ANCIENT HISTORY
The area that is now Kazakhstan was settled by humans tens of thousands of years ago, and was inhabited by numerous nomadic tribes over that time span. Peoples such as the Xiongnu, the Xianbei, the Kyrgyz, the Gokturks, the Uyghurs and the Karluks ruled the steppes of Kazakhstan throughout this period in the country's history.
Genghis Khan and the Mongols conquered the area in 1206, ruling it until 1368. In 1465, the Kazakh people came together under the leadership of Janybek Khan and Kerey Khan, creating a new people who exerted control over what is now Kazakhstan. This new people called themselves the Kazakh Khanate, which lasted until 1847.
During the early 16th century, the Kazakhs allied themselves with Babur, who went on to found the Mughal Empire in India. By early in the 17th century, the Kazakhs were frequently at war with the powerful Khanate of Bukhara to the south. The Kazakh Khanate and the Khanate of Bukhara fought over control of Samarkand and Tashkent, which were two of the major Silk Road cities in Central Asia.
Genghis Khan and the Mongols conquered the area in 1206, ruling it until 1368. In 1465, the Kazakh people came together under the leadership of Janybek Khan and Kerey Khan, creating a new people who exerted control over what is now Kazakhstan. This new people called themselves the Kazakh Khanate, which lasted until 1847.
During the early 16th century, the Kazakhs allied themselves with Babur, who went on to found the Mughal Empire in India. By early in the 17th century, the Kazakhs were frequently at war with the powerful Khanate of Bukhara to the south. The Kazakh Khanate and the Khanate of Bukhara fought over control of Samarkand and Tashkent, which were two of the major Silk Road cities in Central Asia.