Since the second half of the 18th century, trade and economic ties between the Russian Empire and neighboring Eastern countries have been expanding. Mutually beneficial trade attracts a wide variety of sectors of society. In the markets of Central Asia, representatives of various nationalities are involved in commodity exchange: merchants from Russia, India, Afghanistan, Iran, China, and local merchants. Bukhara Jews, who had a rich business experience, played a special role in Russian-Eastern trade.

Keywords: Bukharan Jews, khanates of Central Asia, Russian Turkestan.

With the founding of Orenburg, the vector of Russia's trade with the East is gradually shifting to the Southern Urals, and the economic importance of Astrakhan is decreasing. In the early 50s of the XVIII century. Orenburg firmly occupied the place of the main shopping center that connected Russian merchants with the markets of Central Asia. In her decree of June 7, 1734, the Russian Empress Anna Ioannovna defined: "This includes all the Russian people, except for people who have escaped from the service and peasants who are entitled to a per capita salary, to merchants, artisans and raznochintsy, as well as foreign European states to foreigners-merchants and artists, and to the local Bashkir people and those who live with them and new subjects to the Kirghiz, Karakalpak peoples and from Asian countries coming to the Greeks, Armenians, Indians, Persians, Bukharians, Khiva, Tashkent, Kalmyks and others of all ranks and courts to come, settle, live, trade and trade in all sorts of crafts and still go to their former homes freely and freely without any danger and retention " [GAOO, f. 3, op. 1, d. 154, l. 206].

Thus, initially the position of the tsarist government was to encourage trade in the Orenburg direction in every possible way and did not depend on the national, religious, or state affiliation of merchants. This was taken advantage of not only by Russian merchants who were actively involved in the Orenburg trade, but also by merchants who lived in neighboring countries of the East. The collections of Russian archives, published and unpublished reports of envoys, scouts, travelers, and merchants contain information about the participation of Bukharian Jews in Russian-Eastern trade, as well as Russian Jews associated with the markets of Central Asia. In this article, we use the generally accepted scientific concept of "Bukharian Jews", extending it to all Jews who lived in the khanates of Central Asia (Bukhara, Khiva, Kokand), as well as khanates and other independent possessions.

A particular difficulty in studying the issue is caused by the fact that many Bukharian Jews who actively participated in trade with Russia, according to official documents of the Orenburg customs and the provincial administration, were identified as Bukharians, Khiva residents,

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Kokand residents, Tashkent residents, Samarqand residents, etc. In other words, the Russian authorities did not focus on the nationality of merchants, but most often indicated only their state affiliation. Given that many Bukharan Jews had surnames and names familiar to the population of Central Asia, it is not possible to determine their national identity in some documents. In part, this made it easier for them to conduct trade operations when they entrusted their goods to Central Asian merchants or went out to trade themselves, since there were no restrictions on entry to the border line of Jews in the second half of the XVIII-early XIX centuries. it didn't exist.

Thus, in a report addressed to Prince Volkonsky, the Orenburg authorities reported that Bukhara merchants Fetiulla Makhmutov and Khoja-Baba Rakhimov were traveling through Orenburg to St. Petersburg, "where they took the Argamaks with the prikashchik nobleman Madatov (from the Armenians, the Georgian nobleman Semyon Madatov - V. Sh.), a Jew of the Afghan domain, a Kabul resident Myakhti Rafo his" [GAOO, f. 6, op. 10, d. 393, l. 3]. The above example shows that Jews, foreign subjects, received a pass for trading without hindrance. At the same time, when deciding on the issue of allowing M. Rafo and Bukhara merchants to enter St. Petersburg, the Russian authorities indicated: "...where these Asiatics will continue their journey, they will have supervision, so that they, who were in the cities, could not recognize the prices of merchant goods and that they were not allowed to engage in any trade activities " (meaning on the way to the capital. - V. Sh.The Russian authorities tried to keep secret the real prices of Eastern goods on the domestic Russian market: prices in provincial cities were significantly higher than those set for goods delivered from the khanates of Central Asia to the Orenburg border line. Russian merchants constantly asked the official authorities not to allow Asians to enter the cities of the empire, so that they would not know the actual price of their goods.

