The Russo-Tuvan Confl ict of 1908

Abstract

With evidence from Russian and Mongolian languages archival documents, the article studies the life of one of Tuva’s famous historical fi gures, Haidyp (1859-1909), the ruler of Khemchik Khoshuun (Tuv. ‘district’, ‘district’) of Tuva, a religious and political fi gure. Haidyp was born in 1859 in the Khemchik valley to the noble and wealthy family of Ak-Mongush. The nomadic territories of the villagers of Ak-Mongush or Ulug-Mongush ‘stretched from Chaa-Khol to the river Ayangaty, from the river Khemchik to Khandagayty’. On 1 August 1895, the Uliyasutai Jian-Jun (Chin. ‘military governor’) appointed Meeren (Tuv. ‘court offi cial’) Haidyp as the Governor of Khemchik Khoshun. A khoshun ruler possessed all power within his khoshun, including judicial, military, fi nancial, administrative power. A khoshun ruler wore a blue ball and a one-eyed peacock feather on his hat. In the early 20th century, Haidyp petitioned the Uliyasutai Governor to allow for independent administration due to the fact that the population of Khemchik Khoshun had reached almost 10 000 people or 2 013 yurts, and in view of the remoteness of the Tuvan Ambyn-Noyon’s Offi ce. On 19 November 1901, the petition was approved by the Ministry of Ranks. In Uliyasutai Haidyp received the symbol of princely dignity - a coral ball worn by a fi rst-class offi cial - and a seal. In 1901, the Dzaisans (Tuv. ‘prince’) of 17 Tuvan otoks (Tuv. ‘municipality’) who had been subordinates of Sandagdorzhi, the Governor of Sain-Noyon Aimag of Mongolia, fi led a petition to join and ‘become governed by the Bugdiyin-Darga of Khemchik Khoshun’. Only in 1908 - due to the insistence of the 17 Tuvan Dzaisans - their otoks were brought under the administration of Khemchik Khoshun of Tuva. In 1906, seeking for asbestos, an expedition headed by the Usinsk Border Chief V.A. Alexandrovich and mining engineer of Minusinsk District Volkonsky appeared in the Khemchik valley on Mount Edegey. Haidyp prevented their further activities in the territory of his khoshun. He also resisted asbestos mining developments in the Khemchik by the French, ‘despite the legality of the concession obtained by the French company in Beijing and Uliyasutai’. In April 1908, Haidyp held a meeting attended by offi cials of the two khoshuns as well as Russian and Chinese merchants for the discussion of ‘the status of the Russians in the Khemchik nomadic territories’. From then onward, Chinese traders were to receive trade licenses at the headquarters of the khoshun ruler, and no trade was allowed beyond the borders of the headquarters. In addition, it was decided to evict Russian citizens who had no Tuvan stay permits (certifi cates) but the deportation was postponeOn the Russian side, the Usinsk Border Chief, Governor-General of Irkutsk, diplomatic corps in Beijing and Uliyasutai, agents, as well as military offi cers were involved to settle the problem. Offi cials from Uliyasutai came to Tuva twice to investigate complaints of the Russian Consul. As a result of the inspection, it was decided to suspend the expulsion of the Russians and hold a joint meeting. On 2 April 1909, Haidyp suddenly fell ill and died in 10 days. He was buried in 9 days in a specially built ‘temple-tower’. In the fourteen years of his rule, Haidyp was able not only to make his khoshun administratively independent but also to expand it territorially. Economic attractiveness, abundant natural resources, Russian colonization - all that exacerbated the already diffi cult situation in the khoshun. Thus, for some time Haydyp became a key fi gure in that geopolitical environment.d until the beginning of the winter period.