Yakub (approximately 1,829 - 1877) is short for Mohammed Yakub Beg. Later after he gained power, he was called "Yakub Burke" (a post in Turkish). "Yakub" was the inexplicit transliteration and common usage of "Yakub Burke" in Chinese.
 He was born in Pskente, Kokand [now in Uzbekistan] of Central Asia. He nationality was not identified yet. Some say he is Uzbek, while others say he is Tajik. But one thing is certain that he is not Uyghur or other people in Xinjiang. His military activities in Xinjiang for 13 years are invasion.
  His father was a religious personal who chanted sutras for patients. Soon after Yakub was born, his parents divorced. His mother remarried a butcher. Butcher's adopted son was still a butcher. The only difference was that he slaughtered people.
  But before long he became an orphan. In order to make a living, with attractive face and fine figure he became a “Bateqia”, that is street dancer in girl ‘s clothes.
   His appearance and dance technique happened to move a government official of Kokend Khanate and he was brought to its capital. Soon, he was given to a bodyguard of the king, and started his way up.
   Flattering Kalimu Kaxika soon advanced to general. Yakub who had learnt the art of flattering during his gipsydom also basked in the light of his master. However, it ended when the prince was killed in a power struggle.

He had to throw himself into the lap of Tashkent governor Mohammed Kush Burke. The Burke not only liked miscellaneousYakub, but also took a fancy to his half blood younger sister and married her. Because of the marriage, he was first promoted to adjutant, then to an official in charge of 500 people. After advancing into the military circles, he suppressed the revolt of Khazak herdsmen. Known as being crafty and cruel, he won the favor of his sister-in –law and was appointed Burke. The title "Yakub Burke" became popular ever since.
 In many years thereafter, as a result of Tsarist Russia's military invasion and internal power struggle, the political situation was turbulent in Kokend khanate. It was a great threaten to Yakub who was a rising figure Akub in both military and political field. In order to seek new outlet, Kashgar east of Pamir, where he could put his ambition into full play, draw his eyes.

Two

After the Opium War of 1840 broke out, the misgovernment of Qing dynasty was exposed to view. Farmer uprisings appeared one after another. Uyghur people also started a large-scale anti-feudal and anti-serfage revolt centered on Kucha, which gave Qing dynasty a heavy blow.

Unfortunately, due to lack of definite political guiding principles and direction, upper level religious personage quickly seized the fruit of the revolution. Three large-scale separate regimes appeared successively in South Xinjiang, that is, Rexiding hoja in Kucha, Habibulate hoja in Hotan, and Sidik Hoja in Kashgar.
Soon after Kuqa political power was established, Rexiding Hoja began to expand his power southward. First an official called Jiamali leading a garrison of 5,000 soldiers was dispatched to attack and occupy Ush and Aqsu. After Aqsu Aqim Burke was defeated, he fled to Kashgar to seek shelter from his brother, Aqim Burke Kutuluk.
Knowing the north line was in danger, Kutuluk ought to contact with Kashgar amban Huo Ying and made some preparations but he did not. This provided splittists and Yakub a golden opportunity.
At that time, in Kashgar jiashi reclamation area there was a landlord named Jin Xiangying (nicknamed Jin Laosan). He, his two sons and an imam called Ma Tuzi (namely Ma Yuan) went to Aketao and instigated the stationed Kirgiz Burke Sidick to stage a rebellion and promised to acclaim him king after seizing Kashgar.
 Sidic had had the idea for a long time, so he consented immediately after their instigation and sent his person to collect militia in mountainous areas. The Kashgar amban Kuiying and a Hancheng official He Buyun was so irritated at the news that he wantonly slaughtered people and incurred soldiers and civilians in each place to stage rebellions successively.
On July 26, 1864, Yierqiang people rebelled and seized the city. On 29th, Yengisar army staged a rebellion on bazaar day (Friday). On 30th, the leader of Kashgar Baishan faction Tuohuti Mamuti occupied Kashgar Huicheng, and called himself "Paxia" (king). Kashgar Aqimu Burke Kutulukd and his younger brother Shayiti fled to Huicheng.

