Chekar and Churas Kalmyks in the policy of the Oirat Derbet Dalai Taishi: preliminary results of the study

The author studies the problem associated with the appearance in Russian archival documents of the second and third decades of the 17th century of references to people called Chekars, as part of the Oirat Derbets who were dwelling in southern Siberia. The points of view of specialists who previously drew attention to this problem (S.K. Bogoyavlensky, V.P. Sanchirov, V.T. Tepkeev) are considered, their achievements and failures are noted. Basing on a comprehensive study of the sources, it is concluded that the Chekars were the representatives of the Chahar Mongolian people, who found themselves in the troops of the Altyn Khans even before the fall of the Chahar Khanate (1634) and took an active part in the battles with the Oirats. After the death of the (Chahar) Khagan Ligdan, they were also seen in the detachments of the Oirat Derbet leader Dalai Taishi, who used them to attack other Oirats - Torgut rulers with the aim of subjugating them. At the same time, to combat the growing influence of the Elet (Dzungar) Taishi Khara-Khula, Dalai Taishi tried to revive his old family name, the same as that of Khara-Khula - Choros (Churas). This family name was associated with the Churas people in Moghulistan and its representatives who created the Choros dynasty as rulers of the Oirat state (first half of the 15th century). It is stated that Dalai Taishi’s activity, as well known Oirat leader, at the discussing period was complicated and aimed to return his previous authority. With his death in 1637, the issue of Chekars and connected the Churas peoples disappeared forever from the Russian archival documents. The author presents the article as the problematic one and believes that its further study should be supported by the comprehensive analyze of the history of the Oirats and Eastern Mongols of the late 16th - first third of the 17th centuries.