| Crimean-Circassian War (1525) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Crimean-Circassian Wars | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Kabardia (East Circassia) |  Crimean Khanate | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Idar Andeimirqan Tkhemuj Ianqot | Saadet I Giray | ||||||
The Bakhchisarai War or Crimean-Circassian War of 1525 was a military conflict between the Crimean Khanate and the Kabardian Principality. [1]
Prince Inal had established a strong nation in the fifteenth century and early sixteenth century, uniting all Circassians, and Abkhazians. [2] [3] However, after his death civil war ensued just like his predecessor. He dominated the North Caucasus and established diplomatic contacts with the Ottoman Empire, and the Kabardian Circassians. [4]
Bakhchisarai, located in the southwest of the Peninsula, saw a victorious campaign bringing back great spoil, including 100 chariots packed full with cloth, a precious commodity at the time. [1] Andeimirqan (b. circa 1509), legendary Kabardian hero. He led the elite force of the Kabardians during the Bakhchisarai Campaign, supporting the cavalry and the two-wheeled war chariots. His leadership and strategic acumen were crucial in securing victory and bringing back significant spoils from the campaign. [1]
Circassia, also known as Zichia, was a country and a historical region in Eastern Europe. It spanned the western coastal portions of the North Caucasus, along the northeastern shore of the Black Sea. Circassia was conquered by the Russian Empire during the Russo-Circassian War (1763–1864), after which approximately 99.5-99.8% of the Circassian people were either exiled or massacred in the Circassian genocide.
The Circassians or Circassian people, also called Cherkess or Adyghe are a Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation who originated in Circassia, a region and former country in the North Caucasus.
Kabardian, also known as East Circassian, is a Northwest Caucasian language, that is considered to be the east dialect of Adyghe language. While some Soviet linguists have treated the two as distinct languages, the Circassians consider the eastern and western language variants to be dialects of one Circassian language.
The Kabardians or Kabardinians are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag. They are also commonly known by the plural terms Kabardin, Kebertei, or Kabarday. Along with the Besleney tribe, they speak a distinctive dialect of Circassian. Historically the Kabardians lived in Kabardia, a region of the north Caucasus. In modern times the Kabardians live mostly in the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, which partly corresponds to the historic region.
Grand Principality of Great Kabarda or East Circassia was a historical country in the North Caucasus corresponding partly to the modern Kabardino-Balkaria. It had better political organization than its neighbors and existed as a political community from the fifteenth century until it came under Russian control in the early nineteenth century after the Russo-Circassian War.
The Hatuqway are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag. They were known for their art of war as a warrior tribe. After the Russo-Circassian War, their presence in the Caucasus was destroyed during the Circassian genocide, and their number was significantly decreased and today they exist only in small communities in various diasporas, and their names are not mentioned anymore in Circassian dialectology.
The Circassian genocide, or Tsitsekun, was the systematic mass killing, ethnic cleansing, and expulsion of between 95% and 97% of the Circassian people during the final stages of the Russian invasion of Circassia in the 19th century. It resulted in the deaths of between 625,000 and 1.5 million and the destruction of Circassia, which was then annexed by the Russian Empire. Those planned for extermination were mainly the Circassians, who are predominantly Muslims, but other Muslim Caucasian peoples were also affected, as part of the Caucasian War. Notable killing methods used by the Imperial Russian Army in Circassia included impalement and tearing open the bellies of pregnant women in order to intimidate the Circassians and devastate their morale. Many Russian generals, such as Grigory Zass, described the Circassians as "subhuman filth" and a "lowly race" to justify and glorify their wholesale slaughter and their use as human test subjects in unethical scientific experiments. Russian soldiers were also permitted to rape Circassian women.
The Russo-Circassian War, also known as the Russian invasion of Circassia, was the invasion of Circassia by Russia, starting in 1763 (O.S) with the Russian Empire assuming authority in Circassia, followed by the Circassian refusal, and ending 100 years, 10 months and 6 days later with the last army of Circassia defeated on 21 May 1864 (O.S), making it exhausting and casualty-heavy for both sides. The Russo-Circassian War was the longest war both Russia and Circassia have ever fought and the longest war in the Caucasus region.
Sahib I Giray was Khan of Kazan for three years and Khan of Crimea for nineteen years. His father was the Crimean Khan Meñli I Giray. Sahib was placed on the throne of Kazan by his ambitious brother Mehmed of Crimea and driven out of Kazan by the Russians. He became Khan of Crimea with Ottoman support and was expelled by the Turks for disobedience. During his reign Crimean troops fought for the Turks and also fought in the North Caucasus. In 1532-1584, during the long reigns of Sahib I Giray, Devlet I Giray and Mehmed II Giray, Crimea was at the height of its power.
Inal Nekhu was the Supreme Prince (King) of Circassia from 1427 to 1453 who unified all Circassians into one state. He led campaigns into several countries and expanded borders on all directions. He was the founder of several Circassian tribes, mainly Kabardia, Besleney, Temirgoy, Zhaney, and Hatuqwai.
The Besleney are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag. By character, culture and language, the Besleney are closest to Kabardians. The noble families of the Besleney were Kanoko and Shaloho, ancestors of Kabardian Prince Beslan,, who established his own tribe of the same name.
Prince Idar was a Circassian ruler of the Caucasus. He was the son of Prince Inarmaz, and the grandson of Prince Tabula. Prince Inarmaz himself was the eldest of the three grandsons of Prince Inal. His rule spanned over the period of 1525 to 1540.
Kurgoqo Atajuq was the Kabardian Supreme Prince between 1695 and 1709.
Qaplan I Giray was three times khan of the Crimean Khanate. He was the son of Selim I Giray and thus one of the six brothers who ruled for most of the period from 1699 to 1743. During his first reign he was defeated by the Kabardians. His second reign ended when he did not fully support the Turks in the Balkans. During his third reign Russia invaded Crimea and burned its capital. He and his brothers, as members of the House of Giray, were direct patrilineal descendants of Tuqa-timur, son of Jochi Khan, the founder of the Golden Horde.
The Temryuk War or Crimean-Circassian War of 1551–1556 was a military conflict between the Crimean Khanate and the Kabardian Principality.
The Crimean-Circassian Wars of 1479–1490 were a series of military conflicts between the Crimean Khanate and the Kabardian Principality.
The Azov War or Crimean-Circassian War of 1501–1502 was a military conflict between the Crimean Khanate and the Kabardian Principality.
The Battle of Beshtamak was a military conflict between the Crimean Khanate led by Devlet IV Giray and the Kabardian Principality led by Jankhot.
Misost Bematiqwa was a member of the Kabardian royal family and the Atajuq family. He was the Grand Prince between 1785 and 1788.
The Conquests of Inal the Great represent a series of campaigns led by Inal the Great in the Caucasus during the early 15th century, aimed at uniting Circassian lands and expanding Circassian influence. Inal's campaigns included significant battles with the Crimean Khanate, Golden Horde, and Georgian states, resulting in the consolidation of Circassian territories from the Don to the Kuban and the establishment of Circassian dominance in parts of Abkhazia and the North Caucasus.