north of the Kyrgyz country in the valley of Iyus and Gods’ lakes (Tigir Koel) is the area of Alty-Sary ulus. The name is derived from Khongor word “altynzarkhy”, northern. In Russian documents altysatsy (altynsary) were called “lower Kyrgyz”, that is, they lived farther downstream the Yenisei from other Kyrgyz. With time of mongol conquests the political center of Kyrgyz country moved from the Abakan valley northward. Between the Black and White Iyus rivers was the residence of the most significant Kyrgyz princes. Theat is why altysary had a second name “The Great Kyrgyz”. The Kyrgyz uluses consisted of the traditional nomadic lands of the princes families and aimaks (clans) of the simple populace. Among the Altysary ulus, written sources note the following aimaks: Kyzyl, Kamlar, Shui, Achin, Ygin. The kishtim dependencies od Altysary princes were located in the valleys of rivers Chulym, Kiya, Tom, and northern capes of Kuznetsk Alatau.
Isary ( Yezerski, Dzhesarski, yelisarski) ulus was located in the geographic center of Khongorai, downstream the Yenisei from the confluence with Abakan river to river Ogur. The name, most likely, is derived from the Khongor “issarkhy) – inner (or, possibly, iskerki” – eastern?). The base population of of the ulus consisted of the Kyrgyz clans “Kereits” and Ezers”, and therefore in Russian documents it is frequently called Yezersky or Kereitsky. The nomadic lands of the Isars nobles were located at the confluence of river Erba and river Abakan. Amnong the Ezer aimaks were Kamasin, Kachin, Arin, Yastin, Khaiton (Kandy) along river tuba, Syi along river Syda, Kashin along river Mana. Beside that, their kishtim dependencies stretched downstream along the Yenisei, including Ubei, mana, Kacha, and others.
Altyr (Oltyr) ulus stretched along the left bank of river Abakan from Uibat to the confluence with Tashtyp. It was the southernmost or the uppermost in reference to the stream of Yenisei. The inhabitants, for that reason are called “Upper Kyrgyz” in Russian documents. The origin of the name of the ulus is a mystery to this day. It is fully possible that the name is connected with an ethnonym, because among the Kyrgyz who were later chased away to Dzungaria from Altyr ulus was a clan of “Opttyr”.
Within the Altyr ulus, there were aimaks Sagai, Chetubur, Saryglar, Icheg, Beltyr, Taban, Sayan, Chistar, Irgit, Khapkhyn, and others.
“Kishtim lands” of this ulus were the taiga valleys of Kuznetsk Alatau, (Uelgennig syn) along the rivers Tom, Mrass, Kondom, and Norther Altai up to Teletskoye lake.
Tuba ulus encompassed the entire right bank of the Yenisei from the Sayans to the river Syda, and quite possibly, the the steppes of the right bank of Abakan river. Its center was located in the valley of river Upsa (Uepsue), which, for that reason, was called river Tuba by the Russians, after the leading clan of Tuba. Another sdtrong clan “Modar” (Motortsi)) took up the lands in foothills of the Sayan mountains. Despite some ethnic differences, Modars and Tubans considered themselves “one people and clan and family” with the Kyrgyz.
Within the Tuba ulus, there were these aimaks: Baikotov, Kol, Ushter, Kamenno-Motor or Koibal, Yarin, Bokhtin, Alyt, Buguss, Alakham, Kornaskham, and Bugachev.
Three uluses of the left bank had geographic designations ( lower, upper, inner), which appears to be a mark of territorial-economic connections of Khongorai. It is fully possible that similar administrative subdivisions existed even before the time of the Kyrgyz state, because in the 9th century, the rule of the “Khyagass ruler” was realized with the help of three ministers-begs, but in 13th century, three emirs stood at the head of the Kyrgyz.
In such a way, the Middle Age epoch in the valley of middle Yenisei, encompassing the time from the break-up of the mongol empire at the end of 14th century to the annexation to Russia at the beginning of 18th century, is associated with the historical development of the ethnopolitical formation Khongorai. (pgs153-157)
(pgs180-)
The annexation of Khongorai to Russia and administrative reorganization of Kyrgyz uluses.