Information about Bukharian Jews is also contained in the reports of Russian intelligence officers and envoys who visited Bukhara and Khiva in the first half of the 19th century. In 1810 and 1818, Lieutenant of the Bashkir army, clerk Abdulnasyr Subkhankulov, visited Bukhara and Khiva on secret missions. A polymath, a scout, an analyst - this is how he appears to us. Among the tasks that he had to perform in Bukhara was the task of "learning about the lifestyle and occupations of Bukharian Jews" [GAOO, f. 6, op. 10, d. 291, ll. 101-101 vol. The assignments that Subkhankulov received from the Russian government confirm St. Petersburg's interest in Central Asia and its desire to be sufficiently informed about the events taking place in this region. Valuable information is provided by A. Subkhankulov about the activities of local residents. According to him, Jews breed "silkworms, weave silk shawls and other materials," but they do not engage in agriculture " [GAOO, f. 6, op. 10, d. 291, l. 146].

Lieutenant P. I. Demezon, who visited Bukhara under the guise of the Tatar Mullah Mirza Jafar in 1833 - 1834, reported that there were "many Jews" in the capital of the khanate, and the street where they live is "straighter, wider and the houses are a little better" [Notes..., 1983, p. 104]. Apparently, P. I. Demezon wrote about the new quarter (mahalla), the foundation of which dates back to the beginning of the XIX century. Another informant, ensign of the tenth Orenburg line battalion I. V. Vitkevich, who visited Bukhara two years later, wrote in his report that Bukhara Jews " sometimes wash a few gold from the banks of the Zarevshan (Zeravgan River), but this fishery is very insignificant. I will note that gold is still being transported from Troitsa to Bukhara, although much less than before" [Notes..., 1983, p. 123].

The situation of Jews in the Bukhara Khanate was somewhat better than in the Khiva Khanate. If in Bukhara, according to documents of that era, Jews could engage in trade, gold mining, sericulture and the production of silk products, then in Khiva the general attitude towards all gentiles was extremely hostile. In the book "Khiva", published in Moscow in 1840, we read that in the capital of the khanate there are "ancient settled" Jews who adopted the Mohammedan faith, " but they have long forgotten the faith

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They are bound to the law of the Sunnis (Sunnis - V. Sh.) no less than the people of Khiva" [Khiva, 1840, p.53]. This suggests that the situation of Bukhara Jews in the Khiva Khanate was the most difficult in comparison with other Central Asian possessions, where "Jews do not mix with the native Muslim population due to religious characteristics, but in the way of life, clothing and the nature of building houses they differ little from the local Sartov population" [RGVIA, f. 400, op 1, d. 1190, l. 2] E. B. Kileveyn in his short book "An excerpt from a trip to Khiva and some details about the Khanate during the reign of Seyid-Mohammad Khan, 1856 - 1860" writes: "There are about 10 Jewish families who arrived from Bukharin, they are engaged in dyeing and distillery, for their own usage" [Excerpt..., 1861, p. 13]. In Kokand, Jews also lived "in small numbers", who were mainly engaged in trade [Kokand Khanate..., 1869, p. 429] The situation of Jews in the Kokand Khanate was clearly different from that of the Jews of Khiva. For example, at the beginning of the XIX century. the high position of divan begi in the khanate was occupied by a Jew. This fact is given in the "New History of Tashkent" by Muhammad Salih Tashkendi, where there is a reference to the stories of the Jew-divan-begi and Mullah Juvanmard [Legend..., 1970]. And Nikolai Severtsov writes that along with Kashgar and Bukhara merchants, Jewish merchants are engaged in trade in the khanate, in particular in Tashkent. The author also recalled a case when, during his illness, he was brought Kokand wine " ... grape vodka like cognac, only transparent and colorless, like pure water." The secret of making this drink was known to one local Jew, who prepared it in small quantities, "released it into a German jug in which mineral waters are exported, with printed tickets still glued on: I don't know how this dish got from Germany to Turkestan. I used this medicine very little and heavily diluted it with water, my doctor took it much more " [Month of captivity..., 1860, p. 76]. This example shows that among the Bukharian Jews there were unique craftsmen who were engaged in non-traditional crafts for the khanates of Central Asia.

