<論説>シャイバーニー・ハンとアルクーク城

Abstract

一五〇〇年にサマルカンドを征服して、中央アジアにおけるティムール朝を滅亡へと追いやったウズベグ族のシャイパーニー・ハンは、十五世紀の末に、シル河中流域のトゥルキスタンと呼ばれる地域のほぼ全域を支配下に入れることによって勃興した。それは、この地域の持っていた経済的・軍事的・政治的・宗教的重要性によって説明される。本稿で取上げるアルクーク城は、トゥルキスタン地方の西端に位置する小城塞にすぎなかったが、シャイバーニーのトゥルキスタン征服に果した役割は大きく、史料中でマホメットにとってのメディナと対比される理由はそこに存在する。またアルクーク城の性格は、東西交渉路の中間地点としての商業的意義を重視することによっては捉えられず、遊牧勢力との関係を強調することによって初めて浮き彫りにすることができるのである。

Shaibani Khan captured in 1500 Samarqand, and in 1507 Herat. Contemporary writers of Central Asia gave a variety of explanations on how he came to gain the strength enough to destroy the Timurid dynasty. The most important reason, however, appears to be his conquest of Turkistan wilayat on the mid-stream of the Syr-darya. This, as K. A. Pishchulina earlier pointed out, can be explained by the political, economic, military, and religious significance of the region. Arquq in question was a tiny town in Turkistan. However, according to Ibn Ruzbihan, its importance to Shaibani was comparable to that of Medina to the Prophet. The factors behind this assertion, in my opinion, are as follows. Firstly, though small, Arquq was an excellent fortress. Secondly, located in the area bodering the western end of Turkistan and the desert leading to the heartland of Mawarannahr, it was a strategically important point for both regions. By gaining the control, Shaibani could also be provided with abundant agricultural produce of the area. In studying cities of Central Asia, the Japanese scholarship has tended to emphasize their role as midway points on the East-West trade route. However, as the case of Arquq shows, their relationship with nomadic people also has to be taken into account.