THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE AND THE MUSLIM REVOLT IN XINJIANG, 1860-1870s

Abstract

In 1864 a revolt by Muslim communities of Xinjiang precluded for more than a decade Qing presence in the region. The Muslim rebels eventually made attempts at establishing new political entities throughout Xinjiang. The uprising placed the neighboring Russian empire, whose Central Asian territories shared an extensive border with Xinjiang, in a sensitive situation. This thesis aims to discuss Russian views and perceptions of the Muslim revolt and its participants. In particular the research focuses on shedding light on what were some of the strategies adopted by Russian regional authorities in Western Siberia and Turkestan general governorships with regards to the Qing loyalist forces, Muslim rebels, and refugees. The research explores ethnic and religious policies established by colonel Kolpakovskii in the Ili region and discusses diplomatic efforts undertaken by the Russian administration in Turkestan. The research argues that the policies and measures adopted by regional Russian administrations were flexible, prone to shifts as the Muslim revolt progressed, and were influenced by a number of internal and external factors. Those include concerns regarding the allegiances of Russia’s own Muslim population in the borderlands, the desire to maintain favorable commercial relations with the Qing, to act as a neutral power and ultimate broker between the Muslim rebels and the Qing loyalists, and finally to minimize British political and economic influence in Central Asia.