Murat Kuchukov Movement | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of Chechen–Russian conflict | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Kalmyk Khanate | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Murat Kuchukov (POW) Amirkhamza Turlov Saltan–beg of Braguny † Chopan–Shavkhal of Endirey Soltan–Makhmud of Aksai | Voivode Velyaminov Fyodor Apraksin Ayuka Khan | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
1,600+ [1] | 8,000 Total: 11,850 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Heavy | Unknown |
The Murat Kuchukov Movement, also known as the 1708 Insurgency in Chechnya or the 1708 Insurgency in the North Caucasus, was caused by the oppressive policies of Russia towards the North Caucasian peoples as well as the teachings and propaganda of the Islamic preacher and military commander Murat Kuchukov, a Bashkir prince who had previously participated in the Bashkir rebellion of 1704–1711.
Although successful at first, Russian and Kalmyk reinforcements at Terki resulted in the defeat of the rebels and the decline of the insurgency. Murat Kuchukov, who started the insurgency, aimed to break through Russian fortress of Terki, travel North and join the Bashkir rebels, but was wounded, captured and eventually executed following his defeat at Terki. [2] [3]
The insurgency was the first major confrontation between the Chechens and Russia.
The royal governors, using the important economic and strategic position of the Terek fortress, imposed various taxes and duties on the highlanders and extorted bribes from them. For example, the Chechens who lived in the Terek fortress had to pay a duty when exporting goods to their fellow tribesmen in the rest of Chechnya. These and other extortions from the administration led to the paralysis of economic activity in a significant part of the region. [4]
Murat Kuchukov was a Bashkir Islamic teacher and military commander from Ufa, who previously took part in the Bashkir rebellion of 1704–1711. During his return from a diplomatic mission in the Ottoman Empire in 1707, he met with the Chechen prince Amirkhamza Turlov in Chechen-Aul, where he decided to stay to preach Islam among the Chechens. [2] [3]
The teachings and propaganda of Murat Kuchukov, who became popular among the North Caucasian peoples, lead to rebellions against Russia and the local princes. Among the rebellious peoples were especially the Aukhs, but also the Aksai, Kumyks, Nogais, the people of Kizlyar, other mountaineer tribes and some Cossacks. The social composition of the rebels also mostly included both poor highlanders and wealthy, who, however, were united by dissatisfaction with the policy of the Russian administration. The rebels were unfamiliar to religious slogans, although they recognized Murat Kuchukov as a Muslim saint. [5]
Soon, under the command of Murat, more than 1,500 [6] to 1,600 [1] armed fighters gathered in order to storm and capture Terki. Aim of the Murat and his attack on the fortress was to break through the Russian defences, travel North, and join the Bashkir rebellion. [6]
The fortress garrison was small and poor equipped, and with that information, Kuchukov successfully stormed and took over most of the fortress on 12 February, 1708. The defenders of Terki suffered heavy losses and were mostly captured and the rebels captured 10 artillery. [1] [3]
The Russian side began to send reinforcements to the defenders of the city. The Kalmyk Khanate under Ayuka Khan did the same, and the new combined army counted 9,850 soldiers. On 26 February, 1708, the defending army inflicted a heavy defeat upon the rebels, who were forced to retreat. Murat Kuchukov himself was wounded and captured, where he was then sentenced to death by hanging. [7] [6]
After the death, the rebels fled South, pursued by Russian troops, who inflicted more losses on them. The defeat at Terki led to the decline of the insurgency. [8]
Chechnya, officially the Chechen Republic, is a republic of Russia. It is situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. The republic forms a part of the North Caucasian Federal District, and shares land borders with Georgia to its south; with the Russian republics of Dagestan, Ingushetia, and North Ossetia–Alania to its east, north, and west; and with Stavropol Krai to its northwest.
The Chechens, historically also known as Kisti and Durdzuks, are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group of the Nakh peoples native to the North Caucasus. They are the largest ethnic group in the region and refer to themselves as Nokhchiy. The vast majority of Chechens are Muslims and live in Chechnya, an autonomous republic within the Russian Federation.
