Introduction. The article attempts to localize Tamerlane’s campaigns of 1395–1396 in Central Ciscaucasia aimed to weaken the Golden Horde, eliminate chief forces of Tokhtamysh and his allies native to the region invaded. Goals. The study seeks to analyze and compare data from artefacts, written and phonic sources relating to Tamerlane’s campaigns in Central Ciscaucasia, clarify the roles once played therein by archaeological sites investigated across Stavropol Krai. Materials and methods. The paper focuses on artefacts, written and phonic sources. The former include ones contained in the occupation layer of Majar hillfort and bearing traces of the city’s demolition in the late 14th century CE, as well as those from two other sites of the Golden Horde era — Novopavlovka and Kochubeevskoe-1 settlements. The examined written sources are works by Arab, Persian and Western European authors, including modern ones. As for medieval Arab and Persian sources, the most detailed accounts for further analysis are contained in Books of Victory by Nizam al-Din Shami and Sharaf al-Din ‘Ali Yazdi, as well as in chronicles by Abd-al-Razzāq Samarqandī. Most precious data has been discovered in J. Schiltberger’s writing, oral accounts summarized by E. Çelebi and A. Firkovich. The work employs the historical-systemic, historical-comparative, and cartographic methods. The analysis is supplemented with results of scientific surveys recently conducted across glaciers of the Central and West Caucasus. Results. In spring of 1395, Tamerlane invaded the East and Central Caucasus to defeat Tokhtamysh in the decisive battle that took place in the Malka-Kura interfluve. Later in autumn and winter of 1395–1396, the invaders would return to the North Caucasus for raids throughout the lands of Kuban and Beshtau. Conclusions. In 1395–1396, Tamerlane was following a certain plan of his compiled with due regard for natural/climatic conditions of the region and seasonal economic cycles of Central Ciscaucasia’s nomads. The invading troops kept the field with the use of local resources — foodstuffs of Dzhulat county, summer pastures of Bishdag, and winter pastures of the Kuma-Manych Depression. Tamerlane was devastating the right wing of the Ulus of Jochi to take into possession the resources previously deployed by rulers of the Golden Horde. 

Introduction. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Imperial Russia tended to prioritize the creation of trade and transport communications with countries of the East, which was vividly manifested in a number of projects, such as the Trans-Siberian Railway, Chinese Eastern Railway, and South Manchuria Railway. In this regard, not that widely known remains the Kyakhta Railway project, which implied a construction of a railway line from the Trans-Siberian Railway to Kyakhta with subsequent access to the territory of Mongolia. Goals. The paper attempts an analysis of how the concept of the Kyakhta Railway was evolutionizing throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and seeks to reveal some key features arising from the latter’s geoeconomic and geopolitical objectives. Materials and methods. The work involves understudied materials stored at the Russian State Historical Archive, and methodologically rests on a systemic historical approach that secures insights into the development of the project from the perspectives of Imperial Russia’s political and economic interests and opportunities across Asia at the turn of the 20th century. Results. The conducted analysis of documents shows how the Kyakhta Railway project was actually developing. So, the earliest initiatives to build a railway line from Kyakhta to China’s northern borders were announced at the beginning of the 20th century, after Chinese authorities decided to lay a Beijing–Kalgan railway line. The Government was showing interest in the project under study in the direct aftermath the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. And the project’s complete concept was introduced in a special note prepared by Kyakhta-based merchants in 1910 — to be finally approved in 1913. However, the outbreak of WWI postponed its implementation indefinitely. The article examines each stage in the shaping of the Kyakhta Railway project with emphases be laid on its geoeconomic and geopolitical objectives. The paper shows the project was viewed as a means to solve the then problems of Russian-Chinese and Russian-Mongolian trade, stimulate Eastern Siberia’s economy, fulfill transit potentials of Russia, and strengthen our geopolitical influence in the territory of Mongolia. Conclusions. The work attests to the Kyakhta Railway project was systemic and multifactorial by nature, illustrates its essential place in the overall geoeconomic strategies of the Russian Empire. 

