The Role of the Mongols in Sino-Russian Relations

Abstract

Between Russia and China lay the Mongolian tribes; thus the Mongols inevitably played a role as go-between in the establishment of Sino-Russian relations at the beginning of the seventeenth century. When Russia crossed the Urals and expanded into Siberia, she met little resistance until she reached the upper Ob, Irtish and Yenisei Rivers, where contact was established with the Kalmuks, Kirgiz and Buriats. These peoples, governed by a powerful aristocracy, and possessed of an effective military and social organization, were capable of forming effective alliances and organized resistance. At first the Russians were rebuffed by the Kalmuks. The Kalmuks or Eleuths comprised four main divisions: the Khoshotes, the Sungars, the Durbets, and the Torguts. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Sungars, who were about to achieve hegemony over the other Kalmuk tribes, extended their dominions from the Ili to the Irtish, thus becoming a dangerous and highly unwelcome neighbor to both China and Russia. In 1606, Baatur Khungdaidgi (chief) of the Sungars and father of the Galdan who was to be so famous, entered the Irtish country in 1606. He claimed suzerainty over the tribes in the neighborhood of the Tara, and the Russians from Tobolosk and other surrounding cities marched against him. Hostilities took place but Russia failed to drive them away.¹