Overview
Abdurashid Khan ruled the Yarkent Khanate from 1533 to 1560. The son of Sultan Said Khan, he secured the state through treaties with its neighbours, broke the power of the Dughlat family, and is remembered as a poet and musician as well as a ruler. He fought the Kyrgyz and Kazakhs for western Moghulistan but lost it, leaving the khanate confined largely to the Tarim Basin.
Rise to Power
Abdurashid succeeded his father in 1533 after Sultan Said Khan died returning from Kashmir. He had campaigned with his father in Bolor in 1527–1528.
Rule and Achievements
- Concluded a treaty with Ubaydullah of Bukhara in 1538 and a similar agreement with the Mughal Empire
- Expelled Mirza Muhammad Haidar Dughlat and many of his relatives from Kashgaria; Mirza Haidar nevertheless dedicated his history, the Tarikh-i-Rashidi (1541–1546), to him
- Fought the Kyrgyz and Kazakhs for western Moghulistan, without lasting success
- Was a skilled archer and musician who mastered the Twelve Muqam; his wife Amannisa Khan is credited with collecting and preserving them
Legacy
Abdurashid Khan died in Khotan in 1560 and was succeeded by his son Abdul Karim Khan. His reign shaped the khanate's lasting form: a smaller state, centred on the oasis cities, whose court culture produced one of the enduring traditions of Uyghur music.