The Chagatai Khanate was one of the significant Mongol states that existed in Central Asia from the mid-thirteenth century to the end of the seventeenth century. Initially subordinate to the Great Khanate, it later emerged as an independent political power. The spread of Islam within the khanate, administrative and economic reforms, and internal political struggles directly influenced its development. Over time, the khanate split into Western and Eastern parts and gradually disappeared from the historical scene during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

This article analyzes the historical development of Chagatai Khanate studies conducted in Turkey and worldwide through a systematic literature review. Monographs, encyclopedia entries, scholarly articles, and translated works published since the nineteenth century were examined. In particular, the works of D’Ohsson, Barthold, Grousset, Rıza Nur, Zeki Velidi Togan, and Mustafa Kafalı were identified as having a significant place in this field. The study reveals that since 2000, and especially after 2010, the number and quality of studies on the Chagatai Khanate have increased considerably. Recent research has expanded beyond political history to include social, economic, and cultural aspects of the khanate. As a result, Chagatai Khanate studies have evolved into an independent field of research and gained an important place in understanding the history of Central Asia.