Dzungar

The Dzungar were a Turkic-speaking ethnic group and political entity that emerged in the 17th century in the Central Asian region, particularly in the area of modern-day Kazakhstan and Xinjiang. They were descendants of the Oirat Mongols, who had split from the larger Mongol confederation in the 14th century. The Dzungar formed their own khanate, known as the Dzungar Khanate, which became a dominant power in the region by the early 17th century under the leadership of Galdan Boshugtu Khan.

The Dzungar Khanate was known for its military prowess and expansionist policies, conquering territories from the Caspian Sea to the Tarim Basin. Their society was organized under a traditional Mongolian-Turkic structure, with a ruling elite of khans and nobility, while the majority of the population consisted of pastoralists who herded sheep, goats, and horses. The Dzungar also engaged in trade, facilitating exchanges between China, Russia, and the Middle East.

By the mid-18th century, the Dzungar Khanate faced significant challenges, including internal divisions, economic pressures, and military conflicts with the Qing Dynasty of China. The Qing, under the leadership of Emperor Qianlong, launched a series of campaigns against the Dzungar in the 1750s, leading to the near-annihilation of the Dzungar people. The Dzungar were largely absorbed or displaced by the Qing, with many of their territories incorporated into the empire.

Today, the term "Dzungar" is often used historically to refer to the Oirat Mongols who inhabited the region before their decline. Some descendants of the Dzungar can still be found among the Kazakh, Uyghur, and other Central Asian ethnic groups, though their distinct cultural and linguistic identity has largely faded. The legacy of the Dzungar Khanate is remembered in regional history as a powerful yet short-lived empire that shaped the dynamics of Central Asia during the early modern period.