Taking advantage of the confusion, Jin Xiangyin and Ma Tuzi helped Sidik to set up a rebellion army and advanced on Kashgar. Kuiyign who were defending Hancheng immediately ordered Tuluk Burke and Shayiti Burke led their troops to intercept them. They had a fierce battle in Shule County. Kutuluk armed force was defeated and fled away. Kuiying guarded Hancheng with his troops ever since.

　

Three

Sidick's army surrounded Kashgar Huicheng in August. The head of Baishan faction drafted all qualified inhabitants and even religious personnel in the city to defend the city.  After days and nights of intense attacks, there were no ammunition and food left. Sadick seized the opportunity to buy over the Hohan merchant to be the planted agent and finally occupied the city at one full swoop.
According to "agreement", Kirgiz Burke Sidick became “Paxia” of Kashgar, and Jin Xiangying was conferred minister, Ma Tuzi as marshal.
In May or June 1864, king of Kokend khanate sent his bodyguard to visit Kashgar, in an attempt to pry into the military situation of south Tianshan. On June 3, after Kuqa peasant uprising, the news reached Ailimuhunerhan.

Thereupon, a couple of days after Sidick seized Kashgar, a large batch of spies of Kokend khanate secretly went to Kashgar disguised as merchants and bought over 24 Burke and imams. They wrote a joint letter requesting Kokend khanate to dispatch troops to attack Kashgar, and expel Sidick.   

After nearly half a year’s rule, Sidick deeply felt that it would be hard for him to hold the throne if the populace refused to accept him, so he wanted to find a noble puppet that can maintain his vested interest. Perhaps influenced by some trusted subordinates of Kokend spy, after some discussion with Jin Xiangying and Ma Tuzi, he decided to sent person to Kokend khanate and brought back the son of Zhan Geer to be Khan in an attempt to win over the hearts of the people and maintain his rule under the name of descendants of hoja of Baishan faction.

In December 1864, Jin Xiangying went to the capital of Kokend khanate under his orders and requested Ai Limuhunerhan to permit him to bring Busuluk to Kashgar.
Thinking the chance was never to lose, he immediately consented. Then he sent person to find Busuluk who was out at the elbows and promised to confer him Kashgar "Paxia", and hoping that he be cooperative and contribute his bits to the khanate in the future. Busuluk was overjoyed and consented to whatever he was asked.
But, experienced and careful Ailimukuerhan would never believe the stonily descendant of Hoja, so he decided to send one of his favorites to accompany him. At this time, Yakub was at the wrong end of the stick and the rulers of Kokend khanate had no idea as how to deal with him. The god of destiny fell upon him.
In the spring of 1865, after Busuluk agreed to take whatever orders he would receive from Yakub, Yakub and Jing Xiangying accompanied him to Kashgar.

Four

The son of Zhanger was shiftless and had nothing to compare with Yakub in the changeable political situation. Actually, he was only a puppet of Akub.

Yukub only took along with him 50 cavalry soldiers and several civil and military officials. After they arrived at Kashgar, long-awaited Sidick and Ma Tuzi received them. When Sidick saw Yakub, he was not happy at all. Although he also wanted to stage a rebellion, he was unwilling to let a foreigner put his feet into his affairs and could not help keeping vigilance on Yakub.
Unhappy, but grand reception banquet lasted for 5 days. Yakub had seen through Sidic’s real intentions and in secret instigated disturbance between Busuluk and Sidik.