The volume of production of silk products in the Khanate (primarily in Jewish families of artisans) can be indirectly judged by the data on the import of products to the Orenburg customs for the period from 1812 to 1823. For convenience, we have summarized the data in a table with a sample for several years (rubles).:

1812

1815

1817

1820

1823

1824

1825

1826

1827

140 863

69 928

80 393

88 375

44 092

60 013

67 614

71 179

109 542

Source: GAOO, f. 339, op. 1, d. 29, l. 18-19 vol.

Famous writer, educator, participant of three Bukhara embassies to the court of the Russian Emperor (1857 - 1858, 1869 - 1870, 1873 - 1874 In his writings, Ahmad Donish emphasized the special role and significance of Jewish trade activities for the economic development of the Bukhara Khanate. He wrote that many of them had quite large capitals. Denouncing the corrupt Kazis and Raisovs, who amassed huge fortunes in an unjust way, A. Donish writes: "I saw that the same money can be made by craft and trade. Some Jews and merchants have more income than the Kazis" (Ahmad Donish, 1976, p. 121). Further, the author writes about the lack of protection of the merchant's identity and his goods, that the state does not make efforts to assist merchants in their trading activities: "Having sent goods to any country, they do not close their eyes from fear and apprehension until they receive news of its arrival. They are constantly worried about the lack of news from their representatives in India, from clerks in Turkestan" [Ahmad Donish, 1976, p.132]. In his teachings, Ahmad Donish urges his fellow countrymen to respect the gentiles: "Refrain from denouncing the religion of infidels, Christians and Jews, in their presence, and do not speak in front of sages."

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words that are not weighed by reason, otherwise you will have to be embarrassed" [Ahmad Donish, 1976, p. 145]. Another fact cited by A. Donish in his "Historical Treatise"also shows that there were rather close ties between Bukharian Jews and Russian Jews living in Orenburg region. Once in Bukhara, local authorities arrested several Russians who were accused of spying against the khanate. They were chained up and their property confiscated. "The detainees wrote to Russia through the Jews that they were arrested on the orders of the Emir of Bukhara, but they do not know why and ask to demand their release" [Ahmad Donish, 1976, p.215]. According to A. Donish, one of the detainees turned out to be the brother-in-law of (?) the Russian Emperor, who arrived in Bukhara on commercial business. Among those arrested was Kazimbek Abiddinov, a teacher of the Russian princes, a Teheran, "a great scientist, poet, astronomer and physician." Of course, the help of the Bukharan Jews, which they risked their own lives to provide to the Russian captives, was invaluable.

By the middle of the 19th century, with the active settlement of Jewish families along the Orenburg border line and in the provinces adjacent to the border, mutual trade relations between Russian and Bukhara Jews began to develop. Despite the attempts of the official Russian authorities to prevent the free settlement of Jews, the facts show the opposite. Thus, by 1855, many Jewish families lived in the Samara province. In the case "On the illegal residence of Jews in the Samara province" of August 1, 1855, the provincial authorities stated the fact of not only the residence of Jewish families, but also their active trade. Repressive measures were not applied, on the contrary, St. Petersburg instructed " Jewish merchants of the first two guilds to be allowed to come to the capitals and other cities to buy goods 2 times a year, as long as their stay in both times did not exceed the time allowed by the laws, i.e. for merchants of the 1st guild-6 months, and for merchants of the 2nd guild - 3 months a year. Jewish merchants of the 3rd guild are allowed to make such a visit once a year for 2 months" [GAOO, f. 6, op. 6, d. 13407, l. 3-4].

I have already mentioned that the Samara merchants took an active part in Russia's trade with the states of the East (primarily with the khanates of Central Asia) [Shkunov, 2002]. Many Samara merchants participated in trade on the Orenburg line, and some exported their goods directly to the markets of Central Asia. And in Orenburg itself, by the 80s of the XIX century, a fairly large Jewish community was formed. Only in Orenburg there were 111 Jewish merchants of the 1st and 2nd guilds, philistines and lower military ranks serving in local military units [GAOO, f. 6, op. 6, d. 14667, l. 38]. This number did not include family members, as well as representatives of other social groups. In the document "Information about Jewish craftsmen, artisans and trainees in the city of Orenburg and the Orenburg province for 1880" we read:: "In Orenburg and the uyezd towns and villages of the province there are quite a large number of Jews, such as merchants of the 2nd Guild and others, who, contrary to the law, would be subject to deportation together with their families to the places specified by law for their permanent settlement, including in this number on the basis of Article 17, paragraph 3 of the XIV Charter of 1876 G. and all Jewish artisans who live under documents that do not meet the requirements of the law" [GAOO, f. 6, op. 6, d.14667, l. 40].

