The capital of Great Tartary is found in the Chinese Ordos. Part 4

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Investigations of the location of the capital of Great Tartary, the city of Khanbalik, led me to the city and region of Ordos, located on the territory of modern Inner Mongolia, in the north of China. Relatively not far from here is the Great Wall of China, which also, according to the description of the then cartographers, stood very close to Khanbalik. It was from here, from the Katay region, that the power of the great boor spread over half the world. And if there is a place in the world that is similar in descriptions and consonance to the disappeared Shambhala, then it is Khanbalik / Khambala / Tamerlanka / Ordos.

In previous articles cycle about the capital of Great Tartarywe found landmarks by which we can find the city of Khanbalik, which disappeared later. The Far East is absent on most medieval maps (according to the map of 1752 by the French geographer Philippe Boucher, the Far East and Kamchatka were discovered by Russian travelers only “20 years ago”, that is… about 1732!). The north of Siberia was also portrayed rather sparingly. Thus, the lands that were, in fact, in the region of the Gobi Desert, were placed by medieval cartographers much higher, practically in Siberia.

Desert Tartaria was often drawn just beyond the Urals (east of the mountains), a little to the south of which Samarkand was. This means that the hot territories of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan were meant somewhere there, beyond the Ural, more precisely, the Ripeysky mountains. Thus, when looking at maps published before the end of the 18th century, an erroneous idea of the distances between certain geographical objects is created.

The main landmarks when searching for Khanbalik

In order to understand the exact location of the capital of Tartary (this is what the country was called during the period of its greatest prosperity), remember that the main landmark was the Katay region. It is important to note that this region has always been painted on a plain between the mountains, that is, Katay was on a plateau. Inside the region was Khanbalik and neighboring cities. By their names, we will try to trace this place, perhaps some of them survived the capital of Tartary.

Always on the maps of the Middle Ages, until its disappearance, Khanbalik is located between the cities of Kamul (Camul, later it is sometimes called Kamila; it is located to the west), Campion, (CAM + pion?) By the way, on one of the maps they write that it is half Christian, a half-Muslim city) (it is located to the west, but closer) and the city of Suza (Zouza, Suzan, Suczan), which is often located east and south of Hanbylk. On some maps, near Katai, but again to the west, there is a district or the city of Ergimul.

It is curious that most often Khambala / Khanbalik is painted on the river (Marco Polo calls it Polisangan). Judging by the stories of the Venetian traveler (if you read the Latin edition of the 16th century), to the west of the palaces of the great khan there was a marble bridge 12 miles long (then and, most likely, Chinese), it turns out that the width of the river was 7 km 200 m (12 x 0, 6 km = 7, 2). If you delve into this area in our time (using satellite maps), then such rivers cannot be found. The widest river at the moment in this province is the Yellow River (aka the Yellow River, popularly nicknamed the "Woe of China (Chin)"), the widest river in this region is about 5 km (modern Wuhan is west of the Khanbalik). Most likely, Polisangin is the local name for the Yellow River. On the map of Athanasius Kircher, published in 1667, it is said that the river drowned 300 thousand people.people in 1642! And in 1644, that is, two years later, the Tartars began expansion into the lands of the Chin Chinese and gave rise to a new Qing dynasty.

About the river, which kills thousands of people for hundreds of years in these places, and the bridge across it, Marco Polo says this (the English version of the 1903 edition, supplemented by notes in 1920; “The Travels of Marco Polo. The Complete Yule-Cordier Edition. Including the unabridged third edition (1903) of Henry Yule's annotated translation, as revised by Henri Cordier; together with Cordier's later volume of notes and addenda (1920) ):

Chapter XXXV. "When you leave Kambaluk City and drive 10 miles, you come to a very large river called PULISANGHIN, which flows into the ocean, so that merchants with their goods come up from the sea. There is a very beautiful stone bridge over this river, so beautiful that it has few analogues. Its dimensions are as follows: it is 300 steps in length and, most likely, has a good 8 steps in width, because it means that 10 riders on horseback can ride in a row on it."

