Signs of power sacralization in Basmyl tribes during IX-XI centuries

Purpose. The Basmyl iddikut is a little explored state formation of the Turkic peoples of the Early Middle Ages in Central Asia. The article is devoted to identifying their role in the history of Central Asia through the analysis of their iddikuts, the relations between the Basmyl tribes and their authorities and their military operations during the IX-XI centuries. The article gives an overview of power sacralization in the Basmyl tribes during the period of their greatest power. The author analyzes the sources related to the Basmyls and their relations with the neighboring tribes in the struggle for hegemony in Central Asia. Results. The Basmyl tribes, which are now almost forgotten, had an opportunity to develop their power in a way different from the Uighur khanate and the Karluk Dzhabguliat. The Basmyls were a tribal alliance, which was organized as a confederation of tribes of nomadic type. In the middle of the VII century, the Basmils occupied Central Asia and established their power on the territory. According to their position, the Basmyls were heirs of the Great Turkic khanate. However, in the era of collisions between powerful states, such as the Tang Empire and the Abbasid caliphate, the Basmyls had to obey a more powerful overlord. After the fall of the Second Turkic khanate in 744, Basmyls’ rulers for a short period became most powerful rulers in Central Asia. The middle of the VIII century was their golden age, but they did not have time to reach the stage of constructing a nomadic state, unlike their neighbors, allies and enemies. Destructing feudal relations did not give them opportunities to gain a foothold in the region, but they preserved their ethnic group, which affected the subsequent ethnic and political processes in Central Asia until the establishment of the state Chagatai in the 13th century. Because of the Arabs raids and the influence of China, the Basmyls lost their positions and could not gain their power any more. Their iddikuts were destroyed completely, the power of the rulers damped and the Basmyls assimilated with other local people such as the Basyz and the Argyn. Some of them went westwards, and it was the end of the Basmyl coalition and its sacralization of power in Central Asia. Conclusion. Our analysis shows that the Basmyl tribes sacralized power in the IX-XI centuries based on the Turkic-Tengrian basis, in the form of the «Tengri Kut-Kagan». However, frequent mil itary defeats and the onset of the Arab forces did not allow the Basmyls to develop their own nomadic state. The power sacralization remained at the level of tribal leaders.