| Battle of Khankala | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Main Timurid campaign against Simsim | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Princedom of Simsim |  Timurid empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Khour II Makham Other Chechen princes | Timur | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| <40,000 | <100,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 15,000 | 10,000 | ||||||
During the Main Timurid campaign against Simsim in 1395, the main Simsim army, led by Khour II as well as other Chechen nobles clashed with the Timurids led by Timur. The battle resulted in the defeat of the former. [1]
With the victory of Timur during the Battle of the Terek River against the Golden Horde in 1395, he planned on devastating the North Caucasus because of their support for the Mongols in the Tokhtamysh-Timur war. Starting West, Timur undertook a short expedition into Circassia, before sending some of his generals to complete the expedition. Meanwhile, he ravaged the land of the kings Burak Khan, Kuli and T'aus, and Pul Adi. [1] [2] [3]
With the fall of the fortress Pulada, Timur returned to his headquarters in the Pjatigorye region, organizing and preparing his troops for the final campaign in Simsim. Timur announced to the population of Simsim that anyone who obeyed would be pardoned, and anyone who resisted would be executed. However, this threat of the conqueror did not have the expected result, as evidenced by the hostilities that unfolded here
Having won several clashes with the army of Simsim, Timur occupied the area surrounding the Northwest of the Terek River. While moving along the left bank of the Terek River, the Chechens conducted ambushes on his army, however he countered these ambushes by digging defensive trenches. Eventually, he reached the Sunzha River. [1] [4] [5]
The army of the formidable Timur decided to move into the mountains of Chechnya upstream of the Sunzha and Argun. To do this, Timur wanted to cross to the right bank of the Sunzha River, where the city of Grozny is now located. It was here, according to legend, that by order of Timur a bridge was built across the Sunzha, from which the crossing itself across the river in this place was called “Kopir-Astagh Timur”, that is, “the bridge of Timur the lame”. [1] [5]
The two armies clashed in the Khankala gorge, located Southwest of modern-day Grozny. A fierce battle began, however, a far more numerical superiority of the Timurids led to the dominance of the latter on the battlefield. Realizing this, Khour II retreated his forces, planning to conduct a Guerrilla campaign against the army of Timur. However, while trying to retreat, Tamerlane's army inflicted great losses on the Simsim army, almost leading to its complete destruction. [1]
Grozny, also spelled Groznyy or Grozniy, is the capital city of Chechnya, Russia.
Throughout the 13th and 14th century, the ancestors of the Vainakh people, the Durdzuks, among different states and factions, waged a brutal and fierce war against the Mongol Empire, who sought to occupy the lands of the Vainakh. Despite the inferiority in numbers and weapons, the Durdzuks managed to mostly keep their independence, although this also came at a heavy cost, as their resistance resulted in mass amounts of death among the Durdzuks and the destruction of their states, but also greatly shaped the people they would later become. The access to the lowlands was also lost, thus forcing the Durdzuks to adapt to their new situation, such as terracing plots of land and covering them in soil.
The Battle of the Valerik River on 11 July 1840 was fought as part of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus. It occurred about 30 km southwest of the fortress of Groznaya between forces of the Imperial Russian Army and North Caucasian mountaineers led by the naib (viceroy) Ahberdila Muhammad. It remains famous because of the poem "Valerik" by Mikhail Lermontov, a participant.
Simsim was either a historical region or kingdom in North Caucasus during the Middle Ages, existing in the fourteenth century. It's predominantly localized roughly in Eastern Chechnya (Ichkeria), with some also connecting part of Kumyk Plain. Simsim is also localized in both Chechnya and Ingushetia. Its name may have been derived from the Chechen village of Simsir. However, according to folklore the King Gayur Khan was chosen as the leader of all Chechens by the Mehk-Kel. In its later years it allied itself with the Golden Horde before it was destroyed in 1395 by Timurlane, with that conquest of Timurlane being written about in the Zafarnama by Nizam al-Din Shami and the Zafarnama by Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi.
Gayur Khan or Kyr Bek was the king of Simsir in the 14th century. He was involved in the Timurid invasion of the Caucasus and was recorded in the two Persian chronicles: Zafarnama by Nizam al-Din Shami and the Zafarnama by Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi.
The Timurid invasions of Simsim were a series of military conflicts between the Timurid Empire and the Princedom of Simsim as well as their allies between the years 1386–1437. Due to Simsim's relations with the Golden Horde as well as their support for the Horde during the Tokhtamysh-Timur war, Timur invaded the Princedom and nearly destroyed it, taking away its vassals as well as occupying the lowlands of modern-day Chechnya and Ingushetia. Despite the numerical and technological inferiority, however, resistance continued in the mountains of Simsim, where, after a series of successful counter-campaigns conducted by Surakat and George V of Georgia, the Timurids were driven out of the land. The Avakhar Chechens, separate from Simsim, also took part in this conflict, first on the side of the Timurid Empire, but then went on to show support for their neighbor, thus resulting in Timur's campaign in Avakhar and the devastation of modern-day Dagestan. Timur's invasions of Simsim was a significant event in the history of the Vainakh people and greatly shaped the people they became. Today, many famous Chechen legends such as the Sword of reconciliation date back to the wars against Timur. The physical, material and cultural losses of the Vainakh people were so great that the historical link of times and cultures was once again broken. Overcrowding and lack of arable land caused the Chechens to devise methods to adapt to their new situation, including terracing plots of land and covering them with soil.
