Abu'l-Khayr was born around the year 1412. He was a descendant of
Genghis Khan, through
Jöchi's fifth son
Shiban, and a
bey/bek of the
White Horde. Abu'l-Khayr and his family members loved literature and ordered translation of some from Persian to Turkic. At the time of his birth the
ulus of Shiban had divided into separate nomadic groups, one of which was led by Jumaduq Khan. Abu'l-Khayr served in Jumaduq's army, and was taken prisoner when Jumaduq was killed in battle in 1427. after which he was proclaimed
Khan of Western Siberia. The next four years were spent strengthening his control throughout the region. another tribe in the White Horde, and especially by Vaqqāṣ Bej,
Edigü's grandson. Abu'l-Khayr Khan died in 1468 (though some sources say 1469 or 1470). After Abu'l-Khayr Khan's death two separate lines of descent controlled the twin Uzbek states of
Mawara al-Nahr and Khwarezm. In the first decade of the 16th century his grandson
Muhammad Shaybani finally succeeded in the unification of the Uzbeks and established the short-lived
Shaybanid Empire, centered in
Samarkand. == See also ==