Introduction. Edward W. Said’s Orientalism: Western Conceptions of the Orient  introduced the category ‘Orientalism’ into scientific and political discourse. So, the article focuses on the Armenian question that became a remarkable part of the Eastern question at the turn of the 20th century — to illustrate features of ‘Russian Orientalism’. The decline of the Ottoman Porte, difficulties faced by ethnic Armenians in Turkey, and the political unrest among Armenians of the Caucasus resulted in that the Russian military and diplomats were paying close attention to those events, which was reflected in related reports. Materials and methods. The published sources examined are those authored by N. Ivanov, A. Nelidov, D. Putyata, P. Tomilov, I. Vorontsov-Dashkov, R. Termen. The archival documents involved (State Archive of Russian Federation) are A. Nelidov’s reports of 1882 and 1896, both addressed to V. Lamsdorf. The theoretical basis is shaped by concepts of Orientalism, Occidentalism, and critical geopolitics, the latter viewing geopolitical ideas of elites as an independent phenomenon referred to as ‘high geopolitics’. Results. After the Treaty of Berlin (1878) the Armenian question became a new domain for interaction between the great powers. The analysis conducted herein confirms that ‘Russian Orientalism’ — in geopolitical ideas of the elites — had an anti-Western shade. Paradoxically, in Eastern contexts Russian imperial elites were positioning themselves as representatives of European civilization. However, when it came to defend national interests, their reasoning would obtain anti-Western tones. Occidentalism presupposes a unification of the Western world, which, for example, can be observed in the reports of Ya. Lundekvist and A. Nelidov. The views and shades of Orientalism were determined by practical job tasks. For instance, Governor-General I. Vorontsov-Dashkov was rather a bearer of ‘internal Orientalism’ suggesting a patronizing concern for the Caucasian Armenians. Therefore, there were certain differences in attitudes of capital-based executives and those articulated by ones in the colonized periphery of the Empire. Conclusions. So, the study concludes as follows. Firstly, how the elites tended to perceive the essence of the Armenian question and its Turkish contexts proves the legitimacy of the category ‘Russian Orientalism’ — directed both outside and inside — the latter covering the Caucasus with a certain portion of Armenian population. Secondly, features of Orientalism in geopolitical representations of Russian elites were determined by practical tasks of their service. Thirdly, ‘Russian Orientalism’ is more heterogeneous and its aspects outnumber those presented in Edward W. Said’s study.

Introduction. The territorial organization of Inner Asian polities underwent significant transformations in the first quarter of the 20th century, which resulted in a need for its visualization. Goals. The article attempts to reconstruct the system of key public governance institutions in Mongol-inhabited lands of China in the mentioned period, and to describe tools of their visualization supposed to spot the former across present-day geographical points of the region. So, the study aims to examine some basic institutions of princely power and khoshun administration, religious and aimag/league-level authorities, impacts of the Chinese colonization on Mongol-inhabited territories, investigate sources, tools and methods instrumental in spatial localization and visualization of territorial /governance structures across the lands. Materials and methods. The work focuses on two groups of sources, namely: unpublished materials from P. Dudin’s doctoral thesis (manuscript) (Statehood of Inner Mongolia: Late 19th to Mid-20th Centuries) discussing public governance structures of Mongolian banners (counties); and unique maps of 1914/1925 mentioning khoshuns, aimags and leagues of almost all Mongol-inhabited domains. The research methodology rests on an interdisciplinary approach, methods of historical science to comprise the ideographic (descriptive-narrative) and retrospective ones, a narrative approach, and principles of historicism; knowledge of political science yields an opportunity to employ functional and behavioral approaches. The geographical methods involved rest on the scheme of analysis proposed in works of O.  Medushevskaya (1957) and L. Goldenberg (1958), as well as on some analysis of the data generalization degree. Results. The work has reconstructed the early 20th-century system of key Mongolian public governance institutions, outlines how the system of princely power functioned, how khoshun-level administrative bodies took shape and worked, identifies the governance role of religious institutions, while insights into different levels of the administrative/territorial organization facilitates further understanding as to actual scopes of power attributed thereto, and makes it possible to visualize the investigated space with the aid of contemporary tools and techniques. Conclusions. The paper points to the efficiency of the then management system where it was the khoshun that had served — and remained — a key structural element. The latter’s detailed illustrations on V. Surin’s maps make it possible to restore the ancient territorial organization of Mongolia using the GIS system, free access be provided for researchers of the region.

