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Olzhabai Tolebayuly (1709-1785) was a member of suyindic clan inside the Argyn tribe of the Middle Zhuz. He was a grandson of Aidabol bi. Being the standard-bearer of Abylai-khan. he was noticed during the war against the Dzungars and Chinese. He did a great job to save Abylai Khan when he was captured as a hostage by the Dzungars.

He studied at the Turkestan madrasa and he knew Arabic and Kalmyk fluently. In the memoirs of Academician A. Margulan it is noted that in 1762, he and Olzhabai’s cousin Edige bi, wrote a letter to Catherine II. The letter to the Empress stated that he asked the land for pasture in the territory of a dense forest in the east of the Irtysh.

The scientist A. Margulan wrote a study about the direct descendants of Olzhabai batyr and his ancestors. One of his descendants is Olzhas Suleimenov, who is the famous poet. Father of Olzhabai Tolybai was a bi during the reign of Tauke Khan and died in the battle against the Kalmyks for Turkestan. Mashhur Zhusip, who paid special attention to the history of Olzhabay batyr, in his book Who Owns Saryarka. wrote that it was Zhasybai and Olzhabai who returned the Bayanaul Mountains to Kazakhs. After that. Olzhabai batyr was given a nickname Olzhabai. The mastermind of the Middle Zhuz. Zhasybai was his nephew. Zhasybai batyr showed incredible heroic deeds against thousands of enemy armies and in order not to forget his heroism people called a beautiful lake among the Bayanaul mountains by the name of Zhasybai.

The period of Olzhabai batyr was a difficult time in the history of the Kazakh people that was called Aktaban shubyryndy, Alkalol Sulama. At that time, he was forced to take weapon in his hands from childhood and take part in the defense of the country.

Olzhabai participated in the liberation of Turkestan and Tashkent in 1735, participated in the release of Bayanaul from the troops of Galdan Tseren in 1736 and in the destruction of Chinese troops that invaded the Kazakh land in 1756. His courage was marked in the Battle of Bayanaul with the Kalmyks. Here, Olzhabai, with his nephew Zhasybai, awaits the Kalmyks. At the mouth of the Shaikol crossing, Zhasybai and Olzhabai were waiting for the enemy located at the Lake Toraigyr. At this time, the Kalmyks also found Zhasybai’s troops and attacked them. Zhasybai died in this battle. Hearing about the death of Zhasybai, Olzhabay immediately rushes into the battle. He surrounds the Kalmyks and kills every one of them. Abylai Khan nicknamed him Brave Olzhabai and Neat Chainmail. He was nicknamed Neat Chainmail because the bullets of enemies did not fall on him. Because of his knowledge of languages, he participated in the negotiations when he went to rescue Abylai Khan from captivity.

The flag, with which he valiantly fought in the battlefield, was preserved until 1937. Mausoleum of Olzhabay Batyr is located in the district of Ereimentau.

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