ASTANA—Kazakhstan celebrates 380 years of a revered Kazakh judge and a master of the word, Aiteke Bi (bi—noble judge). His legal norms introduced to the Kazakh code of law played a crucial role in uniting the nomadic Kazakhs and putting an end to years of bloodshed. Aiteke Bi, the chief bi of the small zhuz.
Aiteke Bi was the chief bi of the small zhuz, one of the three Kazakh tribal alliances, alongside Tole Bi of the great zhuz and Kazybek Bi of the middle zhuz. For nearly 30 years as chief judge, culminating in his time as an adviser to Tauke Khan, Aiteke Bi, who is widely admired, has helped shape Kazakh society through his sharp intellect and fairness. Over three centuries later, his legacy in the foundations of the judiciary still serves as a reminder of the importance of the pursuit of justice.
The making of a great judge Aiteke Bi was born in 1644 in what is now the village of Kyzylsha in Uzbekistan. He spent most of his life in the southern regions between the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers. His family lineage was well-respected in the Kazakh steppe, with his ancestor Oraz Bi serving as one of the closest advisers to Amir Timur, the founder of a vast empire in Central Asia who made Samarkand his capital.
Aiteke Bi’s grandfather, Zhalantos, was regarded as the third most prominent ruler of Samarkand, following Timur and Ulugbek. The court of bis was a very reputable institution that resolved many disputes at an individual level as well as between the nomadic tri.
