Historical Events in the Ili Region in the 18th–19th Centuries: The Resettlement of the Semirechye Kazakhs to Ili and the Russian Empire’s Advance on the Ili Valley

This article examines the political situation in the Ili region during the 18th–19th centuries.
Since the second half of the 18th century, the Ili region became part of the Qing Empire, leading to the
establishment of a complex military and administrative system. The study analyzes the formation of
this system and the region’s strategic significance. To secure the Ili territory, the Qing authorities
stationed troops composed of various ethnic groups and implemented strict border control and internal
settlement policies. The main objective of the study is to explore the political, ethnic, and militaryadministrative
history of the Ili region in the 18th–19th centuries and to reveal the influence and
settlement processes of the Kazakh population in the area. Research methods include: historicalchronological
method for systematizing the socio-political history of the region by stages; source
analysis based on archival materials, statistical data from the Russian Empire, Qing imperial records, and official reports; comparative analysis utilizing studies by scholars from Kazakhstan, Russia,
China, Europe, and the United States; archival and documentary method for analyzing written
accounts about the Ili region; statistical analysis to examine ethnic composition, the ratio of sedentary
to nomadic populations, and the quantitative characteristics of migration processes. The main tasks
include describing the historical-geopolitical situation of the Ili region; clarifying the military and
administrative structures of the Qing Empire in the area; identifying the causes and stages of Kazakh
migration to Ili (1830–1871); characterizing the establishment, ethnic composition, and socio-political
structure of the Ili Sultanate; and analyzing the agreements between the Russian and Qing empires
concerning the sale and transfer of the Ili territory. The research findings show that the historical
development of the Ili region from the fall of the Dzungar Khanate to the Qing colonial policy
represents a significant stage in Central Asian history. Archival and documentary sources reveal the
creation of the Ili General-Governorship, its administrative system, methods of governance, and
colonial policies. The study also highlights the political and ethnic aspects of Kazakh and Kyrgyz
resettlement in the region.
The article was prepared within the framework of the Targeted Financing Program of
theMinistry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Multilateralcooperation
between Central Asia and China: from the early stages of interaction to strategicpartnership” IRN:
BR24993008.