Sidick finally pieced the relations among Busuluk, Yakub and Kokend khanate, and the evil attention of Yakub. He could not help but regret his stupid action of bringing in a troublemaker. But Sidick was nevertheless simple-minded. In a rage, he turned against Yakub. Yakub organized mutiny immediately and drove Sidic out of the city, which made Sidic’s act bore a counter- aggression demeanor.
In March 1865, Sidick gathered 67,000 Kirgiz soldiers to initiate counter-attack, and made up his mind to recapture Kashgar. Yakub just stood by and Busuluk had to lead troops to meet the challenge. Lacking commanding ability, he was defeated easily, which was precisely Yakub’s real intention-to tie up Busuluk.
Then Akub decided to show off his skill. He led a hundred or so cavalry soldiers to attack their enemy’s camp and routed Sidick's headquarters. Sidick was compelled to draw back to the former site Wiyitak.
Yakub rapidly organized an army of one thousand people and launched attack in two routes. One went to Yengisar and captured the city on April 11 and killed the amban Tuoktuobu, and another group went to the mountainous area of Wiyik and in an attempt to set Sidick in a deathtrap. Sidick was defeated and compelled to flee to Tashkent area in central Asia.

In mid-April, Yakub announced the so-called establishment of "Zhedeshaer khanate", and let Busuluk be his puppet and himself as commander-in-chief. The13-year long splitting activities commenced.
"Zhedeshaer" means "seven cities", refers to Kashgar, Yengisar, Yierqiang, Yutian, Aqsu, Kuqa, and Ush. At that time, besides Kashgar Huicheng (now Kashi city) and Yengisar, including Kashgar Hancheng (now Shule County) and other 5 cities was not in Yakub’s hand. It is easy to deem how ambitious he was.

Five

In late April 1865, Yakub’s armed forces increased to more than 6,000. He bribed the Yierqiang Aqimu Burke conferred by Qing Dynasty, on the pretext of visiting the Mazzar of Muhemaiti Hoja and won the trust of Abudu Reheman. As soon as the pilgrimage was over, he secretly attacked Yierqiang city.
In order to protect their homes and safeguard their country, Yierqiang common people shouted, "Kill every Anjiyan People", launched life-and-death wrestle in the streets and alleys with the invaders, which beat Yakub army to ashes and crushed their conspiracies.
Anjiyan was the famous commercial city of Kokend khanate. Xinjiang people usually used "Anjiyan people" to refer to Kokend people. The slogan obviously carried the strong anti-aggression meaning. In more than a decade years hereafter, it inspired and united tens of thousands of Xinjiang people to oppose colonization and aggression and contribute their bits and pits to the unification of the motherland.
 When Yakub was leading his defeated army retreating to Yierqiang, they bumped into a crack force. After Yierqiang successfully repelled Yakub, they escorted a batch of captives and trophy to Aksu and intended to turn them in to the army of Rexiding in Kuqa and requested Rexiding send troops to attack Yakub. When they arrived at Maralbishi (Bachu), they meet the troops of the general of Rexiding

Rexiding's original goal was rulers of Qing dynasty. After knew Yakub invaded China and established a puppet regime, he immediately decided to repel the aggressors, which indicated Xinjiang various races people’s irreconcilable hatred towards foreign aggressors.
In now Shule County, Yakub encountered the second disastrous defeat since he came to Xinjiang. Under Kuqa army’s violent attack, Yakub received three severe injuries and his army was even more utterly routed.

For several times Yakub read Allah’s name to prepare to accept his final demise. Unexpectedly, Busuluk sent reinforcements and made him have a near go. The casualty of Kucha army was also heavy. Due to long distance from home and scare backing, they had to withdraw to Aqsu.
After some Yakub dispatched troops to attack Hancheng, Kashi city again. Officers and soldiers who had been besieged for 13 months fell into a hopeless situation. Just as Kashgar amban Kuiying was about to fight a last battle, He Buyun opened the city gate and surrendered.

Kui Ying and one batch of Qing officials would rather die than surrender and basted He Buyun. Kuiying lit stocked blasting explosive in person and several dozens of people committed suicide with him.
 On September 1, 1865, Yakub seized Hancheng and plundered for entire 7 days and killed innumerable Manchus and han officials. About one thousand officers and soldiers and weaponless women and children were saved only after they converted to Islam. In order to make the people stay in control, Yakub not only awarded He Buyun, but also married his daughter.
Yakub underestimated Xinjiang people’s determination of anti-revolt. After tasting the bitterness, he became more and more cruel and malicious and deployed larger-scale aggression.

