Khanate of Khwarazm Хорезмское княжество Khorezmskoye knyazhestvo (Russian) Xандық Хорезм Xandik Xorezm (Karakalpak) -  Principality in Russia - |
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| Capital | Khiva | |||||
| Official languages | Russian, Karakalpak | |||||
| Also spoken | Uzbek, Kazakh, Persian | |||||
| Government | Local constitutional monarchy | |||||
| - | Prince | Khalid I Sayyidovich | ||||
| - | Governor-General | Vassily Andrusenko (DNP) | ||||
| - | Head Minister | Bilal Kudaratov (DNP) | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | census | 833,300 | ||||
The Khanate of Khwarazm (Russian: Хорезмское княжество, Khorezmskoye knyazhestvo; Karakalpak: Xандық Хорезм, Xandik Xorezm; Persian: شاهزاده خوارزم), known as Khorezm and in Karakalpak and other Turkic-language sourceas Khowarazm, is one of the autonomous territorial administrations of the Russian Empire within the Grand Duchy of Central Asia. It borders the Governorate of Alash to the north and the Emirate of Bukhara to the east.
From about 500 BC to 500 AD, the region of what is now Khwarazm was a thriving agricultural area supported by extensive irrigation. It was strategically important territory and fiercely contested, as is seen by the more than 50 Khorezm Fortresses which were constructed here. The Karakalpak people, who used to be nomadic herders and fishers, were first recorded by foreigners in the 16th century. Karakalpakstan was ceded to the Russian Empire by the Khanate of Khiva in 1873.
During the Russian Civil War, Sayid Abdullah, its Khan, was overthrown by Bolsheviks. In 1921, after the Whites and Tsarists defeated the Bolsheviks, Sayid Abdullah was restored as its Khan, with Junaid Khan as its first Governor-General. However, like the neighboring Emirate of Bukhara, the post-1921 Khanate became Russified, and soon, Karakalpak the native language of most of the people, as well as Russian, displaced Persian and Chagatay Turkic.
Like many principalities and governorates within the Grand Duchy of Central Asia, Khwarazm's economy and wealthy is fed by the Aral Sea. As a result, Khwarazm is part of the Royal Aral Economic Zone.
History[]
Junaid Khan wanted to restore the Khanate, and like the treaties made between Emir Sayyid Alim Khan Muhammad of Bukhara made with Tsar Kiril I and Baron Pyotr Wrangel, Junaid was forced to agree that Russian would become compulsory in Khorezm.
Junaid Khan reluctantly agreed. The 1921 Battle of Khorezm and Battle of Khiva ended up in a Russian and Khanate victory, and was a key role to the later successful offensive in Bukhara. Sayyid Abdullah was restored the Khan of Khorezm.
In 1922, tiny communities of Russians became established in Khorezm, however, their main role was to establish Russian-language as a public language of medium. Per the agreement between Junaid Khan, there would be no Orthodox missionariy work. Both Khorezm and Bukhara remained Islamic autonomous territory within the Russian Autocratic State.
In 1934, Sayyid Abdullah passed away, leading Junaid Khan to rule as the Regent. The Khan's children were way too young to rule. General Boris Rezhukin however, sent spies against Junaid Khan, suspecting he would murder Khalid Abdullah Khan, Ahamad Abdullah Khan, Sayyid's children with ??? of Afghanistan in order to ultimately sieze absolute power in Khwarazm.
In 1935, Junaid Khan was found murdered and to this day, remains a mystery. The blame was put on a Bolshevik remnant, giving the Russians authority to send more military police forces and declare quasi-martial law in Khwarazm, and declared Junaid Khan's property and wealth to be inherted by Sayyid Abdullah's children.
At this point, the local military forces finally began to involve more Russians, and the Russian and Orthodox community began to grow.
In 1938, construction on the first cathedral began in Nukus, a second in Khiva in 1940.
World War II[]
Khwarazm did not experience the major battles of World War II. However, it did play a role in providing manpower, water and supplies as it was a major agricultural and irrigation site. According to Russian military reports, 11,399 people from Khorezm served in the Russian military during the Second World War, with 6,329 Karakalpaks and rest being Russians and other Turkic peoples.
