Kokand 1871

From Kokand: the journey across the Kokand Khanate I

Alexei Pavlovich Fedchenko book's original title is: Iz Kokana: svedeniya o puteshestvii po Kokanskomu Khanstvu.  Its first edition appeared in 1871.

The book presents Fedchenko’s account of his journey to the Khanate of Kokand, an expedition he undertook after roaming through Turkestan in the late 1860s.  Let us start from his description of Khujand:

‘Khujand has drawn my attention. This is the city of important manufacturing: sericulture, cotton, dyeing and weaving. In addition, there are all the necessary conditions for the further development of these industries: good climate, hard-working and smart Tadjik population, easy access to coal, neighbouring rich Kokand and the location on the Syr-Darya river.

The Kokand Khanate was established in 1709 in the Ferghana Valley but the legend surrounding the history of its rulers dates much earlier back in history. The Kokand khans were said to have been the descendants of Babur who – in his journey from Samarkand to Afghanistan, had to live one of his new-born sons in Ferghana. The baby was raised by the local inhabitants and named Altun-Bishik (the Golden Cradle) after a richly decorated cradle he had been left in.

Syr Darya, 21st century

Khujand, 21st century