MILITARY TRAINING AND EXERCISES IN THE BUKHARA KHANATE

Аннотация

This article explores the military training and exercises conducted in the Bukhara Khanate based onhistorical sources and scholarly literature. Keywords: soldier, training, skill, hunting, combat, archers, Abdullah Khan, rulers, weapons, bow and arrow, sword, mace, daggers, crescent axes, battle axes, armor, helmets, shields, Astrakhan, commander, Genghis Khan. During the period of the Bukhara Khanate, as in earlier times, special attention was given to conducting military exercises through hunting (shikar). This activity held significant value in thelives of nomadic peoples and was referred to byGenghis Khan as a "school of war" [2]. Animal hunting served as a form of military preparedness. During hunts, soldiers were required to march in formation and surround the game according to established rules. Commanders and soldiers were encouraged to spend their leisure time hunting — not merely for sport, but as a way to keep the troops in combat readiness, improve their marksmanship, and harden them for difficult conditions. Selecting and supplying the appropriate weapons suited to the nature of the terrain, as well as organizing the left and right wings and the central position (theqalb), was theduty oftheofficial holding theposition ofqushchi [1]. Depending on whether the hunt lasted one, two, or three months, the hunting ring was carefully arranged. The animals were driven toward the center of the circle, and no animal was allowed to escape [2]. Inside the ring, the Khan would hunt first, then ascend a hill to observe the princes, emirs, and the army as they conducted the hunt. These specially organized hunting circles were called charga [3]. The Abdullanoma recounts that Iskandar Khan (1561–1583) would, without fail, go bird hunting every day after the morning prayer with his personal guards toadistance of one farsakh from Bukhara [4]. Abdullah Khan also held hunting expeditions annually in the winter and early spring in favorable regions [5], most often in Qarshi. Muhammad Shaybani and Ubaydullah Khan also frequently used the areas of Kasbi or Qarshi [6] as winter camps or “qishlamishiy”before theircampaigns toward Khorasan and organized hunts there. Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur emphasized the area's suitability for hunting, noting the abundance of birds called qilquyruq, and the ability to hold regular hunts in all four seasons [3]. Bird hunting helped sharpen theskills ofarchers, enabling them to better aim at specifictargets. In conclusion, the army of theBukhara Khanate was not haphazardly assembled, nor did any passerby serve as a soldier. From the highest commander to the ordinary soldier, sapper, or page2108 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ISSN:2692-5206,ImpactFactor:12,23 AmericanAcademicpublishers,volume05,issue06,2025 Journal: https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai oarsman — all underwent special military training and were kept in constant combat readiness. Regularly organized hunts served tomaintain fighting spirit and test certain types ofweaponry. Hunting served not only as a military drill to keep troops in readiness but also functioned as a means of food supply when necessary. Rulers took the provision of their armies seriously and considered it one of the most important military responsibilities. Any shortcomings in supply led to adecrease inthenumber and effectiveness ofthearmy. One key aspect of military affairs is the successful conduct of various levels of battles, skirmishes, and major wars. The types and quality of weapons, along with skillful use, played a vital role. As in other states and dynasties of the past, the Shaybanid era gave serious attention to the provision of arms. Victory in war often depended on the variety and quality of weaponry. The diversity of military equipment often determined the winning side. An abundance of weapons reflected both a strong military industry and deep knowledge of maneuvering during combat. The weaponry used by soldiers was an indicator of the economic, social, and cultural development of the state and society to which they belonged. These weapons were produced and supplied mainly by artisan workshops. In the 16th century, cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, Tashkent, Kesh, and Qarshi were major centers of craftsmanship. Artisans made up a significant portion of the population in these cities, and some specialized in arms production. Samarkand, the initial capital of the Shaybanid state, saw significant growth in arms manufacturing during the first half of the 16th century. Weapons such as swords, daggers, crescent axes, battleaxes, armor, helmets, and shieldswere produced forthe army. After the rise of the Shaybanids, nomadic military elements began to dominate the army structure, as they formed its core. Cavalry forces were required to arrive armed. Chroniclers from both the Timurid and Shaybanid sides, who described early 16th-century conflicts, did not note significant differences in weaponry between the two ar