By the way, about the length of the bridge of 300 steps, for example, writes Abrakha Orteliy in the 16th century. And here it is not entirely clear how many meters is 1 mile in the stories of Marco Polo, because in the Latin translation of the 16th century we are talking about a 12-mile marble bridge, and in later translations of Marco Polo (and on the maps of some medieval authors) they write about the length of the bridge in 300 steps. If one "good" step is approximately 80 cm, then you get a 240-meter structure, which is quite realistic in that era. And then it turns out that one mile is equal to … divide 240 by 12 … 20 meters? Not enough. Perhaps some local miles were meant …

Another landmark for determining the location of Khanbalik is Altai. In the northwest (apparently, also according to the principle “somewhere out there”) until the 18th century, cartographers draw the Antay or Altai mountains (it is not yet known how to be more correct) - Antay monts. On many maps it is specified that there are sepcultures in Altai, that is, tombs, tombs of the Tartar emperors / khans. Sometimes they even draw pyramids in the mountains. And it seems that on most maps until the 18th century, Altai is located relatively close to the capital of Tartary. However, how to explain that Marco Polo writes about more than a hundred-day journey from Khambalyk to Altai? So, again, let's remember that the ideas of the then cartographers about the distances between some regions and objects cannot be trusted.

On old maps north of Altai there is a river (sometimes the city of the same name) Tartar, which can be found there along with some landmark cities until the first quarter of the XVIII century. The proximity of these cities to Tamerlane and Ordos, which once again confirms that these are different hypostases of the same settlement / region.

The disappearance of the city on the maps and the change in the landscape

In 1708, cartographer Jayllo Alexis Hubert found it difficult to depict any previously known settlements in the Cataya region. He was echoed by Athanasius Kircher back in 1683, depicting anything north of the Great Wall of China, just not Kathai with the capital of Tartary. Approximately, since that time (late 17th - early 18th centuries), two large deserts have been painted on the territory of modern Mongolia - Lop (west of Katay) and Gobee (or Xamo / Shamo in the Chinese manner). What if, indeed, a new desert appeared near Katai, before that there was only the Lop desert west of Khanbalik, and one would think that Lop is Gobee? After all, Marco Polo speaks of beautiful nature, forests near the capital, full of songbirds. Now almost half of the Ordos region is sand, and there are no large rivers and lakes nearby. But this is the very territory.

Also, from the beginning of the active conquest of the southern territories of Tartary by Beijing (by the Qing dynasty - in fact, by the same Tartars; this is the second half of the 17th century - the first half of the 18th), Katai begins to be associated among Europeans with China-China (“KATAI sive SINAE” - “KATAI or SINA / CHINA”). But we will not deceive ourselves, and remember that the north and west of Chin / China in the good old days were inhabited by representatives of the Aryan Scythians. Still there find mummies of tall, fair-haired people with a European appearance. And they are found, for example, in the province of Xinjiang, this is not far from the medieval region of Kokonor Tartars, where as a result of the flood in 1557, according to the English cartographer Speed, a round lake was formed, flooding 7 cities with villages. Now this lake is called Qinghai (in the province of the same name). On old maps, this area belonged to Tartaria, and the Coconor Tartars lived there, that is, not the Chinese.

You can also remember the Chinese-Chin pyramids-mountains, which the current government of the country is actively planting with even rows of trees to hide these structures of non-Chinese-Chin origin.

Let's go back to the Tartar KATAI. Here is a map that is credited with being made by Peter Van der aa. It was allegedly published in 1729. But since the earliest mention of the city of Ordos appears at the very end of the 17th century, then, most likely, this map was created much earlier than 1729 (from 1700). Peter van der aa is credited with the authorship of another map of those places, very similar in handwriting and style, and it also dates back to 1729. But on it instead of all these cities - Tamerlane, Campion, Susa, Kamula - there is the Ordos region. The dating of this map, I think, can be trusted.

For the sake of fairness, it is worth mentioning that on some maps of the 17th century in Tartary one can find as many as two Khanbalyks, only one is on the Ob River - Canbalich, and the other is reduced to Cambalu and is located in KATAI. Marco Polo once mentioned that the Latin version of the name of the capital of Tartary “Cambalu” is incorrect, it is correct to say and write “Chambalech” or “Chambalich”. Some researchers of Tartary, having discovered Canbalich on the Ob River, immediately come to the conclusion that here it is - the capital! But if they study in detail at least a dozen more maps of the same or earlier period, they will be convinced that the capital of Tartaria has always been in the Cathay region (Cathay, Cathayo, Cathaio; Katai). For example, in the Catalan atlas of 1375, a contemporary cartographer draws Chambalech on a river in a large area or in the country of CATAYO and right there - obviously, the boor / khan himself, the ruler of Catay. And in general, on many maps throughout the entire existence of Tartary, cartographers depict Hanbaleh in Tartary (not Great, but simply in Tartary) in the large region of Katay, within which, or very close by, are the toponyms-landmarks I have listed above.