Despite the existing laws that determined the order of residence of Jews in the territory of the Russian Empire, no measures were taken to evict them. And this is understandable if we take into account the significant role of large Jewish merchants of Orenburg region in Russian-Eastern trade. All measures were reduced "to the strictest verification of the rights of residence in the city of Orenburg of all Jews located here" [GAOO, f. 6, op. 6, d. 14667, l. 42]. Moreover, the Ministry of Finance, in coordination with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Empire, positively resolved the issue of "Jewish merchant sons" on the issue of granting them residence in the Orenburg region [GAOO, f. 6, op. 6, d.14667, l. 43]. In addition to trade with Central Asia, Orenburg

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Jewish merchants were closely associated with the largest fairs in Russia: Nizhny Novgorod, Kursk Root and Irbit, where they delivered eastern goods.

The situation changed significantly after the creation of Russian Turkestan, when Bukhara Jews were allowed to freely carry out trade activities. By the end of the 19th century, only in the Ferghana Valley, as of December 1898, there were 693 commercial and industrial establishments owned by Jews [RGVIA, f. 400, op. 1, d. 1471, l. 126].

Thus, during the period under review in the khanates of Central Asia, Bukharian Jews were actively engaged in trade, sericulture, silk production, gold mining, winemaking, dyeing fabrics, apothecary business, etc.Some Jews were in the civil service, holding key positions in the khan's administration. With the founding of Orenburg and the strengthening of trade and economic relations between the Russian Empire and the states of Central Asia, Bukhara Jews actively joined the trade, supplying their own products, as well as eastern goods in demand on the Russian domestic market, both to the Orenburg border line and to the largest Russian fairs. The active migration of Russian Jews to the Southern Urals and the strengthening of Russian colonization of Central Asia contributed to the establishment of direct trade contacts between the Jews of Russia and Central Asia. By the end of the 19th century, the role of Bukhara merchants and entrepreneurs in Russian-Eastern trade had grown significantly, which led both to the numerical growth of the merchant class among Bukhara Jews, and to the active growth of craft and industrial production founded by Jewish families.

list of literature

Ahmad Donish. Travel from Bukhara to St. Petersburg / / Akhmad Donish. Selected works, ed. 2, transl. Translated from Tajik by M. N. Osmanov and L. N. Demidchik. Dushanbe: Irfon Publ., 1976.

State Archive of the Orenburg Region.

Notes on the Bukhara Khanate. Reports of P. I. Demezon and I. V. Vitkevich, Moscow: Nauka Publ., 1983.

Kokand Khanate according to the latest information, St. Petersburg, 1869. Cit. by: History of Central Asia. Collection of historical works. Compiled by A. I. Buldakov and others: Eurolintz-Russkaya Panorama, 2003.

A month of captivity among the Kokand people. An essay by Nikolai Severtsov. St. Petersburg, 1860.

Excerpt from a trip to Khiva and some details about the Khanate during the reign of Seyid Muhammad Khan, 1856-1860. St. Petersburg, 1861. Separate print from " Notes of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. 1861, book 1.

Russian State Military Historical Archive (RGVIA).

The legend of Tashkent / / Written monuments of the East, 1986. Moscow: Nauka Publ., 1970.

Khiva, Moscow, 1840. Cit. by: History of Central Asia. Collection of historical works. Compiled by A. I. Buldakov et al., Moscow: Evrolints-Russkaya Panorama, 2003.

Shkunov V. N. Orenburg region in the system of trade and economic relations of Russia with the countries of the East (the second half of the XVIII - first half of the XIX centuries). Samara: SSPU Publishing House, 2002.

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