The KazakhâÂÂNogai War (1577) was one of the major military invasions of the Kazakh Khanate on the territory of the Nogai Horde.
On September 1569, Nogai envoys informed a Turkish pasha that Haqnazar, allied with Crimean princes, had attacked their horde "In the name of the Crimean Khan.â The origin of this claim remains unclear. There is no evidence of anti-Nogai negotiations between Bakhchysarai and the Kazakhs. However, this narrative pushed the Nogai court to intensify its diplomatic efforts.
Tinakhmat informed Crimea that Haqazar, who was "skilled in military affairs... and commands excellent marksmen and warriors," intended to march on Crimea after capturing Saray-Jük. He urged Muhammad Giray Khan to support the Nogais to protect his domains. Curiously, the Nogai leaders did not turn to Moscow or Astrakhan for assistance, despite their previous reliance on Russian support against Khakk-Nazar.
From Moscow, Tsar Ivan IV clarified that there were no consistent contacts with Khakk-Nazar. The Kazakh khan had only once sent envoys along with a Bukhara caravan, and Russian officials had dispatched Tatar emissaries as messengers. Ivan assured the Nogais:
Indeed, no significant Russo-Kazakh ties were observed for some time afterward. However, this was less a result of Nogai diplomacy and more due to Moscow's lack of interest in deepening eastern connections at the time. Meanwhile, the Russian government remained better informed about steppe affairs than the Nogais suspected, disregarding claims that relations between the Nogais and Girays were impossible.
On the Spring of 1577, Haqnazar Khan invaded the territory of the Nogai Horde, attacking the camps of Ak-Mirza and Bek-Mirza, which their herds were seized, and five people were captured. The fifth was released by the orders of and to deliver a message: Haqazar Khan had made peace with Tashkent and Urgench and was now waging war against them. The Kazakh Khanate attacked Saray-Jük, claiming control over the city, and seized all lands east of the Yaik River.
In a report delivered on the November of 1577 by Ivan Myasoyedov from Crimea, stating:
Another article, dated April, describes a letter from Tinakhmat to Kazy-Murza, a vassal of the Crimean Khan, about Haqnazar KhanâÂÂs capture of Saray-Jük and the flight of Nogai rulers. The letter requested assistance from the Crimean Khan. Myasoyedov himself doubted the reliability of these reports, noting TinakhmatâÂÂs reluctance to align with Russian lands, despite previous demands from the Crimean Khan.
Haqnazar Khan also actively fought against the Sibir Khan, Kuchum. Through a series of campaigns, he managed to annex territories in the upper reaches of the Tobol and Irtysh Rivers. Additionally, a significant part of the Bashkir uluses, previously under the rule of the Khanate of Kazan and Khanate of Sibir were subjugated.
The Nogai leaders were aware of the Kazakh KhanâÂÂs ambitions. Rumors of HaqnazarâÂÂs possible alliances with the Crimean Tatars and Russians worried them. To Din-Ahmed, the possibility of a KazakhâÂÂCrimeanâÂÂRussian coalition was particularly alarming, as it could leave the Nogais geopolitically encircled by powerful neighbors.