The fact that the capital of the country was located in Katai, and it was from this region that the power of the great ham / khan spread, explains that this word - “Katay / China” - in the Old Russian language began to mean “center” or “core” of a city, province or the state, in general, some kind of administrative unit. On the Fra Mauro map of 1450, Muscovy is a small fortress. If you believe the official date of foundation of Moscow (the Moscow Kremlin) - the XII century, it is strange that for 300 years the city has remained a small fortress. And on the diagram of the 17th (!) Century, Moscow has only two rings of fortifications and it still remains not such a big fortress by the standards of those times. It was possible to rebuild in 500 years. Most likely, the real date of the founding of Moscow and the Kremlin is not the XII century, but later.

Kitay-Gorod is the center of the Kremlin in the 17th century. It is obvious that it was from this small fortress that the Kremlin and Moscow began to grow. Most likely, from the very beginning, approximately from the date of the founding of the town, these lands were subordinated to Katai and the Great Khan, therefore the first fortress - the basis of the city - was called Katay-gorod (city!). That is, the city, which was the center of a small region of Muscovy, which later became a large principality, and after the wedding of the Grand Duke with Sophia Paleogo, it seems like an empire. And then it turns out that in fact Moscow was not born earlier than 1290 - the date of the founding of Tartary, add to this date a certain period during which the power of the great khan had to reach Eastern Europe. It will turn out to be the XIVth century, at least. And then, by 1450 (the time when the Fra Mauro map was published), it was quite logical that Moscow in size was no larger than Samarkand, which was quite developed at that time.

But back to the capital of Tartary. To the south of Khanbalik, the Great Wall of China is always depicted, which, according to the then cartographers, was still built by the Chinay Chinese - to defend themselves from the attack of the tartars (by the way, it still did not help). At that time, the wall was the actual border between China-China and Tartary. Near the capital of Tartary, you can also mention the city of Serra (Serra; in some sources of the 17th century it is said that Cathay-Cathay was founded by the inhabitants of Seriki or the city of Serra).

What else can you see near Khanbalik? Lake Chandu (Xandu, Ciandu). Below is a clipping from a map of 1683 - until 1688 the capital of the country still “lives” on the maps of Europeans. In the previous article, we found out that in the period 1680-88 the fact of the existence of the capital of Tartary was put into question by the world community. During this period of time, some cartographers draw Khanbalik, while others no longer.

A large Tanguth / Tanguth area was also located next to Katai. Sometimes it was called Tainfu or Tannu, Taniu, and the city of Campion was just its administrative center.

By the way, about the Great Chinese. As the construction of this huge partition and the appearance of information about it in the West, cartographers draw Khanbalik very close to the wall. On the maps of the early 18th century, when Western and Russian travelers (and their military colleagues) studied Siberia and Altai better, the Katay region began to be placed south and west of the Great Wall of China. Beijing was previously on the maps not far from the former boorish residence, but now it became clear that it stands approximately at the same geographical latitude with the former capital of Tartary. To the south of Katay, Tibet with Lhasa is still (on later maps) (the Tartars themselves placed it in a kingdom called "Barantola"). And above - Altai. In the west - KaraKatay, that is, Black Katay, sometimes they immediately write Black Mugals / Mungals. And just a little north of the former boorish residence - White Mugaly / Mungaly.

Khanbalik - Tamerlanku - Ordos.

Tartary becomes "Great"

After 1688, and according to my data today - after 1694 - the capital of Tartary appears on the maps of Western contemporaries under the name Tamerlane. It also sounds in Khan, but, as they say, Khanbalik is “not the same”. Events unknown to the general public took place that destroyed the center of the empire. This “new” old city no longer stands on the river, and in general, no large rivers, except for the Yellow (Yellow River), flow nearby. There is no lake Chandu either. The entire territory of Katay is strikingly changing its appearance, along with the disappearance of Khanbalik, neighboring cities also leave the maps. Until the unification of these lands into the large Ordos region (these territories have been under the control of Beijing since the end of the 17th century), only Campion, Camul, Zuczan (Zouza) remain, and the Tanguth region just north of Tamerlane. Thanks to these cities that survived Khanbalik, we can make sure that this is indeed the same territory.

