Abstract

The epic of Edige is a widely shared epic tradition among various Turkic communities, including Kazakhs, which narrates the story of Edige, the legendary founder of the Noghay Horde. As a rich performative tradition, Edige has attracted the attention of scholars of oral literature, history, religion, such as Karl Reichl, Victor Zhirmunsky, and Devin DeWeese, who have examined the epic’s historical depth and performative elements. However, one central narrative motif, namely recurring father-son conflicts, has received little scholarly attention. This paper examines this theme in Kazakh versions of Edige, focusing on the rupture between Edige and his son Nuraly. In several variants, their feud frequently arises from Edige’s broken promise to give Nuraly one of the daughters of Tokhtamysh, a ruler of Chinggisid descent. While on the surface this episode dramatizes the consequences of failed paternal obligations, such as the distribution of war spoils, it simultaneously reveals broader political anxieties surrounding legitimacy and succession in the post-Mongol imperial context. The conflict becomes especially meaningful when viewed in relation to the institution of guregen, the political status of sons-in-law to the Chinggisid lineage. In the successor states of the Mongol empire, including the Golden Horde, marriage into the ruling family became one of the official pathways through which non-Chinggisid elites could acquire authority and secondary legitimacy. For Edige and his kin, access to Chinggisid daughters symbolized entry into the symbolic capital of Chinggisid prestige. Within this framework, the rivalry between Edige and Nuraly can be interpreted as a feud over access to political authority. Since the epic of Edige functions as “exculpatory narratives,” as Thomas Welsford argues, it provides Edige with alternative forms of legitimacy. The recurring presence of daughters of Tokhtamysh implicitly acknowledges the continuing political supremacy of Chinggisid descent and the need for such legitimacy among non-Chinggisid elites. Drawing on several Kazakh epic variants, including Edige Zhyr, Er Edige, Edige Batyr Angimesi, and Maulimniyaz-Edige, the paper argues that father-son conflicts centered on Tokhtamysh’s daughters acquire a clear political meaning, reflecting anxieties over access to Chinggisid legitimacy rather than merely disputes over broken promises.