A zhuz is the collective term for the three major tribal confederations of the Kazakh people. Traditional Kazakh society consisted of three zhuzes: the Senior Zhuz (Ұлы жүз), the Middle Zhuz (Орта жүз) and the Junior Zhuz (Кіші жүз).
According to Shokan Ualikhanov, “During the disintegration of the Golden Horde, the Kazakhs formed such large alliances to secure their rights to the lands across which they migrated.” N. A. Aristov, on the other hand, believed that the formation of the zhuzes took place during the Dzungar invasions.
The zhuzes were distinguished by their internal cohesion and their systems of governance. Each zhuz had its own senior biys — respected judges and authorities on traditional Kazakh law. During the era of the Kazakh Khanate, each zhuz is known to have elected its own khans.
The tradition of dividing society into three major groupings has been associated with ancient tribes that inhabited the territory of Kazakhstan. These included the Saka groups known as the Tigraxauda, Haumavarga and Paradaraya.
On the vast territory of Kazakhstan, the formation of such large alliances was driven by political, military and defensive, economic, organisational and administrative needs. It is believed that similar alliances may have begun to emerge during the Kipchak period. The completion of the process of division into zhuzes may have coincided with the formation of the Kazakh people as a distinct ethnic community.