Goals. The article examines previously unpublished archival materials for an insight into 18th-century nomadic practices and routes of the Kalmyks. Results. The paper shows that the latter were controlled and systematized during the period under consideration. The total nomadic area was extensive and reached outskirts of Samara and Syzran in the north, and the Kuma River in the south. The bulk of Kalmyk communities tended to move longitudinally. However, there were some exceptions. A number of uluses were constantly occupying certain areas, although practicing somewhat micro-migrations over short distances. The era under review witnessed clashes, hostile relations — both among Kalmyks proper and with neighboring Russian groups — that resulted from claims to certain pasture territories. The articles stresses the 18th century was characterized by mass Russian population inflows to the Lower Volga and the Pre-Caucasus, which inevitably led to reductions of Kalmyk-inhabited lands. Moreover, it must be noted that the migrants tended to seize most economically advantageous lands. At the same time, both ethnic elites and government executives were seeking to settle the turbulent relationships. From the historical perspective, it was sedentarization and intensification of agriculture that could serve a way out for the Kalmyks, but in the 18th century the need was not yet that obvious.

Introduction. The paper examines traditional Kalmyk society during WWI. The Soviet-era historiography dealing with the issue in question is limited to few articles published in the 1960s–1980s. More attention has been paid to the topic relatively recently, and some of its aspects need further additions, since this tends to become relevant enough in the light of present-day international relations and the need to strengthen historical unity of peoples constituting our nation. Goals. The work specifically aims to provide additional insights into everyday life of Kalmyk nomads during WWI and primarily — the 1916 mobilization activities in Kalmyk uluses. Materials and methods. The article analyzes of a wide range of official documents stored at the National Archive of Kalmykia, the bulk of the latter be newly introduced into scientific circulation. The work employs a set of general scientific and special historical research methods, of which the principles of historicism, objectivity and system-oriented analysis are of paramount importance. The synthesis of sources involved and the selected research methods has yielded a reliable picture of Kalmyk realities in the face of war-driven anxiety. Results. Unlike many regions of Russia, the economy of Kalmyk Steppe (Astrakhan Governorate) was based on nomadic and semi-nomadic livestock breeding and did maintain its stability. However, this stability was ensured by large and medium-scale livestock breeders who were to increase food (and other) production to meet the increased demand of war time. For the poor and some middle-class peasants the war brought additional hardships, including the particularly burdensome mobilization for rear services in the front-line provinces.

Introduction. Throughout the shaping of the Soviets, the Armenian nation passed its historical way of development as a union member and grew to be administratively represented by two Soviet Armenian ethnic entities — the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ranked a union republic) and Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (a territory within the Azerbaijan SSR). The First Republic was established in late May 1918 to be replaced by the Second Republic, or Soviet Armenia, in early December 1920. In 1920–1922, the latter was officially referred to as ‘independent Socialist Soviet Republic of Armenia’, and then as a territory within the Transcaucasian Soviet Federation (1922–1936) and the Soviet Union (1936–1991). After Transcaucasian Federation was abolished in 1936, Soviet Armenia was incorporated into the USSR as a self-sufficient union republic under the name Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. Goals. The study seeks to show the process of nation-state building in the USSR through the example of Armenia. Materials and methods. The article analyzes archival materials represented by official documents and acts dealing with Soviet nation-state building, as well as collections of laws and party decrees. The main research methods employed are the historical/comparative and historical/genetic ones. Results. Soviet Armenia within the USSR, as well as other Soviet republics and autonomies, was no independent state in the conventional sense, but at the same time it was endowed with many attributes and symbols of statehood. Finally, it was Soviet Armenia that — for first time in the history of Armenian statehood — obtained its own Constitution. Conclusions. Soviet Armenia was a nation in the unified Soviet state, and in the conditions of seven decades of unlimited power of the Communist Party preserved and developed the Armenian Soviet statehood to a maximum possible then and there. Most Armenian historians believe the present-day independent Third Republic would never have emerged (since 1991) but for the period of Soviet Armenia.