After the destruction (fall) of the capital, Tartary is renamed Great, that is, it turns into a federation or even a confederation, consisting of autonomous regions. Muscovy conquers all of Siberia with Baikal almost to about. Dalai and Paras - the border goes to the east along the Amur River in 1730.

At this time, the entire east and center of Tartary came under the control of Beijing, in which the Qing cynasty sits - the descendants of the Tartars who took the capital of China in the 1640-60s. Nevertheless, the Chinay Chinese do not particularly spare the memory of the great past of these lands, they change the names of regions, cities, villages to Chinese-Chin variants. Tartary Minor with the Crimea went to the Ottoman Empire under Mehmed II in 1452. In Istanbul, by the way, the descendants of the Tartars also rule, but already from the Turkestan region (the fact that Osman the First was a military man of the Great Ham, Emperor of Tartaria, is stated in the appendix to the English-language map of Turkey authored by Speed, the document has the date “1626”).

And, by the way, after the conquest of Little Tartary by the Russian Empire, these lands began to be called Little Russia, or Little Russia - in order to hide the true name of these lands. Before the spread of the power of the great boor, the territories of present-day Ukraine were called Kumania by the Latins; probably, the name comes from “Komoniya” (“komon” means “horse” in Old Russian), but to search for the truth in this topic, of course, additional facts about the origin of the name “Kumania” are needed.

Tartary and Buddhism

After the disappearance of Khambalyk (in fact, it could have been destroyed in the period from the 1660s to the 1680s, but perhaps a little earlier), in 1701, the Japanese issued the first Buddhist map in their native language, on which with a high proportion of certainty, the location of Shambhala is indicated. Allegedly, the sacred country is hidden somewhere near the Gobi Desert (and it was previously called Lop, sometimes it is not clear - it is Gobee / Xamo / Shamo / Chamo (Chinese version) or a separate desert. And it is difficult to believe that after 7 centuries the Japanese suddenly did not for no reason at all they decided to draw it - they would have waited at least a couple of centuries and wouldn't have drawn it. I'm already finding fault, of course. And yet … In the previous article we have already shown this map, but we will repeat ourselves to refresh the memory of the reader …

The fact that Tartaria "adopted" Buddhism at the state level is evidenced by many direct and indirect indications in written sources of those times. On the detailed cover of the French almanac of 1688 edition, we still find Tartary - a personified image of her as an independent state. But we already know that the capital, in fact, no longer exists at that time. Some, in view of the Tartar conquest of China in the 1640-1660s. moved the capital of the country to Beijing, but Kitay-China was still a separate country (empire!), willingly taking Central Asian territories from the Tartar khanchiks ("princes"). So, in the almanac of 1688, Tartary appears in front of us in long loose Buddhist clothes, which contrasts very much with the tight-fitting outfits of neighboring, especially European, character-states. That is, Khanbalik was the capital officially Buddhist state, although there were plenty of other beliefs in it - from local religions of worshiping various idols (by the way, the great khan was revered by the locals as a god) to Christianity and Islam, which got along well even within the same city of Campion; this proves that the great boor did not oppress peoples on religious grounds, as is commonly believed among European Christians.

Ordos region of China,

or "What's in my name for you?"

So, the city of Tamerlanku (formerly Ordos?) Exists for 15 years, then it disappears to reveal to the world a new area in northern China-Chin (already outside the Great Wall of China) - Ordos with the sparsely populated town of the same name, almost a village. Apparently, the name Tamerlane was given by those "federal", still Tartar authorities - "princes", regional boors and boors. And Ordos (Mongol. "Palaces") is the name of a purely Chinese period of rule in these lands. But out of respect for local culture and history, Beijing allowed the city to be given a name of Mongolian origin and tried not to mix Mongols with Chinese.

Even the word Ordos itself, to be honest, is very similar to the word “Horde”. Since there were many hordes in Tartary, and they were, as it were, the centers-capitals of the regions, the concepts of “horde” and “palaces” had at that time a logical connection for the Tartars.

In the next (fifth) part of our investigation, we will recreate the events that led to the destruction of the capital of Tartary (Khanbalyk), neighboring cities and an amazing change in the landscape in the KATAI region. We will talk about "floods" (according to contemporaries - precisely "floods") in these places. Old books and maps, satellite images of traces of large floods and modern data on these territories will help us in this.

Anastasia Kostash, specially for the Kramola portal