View of Muslim Authors on the Russian Conquest of Turkistan. Evolution of New Realias: Pro and Contra

Abstract

The problem of the attitude of the local population of Turkistan towards the Russian conquest, as well as to their presence, has been covered by written works from the moment of Russia's advance into Central Asia. The historiogra phy on this question includes hundreds of books and research works.1 Until re cently, local authors' views and estimations of the Russian conquest were in volved above all in the standpoint of the justification or confirmation of the idea of the fundamental significance of the conquest of Central Asia by the Russian empire for the local people. During the post-Soviet period, the ideas and conclu sions of local authors were used with another aim, precisely as proof of the colo nial policy of Tsarism and its administration in the kray (territory). It should be noted that the attitude of local Muslim authors to the Russian conquest and their presence in Turkistan and in the states (khanates) of Buxara and Xiva was not unequivocal. The estimations and views of local authors were remarkable for their variety changing from silent apathy to active propaganda of armed revolt against the Russians. By the end of the 19th century, many authors had already written odes of eulogy about the Russians, Russia, and devoted their works to and in honor of the new orders and innovations.