Introduction. The long-overlooked topic of Soviet–Xinjiang medical cooperation can facilitate a better understanding of why Xinjiang was that important to the USSR in the interwar period. Paradoxically, the ‘soft power’ of Soviet medicine was able to come into fruition not in the ideologically friendly Mongolian and Tuvan People’s Republics — but in the turbulent Xinjiang against the background of disastrous social cataclysms of the 1930s and 1940s. Goals. The article aims to examine Soviet medical and sanitary assistance to the region through the prism of epidemic control efforts that constituted an important aspect of interaction. Materials and methods. The study analyzes documents from collections A-482 (‘Ministry of Health of the RSFSR’) and Р-8009 (‘Ministry of Health of the USSR’) of the State Archive of the Russian Federation. The geopolitical, retrospective, and comparative approaches shape a basis of the research agenda. Results. Soviet physicians were implementing the ‘soft power’ of healthcare through professionalism and selfless service to humanistic ideals under constant ethnic disturbances and strictly limited propaganda opportunities. The struggle against epidemics constituted one of the ‘pillars’ of interaction, since the medical advisers not only saved thousands of lives in Xinjiang but also instilled respect for the power of Soviet healthcare and protected the Soviet frontiers from dangerous pathogens. Conclusions. The Soviet Union invested significant human and material resources to support Xinjiang at the peril of Soviet physicians’ lives not out of mere altruism but rather following rational security concerns with a view to expand influence. The struggle against epidemics in the traditional, archaic Xinjiang society with utmost fear of plague and smallpox strengthened the authority of not only health professionals but also that of the USSR as a scientific and medical power.

Introduction. The article examines the history of population migrations in the earliest period of Elista city’s construction between 1927 and 1932. An insight into the topic shall further reveal common and specific features in the shaping of settlement populations across Russia. Goals. The paper aims to analyze actual migration trends during the construction of the city to have gained the status of an autonomy’s capital — and show the Government’s impacts on the formation and development of Elista’s population t in 1927–1932. Materials and methods. The study employs the historical-comparative and historical-genetic research methods, analyzes documents from the National Archive of Kalmykia, republican periodicals and published monographs dealing with the history of Elista, a number of archival documents be newly introduced into scientific circulation. Results. The work reveals causes and factors of the creation of Kalmykia’s capital, analyzes population policies of Soviet authorities, reviews social, professional, ethnic, and territorial backgrounds of immigrants. The analysis of documents attests to that it was the Soviet Government that played a key role in the city’s creation and approved major directions of its development, organized the relocation of administrative agencies and funded the bulk of its construction. The migration agenda was being implemented in accordance with the goals of nationalities and administrative policies, as well as with directions of the city’s development chosen by official authorities. The government-organized relocations were administrative by nature. However, the population structure was essentially shaped by unorganized migrations that resulted from the sedentarization of Kalmyks, aspirations of some citizens from neighboring regions and territories to obtain better sources of livelihood — or even to escape political persecution. Conclusions. The emergence of the new settlement was driven by that the Government was seeking to establish a Soviet ethnic center of the Kalmyk people and administer the territory from inside Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast. These presupposed migrations were to be planned and facilitate achieving the objectives set by authorities. There had been no plans to create large industrial facilities in the city, so the government-organized migration did not require involvement of large labor resources. The ‘unorganized’ resettlers were largely those who had some professional skills demanded in the city, nomads seeking a sedentary life, and individuals in pursuit of profitable livelihoods or shelter from the watchful eye of law enforcement agencies.

Introduction. In the 1920s–1930s, the mobilization of human and material resources played a huge role in the process of reforming the Red Army and strengthening the country’s defense capability. The period witnessed measures aimed to prepare forces and means for the development of the Soviet armed services and protection of the country. The preparation system also included economic (food) mobilization not only for the current army allowance but also for investing the necessary material reserves in case of wartime, to secure uninterrupted supply of the army during a war. Goals. The article attempts an analysis of how Kalmykia’s fishing industry was converted to the wartime agenda in the mid-to-late 1930s. Results. Along with the delivery and procurement of agricultural and livestock products to the government, the supply of fish products is considered in the article not only as an aspect of mass catering, food security, exports — but also as a means to meet the needs of the army and secure the country’s defense. The development of Kalmykia’s fishing industry in the mid-to-late1930s across the Volga-Caspian basin resulted in a significant contribution to the supply of fish products for special consumers (military) according to orders of the People’s Commissariat for Fishing Industry of the USSR.

