The bukharan emirate and turkestan under russian rule in the revolutionary era: 1917-1924

90
 
Russia’s soft attitude towards Bukhara was 
related to geographical importance of the Emirate in the region. The existence of 
Britain in India and British influence in neighboring Afghanistan caused Russians to 
pursue a more careful policy over Bukhara. “By avoiding political presence in 
Bukhara, Russia was able to ask Britain to observe a similar attitude in Afghanistan. 
Bukhara was an important factor in the division of Russian and British spheres of 
influence in Asia”.
91
 
For these reasons, Russia accepted the privileged status of 
Bukhara, and the Emir became a cooperative ally for Russian administration. For 
example, the Emir of Bukhara had a right to contact with the Tsar although 
Governorate General of Turkestan was quite disturbed about the Emir’s privileged 
rights like bypassing governorate and directly contacting with St. Petersburg. 
“Bukhara’s external relations came under the Russian ministry of foreign affairs, 
while Turkistan was placed under the supervision of the ministry of war. Russia was 
represented in Bukhara by a political agent
92
, who acted like an ambassador and 
came under the foreign ministry; this gave Bukhara a semblance of quasi-
90
Carrere D’Encausse, Hèlene, trans.,Islam 
and the Russian Empire Reform and Revolution in 
Central Asia
, (London: I.B.Tauris-Co Ltd, 1966), 38-39 
91
Ibid, 39. 
92
Russia was represented in Bukhara by a political agent, who acted like an ambassador and came 
under the foreign ministry; this gave Buykhara a semblance of quasi-independence which contributed 
to the external prestige of the emir.(Carrere D’Encausse : 39) 

---

38 
independence which contributed to the external prestige of the emir”.
93
The 
Bukharan governing elite consisted of bureaucracy, and military, both of which 
based on Persian slavery; and the most important one, the clergy which were 
controlling madrasah students. For that reason, the Emir tried to act carefully for his 
policies by cooperating with the mullahs who had great influence over conservative 
and traditional public masses. On the other side, the Emir pursued very different 
policies outside, especially towards St. Petersburg, an infidel and invader country. 
For example, Emir Muzaffar al Din had some problems with the mullahs after 
sending his successor Prince Abd al Ahad to Russia to take confirmation for 
crowning as an emir. The clergy saw that attitude as betrayal to traditions and Islam. 
“A decade earlier Muzaffar had chosen as his successor his fifth son, Abd al-Ahad, 
the Beg of Kermine, who now went to Moscow and received the imperial 
confirmation.
94
In fact, after Abd-al Ahad’s trip to Russia, during which he had 
openly admired much of what he saw, the clerical zealots turned increasingly to Abd-
al Malik
95
as their last hope”.
96
Abd al Ahad, taken the imperial confirmation, 
succeeded to the throne in the end. Abd al Ahad pursued the same way like his 
father, the way of getting along well with Russian suzerains.
 
On February 1880, Abd 
al Ahad celebrated Alexander II’s accession by organizing a parade and fireworks 
demonstration in Karshi. In the celebrations, Captain Arandarenko as a 
representative of the Governor General participated. In addition, Emir Muzaffar sent 
his one of sons, Mansur to St. Petersburg for education in the early 1880s. In 1883, 
93
Carrere D’Encausse, Hèlene, trans.,Islam 
and the Russian Empire Reform and Revolution in 
Central Asia
, (London: I.B.Tauris-Co Ltd, 1966), 39. 
94
Becker, Seymour, 
Russia’s Protectorates in Central Asia: Bukhara and Khiva, 1865–1924
, 
(London &New York: Routledge Curzon, 2005), 87. 
95
Malik was one of Emir Muzaffar’s princes. He made revolt attempts against his father and his 
brother Abd al Ahad. Since Ahad was known as Russian ally and took confirmation from St. 
Petersburg, Bukharan mullahs supported Malik for the emirate. But, his revolt tries failed. 
96
Becker, Seymour, 
Russia’s Protectorates in Central Asia: Bukhara and Khiva, 1865–1924
, 
(London &New York: Routledge Curzon, 2005), 87. 

---

39 
Abd al Ahad sent presents and 100 000 rubles in gold to Alexander II’s coronation. 
In return, Alexander II honored Emir Muzaffar and Crown Prince Abd al Ahad with 
the orders of St. Anna, St. Andrei and St. Stanislov
.
97
Indeed Bukharan Emir and 
Russian Tsar as monarchs had very good relations. Of course, the Emir behaved like 
that because of necessary conditions. His country was in a status of protectorate and 
his military power’s capacity was so poor and insufficient in a comparison with 
Russian troops in Turkistan Guberniia. It was a fact that the negative conditions 
necessitated him to ally with St. Petersburg. However, it was another fact that the 
Emir, as an authoritarian monarch, did not hesitate to cooperate with Russians 
against any internal opposing movements. For instance, Jadids (reformists of 
Bukhara) were suppressed by the Emir for years, and in the next period, they saw the 
best solution as cooperation with the Bolsheviks to escape from Emir backed by the 
Tsar during the civil war era. The Emir rejected revolting against Russia during the 
civil war because he thought he would cooperate with whatever came to power in St. 
Petersburg. But developments did not happen as the emir planned after the civil war. 
There had been consciousness in the emirate and that forced the emir to obey any 
power coming from Moscow or St. Petersburg
.
98
 
However, the Bolsheviks preferred 
to appeal to the intellectuals, Jadids, instead of appealing to the mullahs and begs 
who prayed for the Tsar for years
.
99