Kurmanjan Datka

Kurmanjan Datka - (1811-1907) - an outstanding stateswoman of the Kyrgyz Republic. She is sometimes known as "The Tsarina of Alai", and “Queen of the South”. The word Datka means “General” and she was awarded the title twice.

She went on to govern the Alai, was recognized by the khans of Bukhara and Kokand, later marrying one of the baatyrs. She is thought to be the only women to have been granted the role of ruler in the Muslim world and became regarded as the ‘mother of the nation’. There are many colourful legends about her that attest to the high regard in which she was held by all Kyrgyz – not just those from the South.

In 1876 the Alai region joined the Russian Empire and she established good relationships with many of the governors and Russian officials. She even received two British emissaries on their journey from India to Bukhara who had been rescued from a snowstorm by some of her ‘djigits’.

When she was at the height of her power, two of her sons and two grandsons were accused of “contraband” and of murdering customs officials – and even her status could not help to save them. When her favourite son was executed, hung in the main square of Osh), she refused the urging of some of her followers to effect a rescue, saying that she would not her private hopes and ambitions be the cause of suffering for her people. Her lament has been preserved in the form of a poem. The others were then exiled to penal servitude in Siberia

Kurmanjan, (suffering from insult and shame), retired from public life – giving away all her property and leading a hermit like existence in a village, refusing all visitors. She died on 1^st February in the village of Mady, near to Osh – gripping the dressing gown of her favourite son. She was survived by 2 sons, 2 daughters, 31 grandsons, 57 great grandsons and 6 great-great-grandsons. She is also thought to have been a poetess.