Brief history of Shymkent

The name of Shymkent has sparked much debate over the years, with various interpretations based on historical records. Some scholars translate it as «Garden City,» «Green City,» or «City Surrounded by Turf.» The interpretation linking the name to turf is rooted in the Turkic «Shym» or «Chim» meaning «turf» and the Persian «kent» (kand or khand), meaning «city» or «settlement.» Another interpretation derives from the Sogdian (Iranian) «chimen-chaman,» meaning «meadow» or «flowering valley,» combined with «kent» to imply «green (or blooming) city.»

Settlements in the area now known as Shymkent existed as early as the 11th-12th centuries. However, some theories suggest an even earlier origin, dating back to the 5th-6th centuries based on burial sites uncovered during archaeological digs. The Persian historian Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi first mentioned Shymkent in written records in 1425, in his book Zafar Nameh (The Book of Victories), while recounting Timur’s military campaigns.

Over the centuries, Shymkent was frequently devastated by invasions. In the early 13th century, Genghis Khan’s armies swept through the Sayram Oasis on their way to Mawarannahr, making it part of his descendants’ realm. In the 14th century, Timur, through his successful campaigns against the khans of the White Horde and the Golden Horde, annexed the city into his empire. By the early 16th century, Shymkent became part of the Kazakh Khanate. Through the 17th and 18th centuries, it faced repeated invasions by Dzungar conquerors. Despite the toll of these wars and internal conflicts, the Sayram Oasis remained a thriving center of agriculture, horticulture, and craft.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Shymkent was contested by the Kokand and Bukhara Khanates. Between 1810 and 1864, the city became a fortress-camp under Kokand’s control, with a substantial army and residence for the Khan’s deputy. In 1821, Kazakh Sultan Tentek Tore led a revolt against Kokand’s rule. The rebels captured Sayram and Shymkent, but reinforcements from Kokand eventually overpowered them after several battles.

In 1864, Russian troops stormed the city, turning it into a significant transit hub linking European Russia and Western Siberia with Central Asia. General Chernyaev’s small force captured the previously «impregnable» fortress of Aulie-Ata before storming Chimkent in July 1864. His troops penetrated the fortress through its water supply system, entering through a vaulted opening in the wall, and the garrison, stunned by the sudden appearance of enemy forces inside, offered almost no resistance. For his victory at Chimkent, Chernyaev was awarded the Order of St. George, 3rd Class.

In 1914, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s incorporation into the Russian Empire, the city was renamed Chernyaev, but Soviet authorities reverted it to its original name in 1924.

In the 1930s, a lead plant was established in Chimkent, producing 70% of the Soviet Union’s lead output. Additional industries, including an oil and fat combine, hosiery, and mirror factories, also emerged. In 1932, an agricultural aviation base was established, laying the foundation for the development of the city’s airport.

During World War II, Chimkent became a vital relocation center for several Soviet industries. Seventeen factories and plants were transferred here from the front lines, producing tank spare parts, shells, metal, lead, optical instruments, and other essentials. Remarkably, two out of three bullets fired at the Nazi forces were made from lead produced in Chimkent. Seven Chimkent residents were honored with the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

The postwar period, particularly from the 1950s to the 1980s, was marked by rapid economic growth in the city.

On September 8, 1992, the city’s Russian-language transcription was officially changed from «Chimkent» to «Shymkent,» embracing the Kazakh-language spelling and pronunciation.