"Zheti Zhargy" ("Seven Charters") by Tauke Khan as a Great Legal Document: Legal Custom, Legal Procedure and Penalty
The focus of the article is on “Zheti Zhargy”, a unique judicial code. It’s a set of laws introduced in the Kazakh Khanate by Tauke Khan (he ruled between 1680 and 1718), the famous Kazakh rulers of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, namely Tole Bey, Kazybek Bey and Aitek Bey, being involved. The author points out that Tauke Khan is considered to be a collector of Kazakh customary laws. Under the khan the Kazakh juridical system was established. The latter played an important role in the consolidation of public and state resources of the great steppe khanate. “Zheti Zhargy” consists of 7 charters or laws considering land issues, family and marriage relations, military issues, legal procedure and the law on kun (ransom). They had been obeyed during several centuries but dwindled as the Russian Empire’s legislation was brought in.