Six

In the autumn of 1865, Kokend khanate encountered formidable military attack of Tsarist Russia army. Approximately more than 7,000 remnant Kokend armed forces leading by Yunusijiang sought shelter from Yakub, which was a really blessing for him. He discarded the intention of relying on Kokend khanate and made up him mind to annex entire Xinjiang.
At the end of the year, Yakub attacked Yierqiang for a second time and failed. After some rest of 7000 Yunnusijiang’s army he launched the third attack on Yierqiang. This time he divided his army into two groups, one advanced on Yierqiang leading by Yunusijiang, the other by himself attacked Bachu. They seized both the cities and Yunusijiang was appointed as Yierqiang Burke.

Afterwards, Yakub played the same old trick, and also entrapped the paxia of Hotan Habibula under ‘s name. After a massacre in which 50,000 Hetian soldiers and civilians were slaughtered, Yakub entered the city. The original Yierqiang Aqimu Burke became Hotan Burke.
In the same winter, puppet Busuluk became more and more worried about Yakub’s tyranny and cruelty. Under a group of Kirghiz people's agitation, he occupied Kashgar Hancheng in an attempt to get rid of Yakub’s rule. After Yakub learnt the news, he commanded troops to advance on Kashgar. 41 days later, the revolt was suppressed. Busuluk was under house arrest first and then driven out of Hohan under the pretext of going to Mecca for a pilgrimage.
But the name of "Descendant of Hoja" puppet was beneficial to Yakub. In order to deceive the common people, he found the eldest son of Yusufa Maitiming, cousin of Busuluk, who was known as "Katatioale" and let him be his new puppet.
But, Katatioale was not so easy to manipulate. More than a decade ago, it was who he initiated the revolt of Seven Hojas which deeply harmed the populace. Yakub killed him with poison 4 months later as people’s discontents grew more and more heavy. In order to cover his crime, he held a grand burial ceremony for Katatioale.  

In early 1866, Kuqa Rexiding dispatched Yisihak to lead 3000 militias to storm Yierqiang and he also planned to launch a converging attack on Kashgar from Aqsu. After Yisihak recaptured Bachu, as Aqsu reinforcements did not come for a very long time, both sides reached a stalemate. Yakub recaptured Bachu. Yisihak was defeated and surrendered to Yakub and Yakub occupied Aksu.
So far the entire southwest Tarim basin had subjected to Yakub’s military occupation. He started to call himself "Bidulete" (namely " person with immeasurable fortune "), declared the establishment of " khanate". He would not rely on any descendants of Hoja.