Surakat Sado-Orsoy was the ruler of the Avar Khanate from the early 1360s to 1396 and the prince ("Ela") of the Princedom of Simsim from 1396 to the early 1430s. He was the brother of Khour II and also his tributary. In 1396, following his defeat during Timur's campaign in mountainous Dagestan, he was forced to flee Avaria along with his entire family for Simsir, where he rebuilt his power, and, after allying with the Kingdom of Georgia, carried out several successful attacks on Timur's army in the mountains of today's Chechnya.
The Siege of Maghas was the largest battle during the Mongol invasions of the North Caucasus, which was fought between the Mongol Empire and its allies and the Durdzuketi and the Kingdom of Alania. The historic capital of the Alans and Durdzuks, whose location is strongly debated, was besieged for 3 months, until it eventually fell to the Mongols, who destroyed it afterwards. This resulted in the capitulation and eventual destruction of the Kingdom of Alania and the Principality of Durdzuketi as well as the mass migration of Durdzuks and Alans into the mountains.
Ors was a Chechen feudal lord from the Sado-Orsoy dynasty of Chechnya and the leader of the pro-Mongol Durdzuk administration in the 13th century. In Chechen folklore he is also credited with being the ancestor of the Elistanzhoy. In historical records, he is referred to as Ars-Alan.
Khour I, sometimes also referred to as Mokhtsur was a Chechen leader and self proclaimed ruler of the Durdzuks and Alans from 1241 to 1252 as well as the leader of the Insurgency in Durdzuketi. He belonged to the powerful Sado-Orsoy clan.
Chakh, sometimes also referred to as Chakhig, was a Chechen ruler and the king of the Alans and Durdzuks from 1253 to 1278 as well as the leader of the Uprising of the North Caucasians, which is also commonly referred to as the Dedyakov rebellion. Chakh belonged to the powerful Sado-Orsoy dynasty of Chechnya and was the successor of Khour I. Chakh means "redheaded" in the Chechen language.
Khasi II was a Chechen ruler and the king of the Durdzuks and Alans, although his reign was not recognized by the highlanders. He belonged to the Sado-Orsoy dynasty of Chechnya and was the successor of Chakh.
During the Caucasus raid conducted by the Mongol army led by Subutai and Jebe in 1222, its army clashed with a united force of North Caucasians and Kipchak Turks. The battle ended in a victory for the Mongols and the complete annihilation of the united army. Following their victory, the Mongols ravaged the North Caucasus, before continuing their campaign Northwards.
In 1252, the forces of the Chechen resistance fighters led by Khour I clashed with the armies of the Mongol and their Durdzuk allies on Mt. Sadoy-Lam, near the modern-day Chechen village Selmentauzen. The battle ended in a defeat for the former, resulting in Khour's assassination not long after and the end of the Insurgency in Durdzuketi.
Khasi I, sometimes also referred to as Alpa-Khas was a Chechen ruler and the king of Alania from an unknown date (1200s) to 1241, as well as having have had power and influence in Durdzuketi from the late 1190s to 1241. He belonged to the Sado-Orsoy dynasty of Chechnya and was an important participant in the Mongol invasions of Durdzuketi. The word "Khasi" means "pretty" or "beautiful" in the Chechen language. The personality and later life of Khasi correspond to the historical personality Khan Khusy, mentioned in the chronicle Yuan-Shi.
The Battle of A'rm-Kurt was the 3rd and most brutal battle between in the Insurgency in Aukh and was initially fought between Aukh and the Golden Horde, with the Gazikumukh Shamkhalate joining the battle later on on the side of the Aukhs.
Yanbek was a 14th-century chieftain of Aukh, known for his leadership in the Insurgency in Aukh. He is mentioned in the Aukhar Teptar, a Chechen chronicle from the 16th century.
Maida was the chieftain of Aukh from the last quarter of the 14th century to possibly 1396 and the successor of his father, Yanbek.
The Battle of Gebak-Ghala was the 5th and final battle of the Aukh insurgency and resulted in a victory for Aukh and their allies, granting the Aukhs their independence.
The Battle of Ushkudzhe was the final confrontation between Aukh and the Gazikumukh Shamkhalate with the Timurid Empire. Although fierce fighting, the Aukhs and Gazikumukhs failed to defeat the numerical superior conqueror Timur, who, in retribution for the formers resistance, conducted a campaign in both states, resulting in the end of the Aukh and Gazikumukh struggle against the conqueror.
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