Nasrulloh bin Haydar Tora was ruler in a time when the Central Asian states were under pressure from the advance of the
Russian Empire in the north and the
British Indian Empire in the south. Nasrulloh is best known in the West as the Emir who imprisoned and eventually executed in 1842 the British envoys
Charles Stoddart and
Arthur Conolly, and imprisoned but eventually released
Joseph Wolff, who came in 1843 to seek news of them. In Tsarist Russian and Soviet historiography Amir Nasrulloh was viewed as a amiri qassob (butcher emir) bloodthirsty, oppressive and despotic leader because he executed his brothers and waged military campaigns against his neighbors in the region.
Relations between Bukhara and Shahrisabz The Manghits and the kenagas migrated to Movarounnahr from Dashti Qipshoq and their relationship ranged from cooperation to competition. Each tribe craved for more power and influence which led to the organization of tribal confederation. This confederation was active for about 150 years until the
Russian conquest of 1865. Shahrisabz was the stronghold of the kenagas ruling elite that disobeyed
Bukharan Emirate to preserve its independence. The relationship between Amir Nasrulloh and kenagas leaders of Shahrisabz was complicated. However, it continued serving as political sanctuary for dethroned leaders of Bukhara, Khoqand and even
Afghanistan. Such situation increased Bukhara and Khoqand's will to subjugate Shahrisabz. The Kenagas ruling families attempted to balance Bukhara and Khoqand through familial ties too.
Relations between Bukhara and Khoqand The Manghits of Bukhara and the Mings of Khoqand competed for supremacy in the region. Both political entities attempted to legitimize their rule through dynastic justification of belonging to a powerful tribe, local royalty and more so through
Islamic,
religious reputation. Amir Nasrulloh and
Muhammad Alikhon of Khoqand both looked up to the
Ottoman Empire for different religious titles to legitimize their rule as just leaders in the region. Nasrullah bin Haydar Tora organized several unsuccessful military campaigns against the
Khoqand Khanate. In 1839, he declared war against Khoqand due to their building of the Pishaghar fort near the Bukhara front. He conquered
Khojand twice in 1839 and 1841, forcing the Khan of Khoqand into a peace in his favor and took Uratipah and Khojand as compensation. The Khan of Khoqand was also forced to pay a heavy amount and recognize him as lord, putting his name on the coins and the
khutbah. After a revolt in Khojand, the Emir's forces occupied Khojand and
Khoqand. When Muhammad Alikhon married Padshah Ayim, a widow of his father, the religious authority of Khoqand disapproved his act and looked at Bukhara to interfere and establish the Islamic order,
sharia which was one of the corner stones in Bukhara. After years of proxy wars in and around Uratipah competing for hegemony in the region Amir Nasrulloh invaded Khoqand in 1842.
Nodirabegim a notable poetess, a widow of
Mohammad Umarkhan and other members of the royal family were all executed. Avaz Muhammad's condemnation of Amir Nasrulloh for his harsh ruling contributed to the characterization of Amir Nasrulloh as cruel and ruthless even though the execution of a toppled ruler was not uncommon in Central Asia. Amir Nasrulloh's ruthlessness in Khoqand and his imposition of heavy taxes betrayed Khoqand
ulama and citizens’ expectations. Although the Ming rule in Khoqand was restored by
Sheralikhon with the help of
Qirghiz and
Qipchoq tribal backing, Bukhara continued interfering into the internal politics of Khoqand which proved to be effective in weakening Khoqand even after the death of Amir Nasrulloh.
Relations between Bukhara and Khiva Bukhara's relationship with Khiva emerged and evolved around the issue of
Turkmens, controlling
Marv and ensuring caravan trade route safety between Russia and Bukhara. Marv was also important to interact with
Qajar Iran as it was a border town between Bukhara and Qajar Iran. Turkmen tribes played a crucial role in determining their importance through changing allegiances from Iran to Khiva and from Khiva to Bukhara in different periods. Western and Russian travelers who came to Khiva and Afghanistan left their travelogues and memoirs which offer valuable information on complex relationships between Khiva and Russia, Khiva and Bukhara, and Bukhara and Afghanistan. Russian, Turkmen, Afghan and approaching British factors are important to understand the relationship Bukhara had with its surroundings. Amir Nasrulloh succeeded in Marv but failed in Balkh.
Khiva and Bukhara had been competing militarily and politically. In the conflicts, Russia-Bukhara caravans were attacked by Khiva to pressure Russia and Bukhara. On the other hand, Russia maintained an aggressive position towards Khiva for the Khivan subjects’ raids on the border. Under such circumstances, Amir Nasrulloh had a conflict with Allaqulikhan and from the year 1842 peace agreement followed. (Lee, Kwang Tae,329-330).
Relations between Bukhara and Afghanistan Amir Nasrulloh's policy towards
Balkh determined the relationship with
Afghan dynasties; his first expedition in 1832 resulted in the allegiance of Balkh. This expedition was one of many that followed because Afghan dynasties were busy with containing Qajar threat that began in 1830s.
The Russo-Afghan accord created concern among the British officials in India, who decided to launch a preemptive invasion to Afghanistan in 1839 when Dust Muḥammad Khan decided to seek refuge in Bukhara with one thousand men. Amir Nasrulloh failed to maintain control over the expelled Afghan ruler. At the end the British government decided to keep Afghan regime as a buffer zone and signed a peace treaty in 1855 and enabled Dust Muhammad Khan to incorporate Balkh (Lee, Kwang Tae,354,360, 362). Political circumstances forming inside and geopolitical circumstances forming outside of Bukhara, Khiva and Khoqand's struggle for more influence in the region led to constant military campaigns of Amir Nasrulloh. == Legitimacy ==