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Paper abstract:

The article analyzes the socio-political and economic situation in the Bukhara Emirate (in local historical literature, the period of the Mangit dynasty of 1756–1920 is defined as the "Emirate of Bukhara") in the second half of the 19th century - the beginning of the 20th century, especially the Sunni-Shia rebellion in January 1910, based on archival documents.

The Emirate of Bukhara is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious state, where along with Muslims Jews, Hindus, and Christians had lived for ages. From 1868, the representatives of the Russian Empire establish political relations with the Shiites in the administration. Because Shia slaves increased in the ranks of the palace and the social equality associated with the abolition of slavery as the country became a protectorate. The occurrence of such changes in society will cause the Sunni nobles to become opposed to the Shiites, resulting in a conflict between them. Local residents and madrassa students also joined the conflict because the local population began to be dissatisfied with taxes and socio-educational changes.

Newly discovered archival documents depicts that the khanates of Central Asia were also influenced by the ideas of social equality by the members of the Babi movement in Iran since the members of the Babi movement, which was defeated in Iran took refuge in Central Asia. They fled across in Turkestan Governorate, Bukhara and the Khiva Khanates. They also influenced muslim aristocracy in Central Asia, especially Bukhara ideologically.

The pretext of the uprising in Bukhara, which took place on January 9-13, 1910, was ‘to dethrone Amir Seid Abdulahad Khan (1885-1910) (because of his qushbegi, mother, and wife were from the Shias) and put one of his Sunni brothers’. The conflict initiated on the day of the Shiite mourning ceremony of Shokhsey-vokhsey, which is held in the month of Ashura.

The uprising was not a religious conflict, but was actually the result of the socio-political and economic crisis in Bukhara at the beginning of the 20th century. In its occurrence, the influence of external forces was very large, and this was the next plan of the Great Game. The suppression, consequences, and results of the rebellion are analyzed on the basis of local and foreign historical sources, periodical press materials, archival documents, and contemporary researchs.