2025. no 1. Maxim Shalak

Information about the Nogai and the Crimean Tatars in the work
of the Ottoman historian of the 17th century Husein Hezarfen

Maxim Shalak
Southern Federal University

Abstract. The presented article is devoted to a detailed analysis of the work of the Ottoman historian and jurist Huseyn Hezarfen «Summary of the laws of the Ottoman Dynasty», who worked on it from 1673 to 1683. At the same time, the author provides us with information not only contemporary to him, but also from the recent and even distant past. The main interest was in obtaining historical facts related to the history of the Crimean Khanate and the Nogais who lived within its borders. Thus, Hezarfen showed changes in the attitude of the Ottoman dignitaries towards the Crimean khans, starting from the time of Sahib-Giray and Sultan Suleiman, to the modern author Janibek-Giray and Hassan-Pasha. Using concrete examples, we see how the authority of the Crimean khans gradually fell, which was a consequence of the decline of their independence in relations with Istanbul. The Ottoman author gives us very valuable information on the historical geography of the Crimean Khanate, as well as the peoples who were part of its orbit of influence. And first of all, this applies to the Nogais living within the khanate. The author outlines the area of their settlement, gives the division of the Nogai of the Crimean yurt into 4 departments or divisions. They represented a conglomerate of Large and Small Nogai families, such as the Urmametevs, Sheydyakovs, who moved to the Crimea already in the 17th century, as well as the Mansurovs, who make up the «ancestral» Nogai of the khanate. Of particular interest are the data on the degree of dependence of Nogai mirzas on Girei. This concerns the participation of Nogais in campaigns organized by both the khans themselves and the highest dignitaries of the state. So, we find out that invitations were sent to the Nogai mirzas to participate in campaigns, which they could either accept or not. It is also important to point out the absence in the text of a source of information about any single leader or biya Nogai, to whom all 4 of their units would obey. Consequently, the Crimean Nogais did not have any political unity that once existed in the Great and Small Nogai hordes. Hezarfen informs us about the possibility for the Crimean Nogai to change their overlord, leaving for the possessions of the Moscow tsar, but at the same time always having the right to return to their former nomads.

Keywords: Nogai, Crimean Tatars, medieval Ottoman writings, Husein Hezarfen, Crimean Khanate, Small Nogai Horde

For citation: Shalak M.E. Information about the Nogai and the Crimean Tatars in the work of the Ottoman historian of the 17th century Husein Hezarfen. Krymskoe istoricheskoe obozrenie=Crimean Historical Review. 2025, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 115–128. DOI: 10.22378/kio.2025.1.115-128 (in Russian)

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About the author: Maxim E. Shalak – Cand. Sci. (History), Associate Professor of the Department of Special Historical Disciplines and Methods of Teaching History and Social Science, Institute of history and international relations, Southern Federal University (105/42, Bolshaya Sadovaya Str., Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russian Federation); Associate Professor, South-Russian Institute of Management – branch of the Russian Presidential Aca­demy of National Economy and Public Administration (70/54, Pushkinskaya Str., Rostov-on-Don 344002, Russian Federation); shemjchich@mail.ru