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Paper abstract:

Kalmyk sphragistics is an emerging research field with great potential. Never before have the seals of Kalmyk khans and other Kalmyk rulers been researched in depth. The study of the seals legends on them is a rich source of information about cultural ties with Tibet and other Central Asian regions. The sphragistic data allows to attribute documents that do not bear the name of the addressee, as well as to clarify the dating of historical events of Kalmyk history. In addition, the study of Kalmyk seals and legends can also be useful to historical and sphragistic research on the history of Tibet and other Central Asian regions.

After migrating from Western Mongolia in the XIIth century, Kalmyk rulers established the Kalmyk Khanate in the Caspian Lowlands and the Volga region. After a period when the khanate was ruled by Kalmyk taishas (ruling nobles), the Kalmyk Khanate was ruled by Kalmyk khans. There were four Kalmyk khans in all: Ayuka (reign 1690-1724), Tseren-Donduk (reign 1724-1735), Donduk-Ombo (reign 1735-1741), and Donduk-Dashi (reign 1741-1761). As a sign of investiture of power, a Khan seal had to be of high legitimate origin, so all Kalmyk khans sought to obtain the khan's seal and title from the Dalai Lama.

Out of four seals of Ayuka-Khan three were of Tibetan origin. At least one of the three was bestowed by the VI Dalai Lama together with the title Daichin Ayuka-Khan. The fourth was presumably made in the Kalmyk Khanate.

The Seal of Tseren-Donduk was granted by the VII Dalai Lama together with the title of Daichin Shasa-Buja-Khan and the solemn presentation of the seal and title took place in 1735.

The next Kalmyk Khan, Donduk-Ombo, was granted the khan's title in 1737. The same year he sent an embassy to the VII Dalai Lama, but the embassy failed to receive Khan's seal. Donduk-Ombo had two seals in his possession, one of Tibetan and one of Chinese origin.

The last Kalmyk khan, Donduk-Dashi, after his appointment as khan in 1756, sent an embassy to the Dalai Lama in Tibet to obtain the khan's seal and title. Although the embassy managed to meet the Dalai Lama shortly before his death, the seal and the khan's title was not be obtained.

This paper will focus on the reading of legends on the Kalmyk Khans’ seals that allows to put into scientific circulation sphragistic data of the seals.