The Tashkent Tsar: Russian Turkestan's First Governor-General

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the life and legacy of Konstantin von Kaufman, the first Governor-General of Russian Turkestan, who ruled from Tashkent from 1867 to 1882. They discuss how Kaufman's 'enlightened' colonialism sought to modernize the region while suppressing Islamic institutions, including his controversial abolition of the waqf system and his patronage of Russian-style education. The episode delves into Kaufman's harsh suppression of the 1875 Kokand rebellion, his efforts to conquer the Khanate of Khiva in 1873, and how his policies of indirect rule and co-opting local elites set the stage for the Jadid reform movement. It also examines the 'Kaufman Code' of laws that governed Turkestan, blending Russian imperial law with local customs, and how his legacy is remembered today in Uzbekistan, including the statue of him in Tashkent that was removed after independence. The conversation navigates the complex narrative of a man who saw himself as a reformer but whose actions often reinforced imperial domination.

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