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The Terek Cossack Host was a Cossack host created in 1577 from free Cossacks who resettled from the Volga to the Terek River. The local aboriginal Terek Cossacks joined this Cossack host later. In 1792 it was included in the Caucasus Line Cossack Host and separated from it again in 1860, with the capital of Vladikavkaz. In 1916 the population of the Host was 255,000 within an area of 1.9 million desyatinas.
Grozny Oblast was an administrative entity of the Russian SFSR that was established as Grozny Okrug on 7 March 1944 and abolished on 9 January 1957.
The Chechen–Russian conflict was the centuries-long ethnic and political conflict, often armed, between the Russian, Soviet and Imperial Russian governments and various Chechen forces. The recent phase of the conflict started after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and ended with the oppression of Chechen separatist leaders and crushing of the separatist movement in the republic proper in 2017.
Terki fortress, Terka, or Terek was a Russian fortress in the Caucasus in the 16-18th centuries. It was originally erected at the mouth of the Sunzha river on the lands of the Tyumen Khanate, it was demolished several times, restored and transferred.
Aldaman Gheza was a Chechen feudal lord that lived in Cheberloy, Chechnya in the 17th century. He is a prominent figure in the region and Chechen-Ingush folklore, and celebrated as a hero that protected the Chechen borders from foreign invasions. For example, the victory at the Battle of Khachara is attributed to him as he supposedly led the Chechen forces in the battle against Avar Khanate.
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The Battle of Endirey was a major confrontation between the Russian Empire and its allies with the Chechens and Kumyks and took place in a gorge on the Aktash River near Endirey. An army sent led by Brigadier Andrei Veterani was encircled by a combined Chechen–Kumyk force, as a result of which the corps was defeated and forced to retreat. Another detachment under Colonel Naumov broke into Endirey and destroyed it.
The 1722 Insurgency in Chechnya occurred because of the refusal of the Chechens and the Endirey Khanate to swear allegiance to the Russian Empire, due to the oppression of the highlanders by the Tsarist regime, followed by several raids on the Terek fortress by the former, which led to a Russian campaign against the North Caucasians in July and August 1722.
"Sultan" Murat Kuchukov was a Bashkir Islamic preacher and military commander, known for participating in the 1704–1711 Bashkir rebellion and starting the 1708 Insurgency in Chechnya.
He was descendant of Genghis Khan and due to his knowledge on the dogmas of Islam, he earned himself the nickname "Saint of the Mohammedan law".
The Battle of Terki in 1708 was the successful storming of the Terki fortress by Chechen and other North Caucasian rebels, and the subsequent recapture by Russian and Kalmyk forces following a counter-offensive led by Fyodor Apraksin and Ayuka Khan. The leader of the rebel army, Murat Kuchukov, was wounded, captured, and eventually executed.
The Insurgency in Chechnya may refer to:
Aidemir Bardykhanov, also known as Aidemir Turlov was a prince from the Turlov dynasty and the Senior Prince of the Chechen principality from 1732 to his death in 1746 and was also a Khan of the Endirey Khanate. He is famous for his role in the Battle of Chechen–Aul, where he led Chechen rebels into victory against Russian troops.
Khasbulat Bamatov, Kazbulat Bammatov or Khasbulat Turlov, was a prince from the Turlov dynasty and the Senior Prince of the Chechen Principality from 1728 to his death during the Battle of Chechen–Aul on July 7, 1732. He was succeeded by his rival, Aidemir Bardykhanov. Khasbulat was known for his pro–Russian administration, unlike his predecessors and successor.
The Sheikh Mansur Movement, also known as the 1785–1791 Insurgency in the North Caucasus, was a major war between the Russian Empire and the North Caucasians, caused by the Chechen religious and military leader Sheikh Mansur, who opposed the Russian expansionist policies and wanted to unite the North Caucasians under one, single, Islamic state.
The 1721 Battle of Terki was a battle between Chechen-Kumyk forces led by the princes Aidemir Bardykhanov and Musal Chopalov against the Russian fortress Terki. The attack was repelled and the attackers were forced to retreat.
Amirkhamza Turlov, also known as Amiramza or Amir Garze was a prince from the Turlov dynasty who ruled the Turlov Principality until his retirement in 1728. The beginning of his reign is not known, although it must have been before 1707.
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