DOSPAMBET ZHYRAU

DOSPAMBET ZHYRAU (1490-1593) is a zhyrau (singer), commander and batyr. The poet lived in the period of formation of the Kazakh people as a nation and belonged to the military aristocracy of Nogay Orda. He obtained good education meeting the requirements of that epoch and knew whole Desht-i-Kipchak, visited Istanbul and Bakhchisarai.

He participated in many military campaigns, battles between Crimean, Nogay and Kazakh Khanates. Poetic heritage of Dospambet Zhyrau was lost. Some of his works were published in different literary collections. During the Soviet epoch Dospambet Zhyrau?s poems and songs were published in ?Aldaspan? anthology in 1971. His poems tell primarily about war campaigns and eulogize bravest Kazakh warriors. The poet died at the beginning of 1523 near Astrakhan.