Seven

In May 1867, the army led by Yakub had a final battle with Kuqa army sent by Rexiding at Chaerqi area west of Baicheng. They fought from the early morning to noon, more than 30,000 soldiers and civilians died in battle. The Kuqa city may fall at any moment.
Yakub reused his old tricks-to say that he must go to Kuqa to worship the mazzar of Jialaliding and asked Rexiding not to resort to violence. Although Rexiding knew perfectly well it was a trick, he still let Yakub’s army entered the city. In the next morning, Yakub let his person declared to the common people in the city that Rexiding died suddenly the night before. In order to win the people over, he appointed the surrendered younger brother of Rexiding to be Kuqa Burke. Then, he seized Kalashaer (now Korla, Yanji).
 After the establishment of reactionary "Hongfu khanate", he started extreme reactionary military rule. Farmers were subjected to high taxes. The social productive forces encountered enormous destruction. Simultaneously he used Islam to conquer and enslave Xinjiang people. Taking the “Shaliate” regulation of Islam as the supreme law, he willfully plundered and killed those who bore any slightly different opinions. In order to achieve this, he built a large batch of mosques and mazzars, which consumed countless manpower, money and so on.
 What also need to mention is that the so-called khanate was inseparable from his collusion with British, Russian colonialists and Turkish Ottoman Empire.
In 1868, British and Indian tea planter Robert Sha’ao arrived at Kashgar upon order to meet Yakub in secret. In the following year, Yakub sent a trusted subordinate to go to India and colluded with British. British general ambassador met him in person and gave him large quantities of guns and ammunition and also allowed him to choose artisans and took them to Kashgar to establish munitions factory for Yakub.
Tsarist Russia certainly was unwilling to be lagged behind. In early 1870 they sent out messenger to Kashgar, urging Yakub to surrender to Tsarist Russia. On May 1872, Yakub signed with Tsarist Russia so-called "the Russia Treaty" which sold the Chinese sovereignty. In 1874, England sent person to Kashgar and signed "British and Yakub Treaty " bore the same feature.
In 1873, British delegation arrived at Kashgar and brought the letter by British Queen Victoria and some other gifts, including all kinds of guns and two small artilleries. But Tsarist Russia was even more generous, they sent out two trade teams to carry large batch of ammunition to Yakub in Kashgar via Turugat pass. By1875, the competition had reached its peak. British in one time transported 22,000 guns from India, 8 artilleries and 2,000 shells for Yakub.
Yakub once sent his nephew Aji Tuola (also Saiyide Yakub) to Petersburg to express his gratitude to tsar. On his way home he went to Turkey in 1873. Yakub acknowledged the Turkey Ottoman Empire as a county, while Turkish king conferred Yakub "Aimir" (Islamism political leader), attempted to legalize the puppet regime in the Islam world. 2 years later, Yakub at one time bought new-style rifle 12,000 from Turkey, and 8 artilleries. In order to carve up and annex Xinjiang, overseas imperialism, and colonialism acted like clowns!
In 1876, Russia dispatched diplomatic group to meet Yakub in Kashgar, requesting him to sell the frontier territory to them and give the sovereignty of frontier trade to them instead of Kokand khanate. Yakub consumed to most of their request.

Therefore, when in 1877 Qing Dynasty diplomat Guo Songtao went to England on a diplomatic mission and met the so-called envoy of Yakub regime, he reprimanded him severely on the behalf of Chinese government when the envoy requested British to acknowledge and protect Yakub puppet regime.

Eight

In March 1870, under imperialists’ blatantly support, Yakub dispatched troops from Kalashaer to attacked Turfan. Nearly ten thousand local Hui people and Uyghur common people assembled and resisted furiously and killed several thousand invading army. In May, Yakub attacked Turfan again. The local populace killed more than 33,000 enemies. Only due to some traitors’ betray, Turfan city fell into the hands of Yakub.

 In 1871, relying on his army and guns and cannon of imperialism, he successively occupied Urumqi, Mulei, Manasi, Shanshan and so on. It seemed that Yakub’s ambition was even greater- he wanted to wallow up entire Xinjiang. At that time, there were only a small number of Qing troops stationed in Tacheng and Wusu the rest placed had completely lost ties with the central plains.
 In late 1874, Qing Dynasty assembled armed force of Hunan, Henan, Sichuan, Jilin, and Heilongjiang cavalry and marched to Shaanxi, and Gansu to wait for orders. It was time to put Yakub’s reactionary regime to an end.
  Xinjiang people can no longer bear the suppression of Yakub political regime. Former Kashgar Burke Abe Du Reyi and so on went to Peking despite of hardships along the way when they knew that the Qing army would go to Xinjiang to quell the rebellion, voluntarily act as guard of the armed force.

On February 12, 1875, a group of Kashgar merchants such as Baiheti entrusted by the former Qing Dynasty Uyghur officials reached Ush and paid a visit to the minister Xiaoshun and asked him to present a written statement to General Ili to express their desire to recovered lost land and wiped out invaders. Rong Quan also immediately sent person to submit a written statement to the royal court, saying they had made preparations and hoped the royal court send the main strength to suppress Yakub.
 On March 10, 1875, Qing government appointed a cabinet bachelor minister, Shaanxi and Gansu Governor Zuo Zongtang to be commander in chief and draw up plans to send forces to suppress Yakub. To November 6, 1876, Qing troops had recaptured Manasi and all the stations of Yakub in north Xinjiang were eliminated. Zuo Zongtang commanded the armed force to advance on southward to regain the lost land.
On May 29, 1877 at dawn, the death of God fell upon Yakub in Kalashaer (Yanji). The cause of his death was still unknown. Some said he knew that that the god of death approached and drank some poisoned liquor and died; others said that he had lost his mind and fought with a official over a minor matter and was killed by the official accidentally.

