THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WORK “MÜKEMMEL TARIH-I FERGANA” AS A HISTORICAL SOURCE

Abstract

This article examines the historiographical significance, source base, and narrative characteristics of “Mükemmel Tarih-i Fergana” and related works authored by Fozilbek Otabek oglu, with particular attention to Mufassal tavorixi Turkiston and the incomplete Tarixi umm. The study demonstrates that these works constitute important narrative sources for reconstructing the political, social, and cultural history of the Kokand Khanate and the wider Fergana Valley from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The research highlights that Fozilbek’s historiography is characterized by a synthesis of written chronicles, earlier historical works (including Ravzat us-safo, Boburnoma, and Russian historiographical materials), and oral traditions. His methodology reflects a critical, albeit contextually constrained, approach to source selection and verification, aiming to present a relatively balanced account of dynastic history. Particular emphasis is placed on his dual portrayal of rulers, in which both positive and negative attributes of khans are recorded, thereby distinguishing his work from purely panegyric historiographical traditions. The article further analyzes the manuscript tradition and textual transmission of Mukammal tarixi Fergana, preserved primarily in a later copy held at the Abu Rayhan Beruni Institute of Oriental Studies. It also considers the impact of its production under colonial administrative conditions, including its commissioning context, which may have influenced narrative framing and selection of historical events.