Cold War[]
Although Khiva remained its capital city, most of Khwarazm's local economy became fixaed around the Aral Sea. Thanks to the economic oppurtunities in provided, Khwarazm became one of Central Asia's wealthiest principalities, and was considered one of the "fish capitals" of the Russian Empire. A large number of fish-canning companies were established in Khwarazm, to this day, still makes luxurious canned fish products. A large number of nobles, namely the Sayyed-Abdullaevs themselves, Romanovs, Alimovs, Ungern-Sternbergs, as far the Aisin Gioros of Manchuria and even the Baltic nobles, became involved in Khwarazm's fish industry. Some of the most expensive canned fish products come from Khwarazm.
Other than the fisherie industry, the Khwarazm Art Museum, Struve Chemical Research Institute, Tchaikovsky-Lomonosov School of Music and Arts were established. However, the Russian leaders made habit of hiring native Karakalpaks, and allowing them to thrive in positions of power.
The Nukus Grand Mosque was built at the oversight of a Tatar, and building entirely by Karakalpaks. Nukus became a sister city of Tashkent and Alma-Ata.
Meanwhile, Khiva became a "twin city" to Bukharagrad. It is Khiva were traditional Turkic and Islamic culture predominated, where the local Russian Senate supported the building of modern mosques and madrasas.
Unlike Bakhara, plagued by interethnic conflict between Russians and Uzbeks, the relations between Russians and Karakalpaks were peaceful and cooperative.
Economy[]
The economy of the region is dominated by the Aral Sea where fishing is one of the most popular activities in Khwarazm. It is currently the wealthiest territory in all of the Grand Duchy of Central Asia with a high standard of living and high GDP per capita. Maritime economy pretty much dominates the local economy of Khwarazm, where fishing villages, and lakeside attractions dot the sides of the Aral Sea. The port and maritime cities of Mo'ynoq, as well as the city of Aral in Alash, are considered "canned fish capitals" of Russia and has repeatedly been frequented as a source of luxury canned fish products by the nobility. Blag-Aral (Благ-Арал), Khwarazm Chudo (Хорезмское чудо), Aral Royal Fish Co. (Арал Роял Фиш Ко.) are some of Russia's most famous fish product companies, who export their canned fish throughout other parts of Russia and to the world.
The Aral Sea is also home to many cruise and ferries, with the largest being the Royal Aral Ferry Corporation. It is now also supported by cotton, rice and melons. Hydroelectric power from the Royal Amu Darya Energy Plant is also important.
The Amu Darya delta was once heavily populated and supported extensive irrigation based agriculture for thousands of years. Under the Khorezm, the area attained considerable power and prosperity.
Military[]
The military forcies of Khwarazm fall under the Royal Central Theater Command of the Imperial Russian Forces. They are the Khwarazm Armies (Хорезмские войска), and is divided into four main armies. In total, the Khwarazm Armies have a total of 20,399 personnel. Half of them are designated as Royal Khwarazm Armies (Королевские армии Хорезма), which under Nobility and Autonomy Rights laws, are under the direct command of the Sayyid-Abdullaevs and follow native rites.
The Royal Khwarazm Armies also publicly use Karakalpak alongside Russian. It is also unique in that it also incorporates Nomadic Corps (Кочевой корпус), totalling 1,300 personnel in general. Their doctrine stems from the Asiatic Cavalry Division. The Khwarazm Armies are part of the Imperial Ground Forces.
Originally, the Aral Sea was home to the Aral Flotilla of the Imperial Russian Navy. However after the Cold War, the Aral Flotilla was retired as Russian leaders saw practically no need for a naval force inland. The last operations of the Aral Flotilla were during the Tumultous 1990s, when Spetsnaz corps partook in anti-seperatist operations.
However, the Aral Sea still home to a small Maritime Rifle Guard (Морская охрана), as part of the of the Royal Internal Troops (who are either armed with a standard pistol, or no firearms at all), truly meant towards internal operations. The former Aral Flotilla is now housed in the Aral Imperial Naval Museum.
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