On June 1, Yakub’s second son Haigula came to Kalashar to hold bury for him. On June 6, he took his father’s corpse back to Kashgar. In the following day, the nephew of Busuluk Aikmuhan was chose as the leader.
On June 23, on the way of escorting his father’s corpse back, when they reached the wooden bridge over Kezile river more than 30 kilometers from Kashgar, his brother had already awaited him for a long time and killed him before he knew what had happened. After the plot, Yakub was buried in Kashgar.
It is hard to change one's nature. After the death knell had rang, the descendents of Yakub were still cruel one another, so they were doomed to fail.

Nine

On August13, 1877, in order to prevent Busuluk's nephew Ai Kemu to return to Kashgar to take over power, Burke Huli decidedly dispatched troops to go northward, defeated Ai Kemu and seized Aqsu. Ai Kemu fled to Czarist Russia.
 On September 5, Burke Hu Lizi returned to Kashgar via Aksu, after a short rest he prepared to meet head-on with Qing troops. On October 4, when Burke Hu Li heard Yakub accredited fake Burke and surrendered to Qing Dynasty to cope with him, he immediately commanded troops to Yutian. On 21st, Burke Hu Li reseized Yutian.

In order not to lose the treasures, which Yakub had plundered in more than a decade in Kashgar, Burke Hu Lima doubled back without a stop. When he reached Yengisar, it was already early November. By then, He Buyun who once declared surrendered to his enemy changed his mind and blocked Burke Hu’s way home. Burke Hu was so irritated that he slaughtered 300 Han people in Yengisar.

When Burke Hu Lijun reached Hancheng, his subordinate Ali came from Huicheng and they attacked He Buyun together. Knowing that Qing troops was coming soon, He Buyun tried his best to combat them.
On December 6, Yakub’s cohort, the leader of Shaanxi Bai Yanhu was defeated by Qing troops and fled to Kashgar to join in the campaign against He Buyun. He Buyun led a garrison of 500 people to defend the city at daytime and go out to attack their enemies at night. Their enemies could not seize the city for days.
After the leader of Xiang army Liu Jintang received He Buyun’s emergency letter, he immediately dispatched his troops to reinforce him in three divisions. He led a troop to advance on Bachu to cut off their enemies’ way to Aksu, Yierqiang and Kashgar. Yu Huen and Gui Xizhen led another advanced on Kashgar via Bachu. Huang Wanpeng led the third advanced on Kashgar via Ush.
In the night of December17, Qing official Yu Huen and Huang Wanpeng met and then they captured Kashgar Huicheng, rescued Hancheng, routed Burke Hu Li and Bai Yanhu. The rest enemy troops fled. In the next day, Yu Hu’en left Kashi city to chase Burke Hu Li and Bai Yanhu’s subordinate Xiaohu. Huang Wanpeng headed northwest to pursue Bai Yanhu. On 19^th, Yu Huen captured Yu Xiaohu alive in Ming Yaoluo a dozen miles west of Kashgar. Burke Hu Li and Bai Yanhu fled to foreign countries.
  On December 24, Liu Jin Tang commanded troops to regain Yierqiang and Yengisar in succession. On 26th, they arrived at Kashgar and beheaded Jing Xiangying, Ma Yuan and Yu Xiaohu and caught a batch of Turkish military drillmasters. On January 2,1878, the command-in-chief of Qing government Dong Fuxiang regained Yutian. The remnant forces of Yakub were thoroughly quelled. All the invaders were justifiably punished, an inevitable result.
 After Qing government regained and unified the entire Tianshan regions, they erected on the northwest of Kashgar Huicheng a monument to commemorate the great achievement.