Introduction. The publication highlights efforts undertaken by Siberia Department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society (since 1851 — Siberia Department, since 1877 — Eastern Siberia Department) to explore the ethnography of the Mongolic peoples. Despite the available related publications are numerous enough, the topic remains somewhat understudied. Since the creation of Siberia Department, its members had made a great breakthrough in the exploration of Siberia, the latter’s natives, their ethnic histories, ethnogeneses, lifestyles, and cultures. It would be impossible to cover the complete scope of works performed by associates of Siberia Department for comprehensive insights into the ethnography of Mongols. Goals. So, the paper attempts a review of scientific endeavors by Siberia Department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society aimed at ethnographic descriptions of the Mongolic peoples. The Department also contributed a lot to the ethnographic study of the peoples inhabiting regions neighboring with Russia, including the ones populated by Mongolic ethnic groups. The article identifies key directions of research work, significances of writings by the Department’s members for ethnographic research of Mongols, mentions important periods in the history of the Department, and shows who played critical roles in establishing trends within the exploration agenda. Methods. The study rests on the system of principles, approaches and methods inherent to historical science, including both general (analysis, synthesis, description, etc.) and special (descriptive, comparative-historical, etc.) ones. Conclusions. Despite the difficulties faced by researchers affiliated to Eastern Siberia Department when it came to investigate household life and ethnic culture, their activities yielded essential scientific findings, facilitated further historical and ethnographic analyses of the Mongolic peoples. The original artifacts collected by the Department’s members would lay bases for museum collections, their studies still remaining as unique and required by present-day scholars.

Introduction. In the context of the current postmodern upheaval, the need to define each trend and field in sciences dealing with the past gains special significance. The article attempts an analytical review of achievements in the study of the ‘women’s theme’ in contemporary historical sciences of Mainland China between 1949 and 1999. Goals. The work aims to examine the accumulation of knowledge concerning the ‘second sex’ (long considered non-principal); review  the history of how previously unknown sources or overlooked aspects and plots relating to legal, family, social statuses of Chinese women have been introduced into scientific discourse; identify prerequisites and causes for the emergence of new fields in disciplines dealing with the past (women’s history of China and anthropology of gender); explore main stages in the development of the research trend to determine its significance for contemporary Chinese and world science. Results. The paper proves that the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995) served a dividing line in the shaping of the new history research agenda. It was after 1995 that corresponding academic endeavors were launched in various cities and universities, scientific schools formed, and their leaders came forth. Conclusions. The emergence of the new field in China’s science was inevitable since it had been predetermined by a change in cognitive orientations. Women’s history  brought together those who were ready to combine Marxist methodology (with its deliberate attention to socioeconomic problems) with the concept of gender (which allowed an introduction of topics never studied by Chinese historians).

Introduction. Currently, researchers have no consensus on the classification of the Kipchak languages. The dictionaries compiled by P. S. Pallas provide valuable insights into the 18th-century Tatar, Bashkir, Nogai, and Kazakh languages. Goals. This article attempts an analysis of the latter’s graphic features in order to enhance our understanding of the development of dialect-classifying graphophonic isoglosses. Materials and methods. The paper examines the sixteen isoglosses identified by A. V. Dybo based on materials from modern Tatar, Bashkir, Kazakh and Nogai, and shows how numbers of common isoglosses for these languages differed in the 18th century. The dictionaries of P. S. Pallas have been uploaded to the online LingvoDoc platform, all words in these dictionaries now have parallels with modern literary languages, and with Turkic proto-forms according to EDAL. The dictionaries are also linked together by etymological connections. Results. The analysis shows that in the 18th century the languages were approximately equidistant from each other, some specific closeness observed just between Tatar and Bashkir, though Bashkir-Kazakh parallels differ by one innovation only, and no specific proximity between Kazakh and Nogai observed. It can be assumed that 20th-century communication resulted in a secondary convergence of Kazakh with Nogai and their common distancing from Tatar and Bashkir, the latter’s speakers in turn having become closer to each other. It is interesting to note that in 18th-century Bashkir and Nogai other archaic reflexes were represented, in particular, *s (Bashkir), *č (Nogai, Bashkir), *ƛ (š Nogai), these changes have occurred later. Conclusions. Thus, the analysis of the vocabularies created in the 18th century casts doubt on the traditional classification of N. Baskakov, A. Samoylovich, K. Musaev, and A.  Savelyev based on the modern languages. At the same time, it should be noted that A. Dybo and O. Mudrak turned to glottochronology and applied morphological linguostatistics to have concluded together as to the specific proximity of Kazakh and Nogai, which is also not confirmed by the data of the graphics of the 18th-century texts. 

