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Issues of 2008

From "Noble Bukhara" to "Sun of Alexander"

There is a building in St. Petersburg that is absolutely uncommon for this European megapolis. This is a mosque, the model for which was mausoleum Gur-Emir (where the tomb of Timur is situated) in Samarqand, as well as a beautiful house that belonged to emir Seid-Alim on Kamennoostrov-sky Prospect ≈ the witnesses of successful diplomacy of the Russian Empire in the Central Asia.

Order of Noble Bukhara, gold. The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg [zoom (65k)]

In 1868 Russian troops invaded Samarqand, the first capital of the Bukhara Emirate. The history of the existence of this retrograde feudal state that lasted for more than four centuries, ended. The defeat of the emir▓s army led to the conclusion of a treaty in 1868 of the Russian Empire with Bukhara, according to which emirate was claimed to be the protectorate of the Russian Empire.

Russia carried out very flexible colonialist policy in the Middle East that was aimed at preservation of inner autonomy of Bukhara with the restriction of sovereignty of foreign policy. The trade relationships developed. European culture started to penetrate to the Central Asia; it was introduced with the observance of respect to the traditions of local people. The first public library, a theatre, a museum were opened in the Central Asia; the newspaper "Turkistan Vedomosty" was edited. We can give a following fact as an eloquent example of successful policy of Russia in regard of its protectorate: when Turkistan governor general K. von Kaufmann died in 1882, local people by their own initiative and on their own account erected a monument to him.

Substantial changes happened in the social life. The system of rewarding for merits with orders, honourable signs and medals was introduced. Before that there wasn▓t a system of awards in Bukhara in its classical understanding. The objects traditional for the East (robes, precious items) were given as rewards as well as money. The first order of protectorate that was entitled "Noble Bukhara" was founded by emir Said Muzaffar in 1881. This reward had eight degrees: two highest degrees as a gold sign with diamonds, three gold signs and three silver signs.

Order of Noble Bukhara, silver. The State History Museum, Moscow [zoom (67k)]

The influence of Russian awards, order star of St. Stanislaw in particular, was reflected in the shape of the order of "Noble Bukhara" ≈ eight-pointed radial star. The Bukhara order was to be worn on the chest and attached with a special pin, without using a ribbon. The main colours used in the orders of all degrees were combination of blue and light-blue enamels with gold (silver). The orders were dated according to Muslim system of chronology ≈ Hegira; the year of the beginning of ruling of emir during the time of which the award took place, was given. The awards were produced by Bukhara mint with the usage of particular models. Thus, a silver star weighted 44.3 grams and was 90 mm in diameter.

There were differences between the orders of different degrees, in inscriptions as well as in images. For instance, gold sign of second degree looked like that: a half moon with the horns upwards in the centre of a star with eight rays on flat blue enamel medallion; and an inscription in Persian with gold on blue enamel around "Award of the capital of Noble Bukhara" and date.

During a number of years, in the course of strengthening of "friendly and neighbour▓s relationships" between Russia and its protectorate, the rulers of emirate copied the system of awards of the Empire more and more successfully. During the time of ruling of emir Abdalakhad who came to power in 1885, this process got the new development. After emir visited both the capitals of the Empire in 1893, order of "Noble Bukhara" was renewed. The ribbon and the order sign were introduced, as it was prescribed according to the system of awards of Russia. Gold sign of the order substantially differed from the analogous order sign of the prototype. The shape of the cut sign was rather complicated, it was decorated with diamonds and there was to be a brooch for the ribbon. There was an inscription on red and blue enamed in Persian: "The State of Noble Bukhara".

Order of the Crown of the Bukhara State. The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg [zoom (71k)]

The second important order was set by emir Abdalakhad in late 1890s in the shape of the order star with a sign and a red ribbon (like the order of Alexandre Nevsky). It bore the title "The Crown of the State of Bukhara" and was an elegant order in the shape of a rhomb and decorated with big and small diamonds and enamel medallions. The sign of the order in the middle included round blue medallion with an inscription: "The Sign of the Crown of the State of Bukhara" and four rows of diamonds with four diamonds each.

A famous researcher I. Spassky points out in his book "Foreign and Russian orders before 1917" (SPb, 1993): "On all the orders big and small diamonds are either combined with worthless glasses or fully replaced by them".

Later, after 1905, part of the awards of protectorate was produced by the capital jewelry firms. Thus, "Edward" company, starting with 1906, put its hall-marks on Bukhara awards.

In 1898 in commemoration of Alexander III the order "Sun of Alexander" was set in Bukhara. It was meant only for awarding of Russians of high rank. This order also had Russian analogue ≈ order of "White Eagle" with the same blue band.

Along with orders the less important awards were used in Bukhara ≈ medals that were produced of gold, silver, bronze and copper. They were round in shape and covered with enamel of varied combinations of colours and various inscriptions. The inscription could include the name of the awarded person and the reason why the award was granted ("For Eagerness and Merits"). For instance, during the period of the First World War emir Seid-Alim (1910√1920) awarded the persons who deserved it with a medal "Memory of war to devoted slaves. Noble Bukhara. 1334" (1915√1916).

Order of the Crown of the Bukhara State. The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg [zoom (70k)]

There wasn▓t any strictly regulated procedure of awarding as it used to be in Russia. Emir autocratically decided to whom, when, on which occasion and which order or medal would be granted. This led to the fact that along with the military ranks of the Russian army numerous valets, who served emir during his visits to Russia, were awarded as well. It is likely that the introduction of the procedure of awarding was to be the next step, but 1917 put an end to this interesting historic-cultural process.

Thus, by the beginning of the XX century, protectorate had its own fully developed system of awards that was partly copied from the Russian system. In this way the military and economical domination of Russia in the region, flexible cultural politics were reflected in such an aspect of life of the Bukhara Protectorate as awards.