Миркасим Усманов

Usmanov (Gosmanov) Mirkasym (born on 31.5.1934, Kulja, now Xinjiang, the Uygur Autonomous region of China- died on 11.10.2010, Kazan), was a historian, archaeographer, member of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan (1992). He was an Honored Scientist of the TASSR (1984), and Honored Worker of the Higher School of the Russian Federation (2003). After graduating from Kazan University (1963), he remained to work as the head of the History of the Pre-Soviet Period Department (1980-89) and later as a professor (1982) in the Department of History of the USSR. He was a pro-rector in 1985-91. In 1989, upon the initiative of Usmanov, the University opened the faculty of Tatar Philology, History, and Oriental Languages, In 1989-2002, he became the head of the Department of History of the Tatar People. Usmanov Mirkasym was one of the organizers and leaders of archaeological expeditions organized by Kazan University (1963-88). From 1988, he was in charge of the University Research Archeographic Laboratory. He was amongst the founders of the Academy of  Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan. He worked on source studies, history, culture and literature of the Turkic peoples of the Volga region and the Urals in the 14th and 19th centuries. He found and introduced into academic research a number of written sources on the medieval history of the Volga region, including the work "at-Tiryak al-Kabir" by Tajaddin Ibn Yunus al-Bulgari, ancient Tatar folklore monuments, whose texts were recorded in the 17th and 19th centuries ("Collection of Chronicles" by Kadyr-Ali-Bek, "The Creation and Chingiz-nama", "Tavarih-I Bolgaria" by Khisametdin ibn Sharafutdin Muslimli, “Tavarih-I Bolgaria” by T. Yalchigul). He actualized the source analysis of the Khan's iarlyk from the Ulus of Jochi of the 14th and 16th centuries, which characterized the social and political system of the Golden Horde. Under the supervision of Usmanov, a collection of Tatar documents of 1773-1775 was compiled and published. This significantly complemented the history of the Peasant War under the leadership of E. Pugachev. On the basis of little-known sources, Usmanov studied and gave a new interpretation of the Tatar enlighteners' heritage, among them were Marjani, H. Faizkhanov, and R. Fakhretdin. He supervised the publication of a series of scientific collections "Shakheslarebez" ("Our Outstanding Personalities"). Usmanov was the author of publicistic works. He translated the fiction by Uighur, Kazakh, and Uzbek Kyrgyz authors (including the story "Jamil" by Ch. Aitmatov, 1966) into Tatar language. He was a member of the Main Editorial Board of the Tatar Encyclopedia and made a great contribution to the creation of this fundamental work. He was the president of the Society of Orientalists of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1997-99). Usmanov was a chairman of the Foundation for the Preservation, Study and Development of the Tatar Language and Culture "Jien" (from 1989). He was awarded the State Prize (2012) for a series of historical and biographical works and for his scientific and editorial activities in the preparation of a series of works about famous personalities. He was a winner of the award "For Outstanding Achievements in Research". Usmanov was a researcher of the Center for Research on Islamic History, Art and Culture of the international organization "Islamic conference" (2008).