Introduction. In Kalmyk folklore, the genre of tea well-wishes (Kalm. цәәд тәвх йѳрәл) accompanies many rituals characterized by magic poetry and aimed to secure health, longevity, well-being, human happiness, as well as preservation and prosperity of the surrounding world. Tea is a major meal component to be offered to the spirits of ancestors, deities, and individuals for the fulfillment of well-wishes. In Kalmyk traditional meals, tea remains a basic element. The article is topical enough since tea well-wishes in 20th-century Kalmyk poetry are still somewhat understudied. Goals. The study seeks to identify related examples in terms of genre, consider the folklore tradition and innovations, analyze available Russian translations for adequacy. Materials and methods. The article focuses on representative Kalmyk- and Russian-language (including Russian translations) poems by Kalmyk poets addressed to tea. Methodology rests on historical-literary and comparative approaches to reveal the relation between folklore and poetry, the continuity of this genre throughout Kalmykia’s literary process. Results. The paper attests to the bulk of poetic tea well-wishes — in the folklore aspect — underwent some changes and were created in the mid-to-late 20th century. Conclusions. Tea well-wishes in writings of Kalmyk poets are characterized by genre syntheses, certain plots, inclusions of proverbs and sayings, folklore formulas, praises to the beverage, descriptions of how it be cooked, and its leading role in the ethnic meals model. 

Introduction. Despite quite a number of issues relating the Xinjiang Oirat version of the Jangar have been sufficiently dealt with in domestic and foreign folklore research papers, those of plot structure inherent to epic narratives within the Oirat tradition still remain somewhat understudied. Goals. The article attempts an insight into the plot structure of the Song of Khan Uzeng Aldar’s Marriage recorded from the Oirat jangarchi Javin Juna — a representative of the Hoboksar taletelling tradition. The work seeks to examine the plot and identify some key plot and compositional features of the narrative, compares the latter to the Kalmyk version of the Jangar for further analysis of traced similarities and differences. Materials. The study investigates corresponding publications in Oirat (Clear Script), Mongolian, and Kalmyk. Results. Being a consistent development of such important stages of Jangar’s epic biography as miraculous birth, earliest feat, marriage and heroic deeds, the genealogical cyclization prompted the epic’s creators to show interest in the main character’s destiny at large and present a complete picture of epic events to the audience. This may have resulted in that they finally created a narrative describing certain events prior to Jangar’s birth, his birth proper, and subsequent orphanhood. If compared to the Kalmyk version, the Xinjiang Oirat tradition is dominated by elements of fabulous mythological fiction: dwelling of a beautiful dakini, horse as a magic assistant, the bride’s magical abilities and wishing box. The plot of heroic matchmaking is structured as a sequential narrative where each episode, element and motif are inextricably linked and together serve to reveal the theme. Our insight into the theme of heroic matchmaking in the Xinjiang Oirat and Kalmyk versions of the Jangar epic reveals common elements in plot structures, namely: the hero’s departure on a long journey in search of bride, passage of obstacles en route, descriptions of the bride’s home, trials underwent by the groom, victory, wedding feast, and return to homeland. However, despite the plot structures are common enough and essentially sketchy, the theme of heroic matchmaking is distinguished by some specific characteristics inherent to the Oirat and Kalmyk ethnic versions and taletelling traditions, respectively.