Kho Orluk (also spelled Ho Örlög or Kho Örlök; c. 1580-1644) was a prominent Oirat prince and tayishi (taishi, a high noble title) of the Torghut tribe. He is revered as the leader who orchestrated one of the most remarkable nomadic migrations in history, guiding tens of thousands of Oirat families westward from Dzungaria to the Volga steppes, laying the foundation for the Kalmyk Khanate - the only Buddhist polity in Europe.

In the early 17th century, the Oirat confederation in western Mongolia and Dzungaria faced internal conflicts, pressure from emerging powers like the Dzungars, and disputes over grazing lands. Around 1616-1618, Kho Orluk convinced Torghut nobles and a contingent of Dörbet tribes to undertake a mass migration. Leading an estimated 200,000-250,000 people with their herds, they traversed southern Siberia, followed the Emba River, and reached the fertile pastures along the lower Volga River by the 1630s.[1][2]

Upon arrival, Kho Orluk's forces subdued local Nogai tribes and other Muslim nomads with relative ease, securing the territory. He established alliances with the Russian Tsardom, which welcomed the Oirats as a buffer against southern threats. This migration marked the birth of the Kalmyk people (from the Turkic term for "remnant," referring to those who stayed behind in the west) and their distinct identity as European steppe nomads practicing Tibetan Buddhism.[1][3]

Kho Orluk died in 1644 during a campaign against Nogais in the North Caucasus. He was succeeded by his sons, including Shukhur Daichin, and later his grandson Ayuka Khan, under whom the Kalmyk Khanate reached its zenith in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Kho Orluk's leadership ensured the survival and autonomy of his people for over a century.[2]

Today, Kho Orluk is celebrated in Kalmyk history and folklore as a visionary leader whose bold decision preserved Oirat traditions in a new homeland, making the Kalmyks the westernmost Mongolic group and Europe's sole indigenous Buddhist community.[3]