Ancient manuscripts about Kazakhs discovered in Paris archives

Tengrinews.kz – Rare historical manuscripts shedding light on the early history of the Kazakh people have been uncovered in the National Library of France in Paris, according to Kazakh orientalist and researcher Galiya Kambarbekova, reports 24KZ.
The documents, written in Arabic, Turkish, Persian, and the Chagatai dialect, include historical chronicles, diplomatic letters, and official correspondence from Kazakh khans. Among the figures mentioned are Tauke Khan and Taukeel Khan, as well as events surrounding Turkestan and Tashkent.

"These are sources that have never been studied by Kazakh scholars before," said Kambarbekova, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

She found references to the final campaign of Taukeel Khan to Bukhara, as well as major battles involving his brother, Sultan Yesim.
One of the most significant findings came from a manuscript titled World History, authored by scholars of the Muslim world, which includes detailed narratives of Central Asian events that were previously unknown or overlooked in Kazakh historiography.
France holds one of the world’s most extensive manuscript collections. While access is available by request, researchers often face challenges in reading and interpreting the handwritten texts, many of which are difficult to translate without specialized training.