Torghuts’ Westward Migration to the Volga Region

Abstract

Torghuts, who had originally pastured around Tarbagatai, migrated westward to Hobogsair due to the pressure from Jungar Öölds in Tarbagatai and the Ili region in the sixteenth century. However, despite the Torghuts avoiding clashes and migrating further west from Tarbagatai, Har Hulan Taij, the leader of Öölds, then settled in Hobogsair, establishing their capital and religious centre, intensifying their pressure on Torghuts in the following years. Eventually, the Torghuts moved down to the Ölönge Lake and Irtysh River valley. Amidst these continuous integration attempts, Ho Örlög, the Torghut leader, sought an alliance by marrying his daughter, Nimin Gandig, to Galdan, Har Hulan’s son. While their alliance remained peaceful for a few years, the Torghuts still felt pressure from Jungar power and expanded their pastures to the Orin Gagtsa Mod. About thirty years later, they arrived in the Volga River valley, settling over five Tohoi known as Ijilin Tohoi, Mangaragin Tohoi, Shar Tohoi and so on. Torghuts, then, remained in the Volga region for five generations, encompassing from Ho Örlog, Chukhur Zaisan, Puntsug, Arabjur to Ubash, and eventually part of them eastward back to their hometown, Hobogsair. While the Torghut’s power strengthened in the Volga region, many Hoshuts and Öölds – the latter led by Ablai Taij who poisoned Galdan and escaped to the Volga region – willingly integrated into the Torghut Khanate.