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54-680: In 1864, after the end of the century-long Russian-Circassian War between the Circassians ( Adyghes ) who formed the historical population of Circassia and the Russian Empire , a major part of the Shapsugs, who lived on Black Sea coast from modern Sochi to Tuapse , were either killed in the Circassian Genocide or expelled to the Ottoman Empire like the other Circassian tribes. Because

108-570: A Russian fortress. Thus began the first hostilities between the Circassians and the Russian Empire. While some Kabardian (Eastern Circassian) nobles wanted to fight the Russians, arguing they could convince the Ottomans and Crimea to help them, other nobles wanted to avoid fighting with Russia and try to make peace. In January 1764, several Kabardian nobles including Atajuq Misost Bematiqwa met with

162-428: A military operation against Russia, but many other Kabardian nobles did not want a war and wanted to surrender. In the middle of 1768, fifteen of these Kabardian princes who decided to surrender reported to Kizlyar that they were ready to "take an oath" of allegiance to Russia. Misost Bematiqwa, not wanting to surrender or convert to Christianity, refused. Bematiqwa's resistance was strengthened when on 18 October 1768,

216-568: A result of this unification of the Kabardino-Nogai-Cossack campaign for discovery, 164 settlements were defeated, judging by the Russian chronicles. The Ingush went to the mountains again. Kabardians settled on their former territory. Circassia was a key strategic location amidst the power struggle between the emerging Russian Empire, established England and France , and the failing Ottoman Empire . Russia set her sights on expansion along

270-574: A smaller number of scholars is that proper warfare began in 1817 with the arrival of Aleksey Yermolov , and prior to that it was merely clashes. During the reign of Catherine II , the Imperial Russian Army started entering Circassian soil and Russia started building forts in an attempt to quickly annex Circassia. On 17 July (O.S.), 1763, Russian forces entered the town of Mezdeug (modern-day Mozdok ) in Eastern Circassia, turning it into

324-718: The Black Sea , he seized ports on the Kuban and looted and pillaged them. Then, he marched up along the Kuban River , pillaging villages. During this single invasion in Circassia, the Russians killed 43,247 Circassian men and women, and drove away 39,200 horses, 190,000 cattle and 227,000 sheep from Circassia. Russia kept waging this type of warfare against Circassia during the period from 1711 to 1763, but this type of operations were not in order to annex Circassia, but rather raid it. Although Peter I

378-570: The Circassian diaspora . While the war was initially an isolated conflict, Russian expansion through the entire region soon drew a number of other nations in the Caucasus into the conflict. As such, the war is often considered the western half of the Caucasus War . During the war, the Russian Empire did not recognize Circassia as an independent polity , instead seeing Circassia as part of Russia, which

432-532: The Ottoman Empire , the remaining Shapsugs who survived abandoned their remained coastal villages to the eastern mountains of Shapsugia to protect themselves from the tyranny of their occupiers, the Zaporozhian Cossacks . Later the descendants of these Cossacks renamed themselves Kuban Cossacks and adopted the Circassian dress and uniform to falsify the history of the Kuban and Circassia and to depicts

486-963: The Pacific Ocean , capes in the Amur Liman and on the Unimak Island , a former island in the Aral Sea , a bay and a port in the Sea of Japan , bay and sea in the South Ocean , a settlement near Sochi and other locations bear Lazarev's name. Russian and Soviet navies had ships named after the admiral: Lazarev is buried with his disciples Nakhimov, Kornilov and Istomin in the Admirals' Burial Vault in Sevastopol. A minor planet 3660 Lazarev , discovered by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh in 1978,

540-402: 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

594-582: The Russian-Turkish War , Sheikh Mansur moved to Circassia, and started Western Circassian resistance against Russia. He led the Circassians in assaults against Russian forces. The Russian army entered Circassia again after the Battle of Jilehoy and raided the Abaza , Besleney , Chemguy and Hatuqway regions in 1787, successfully defeated the regional Circassian armies and burned near a hundred villages. In 1788,

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648-570: The Russo-Swedish War of 1808–1809 and Patriotic War of 1812 . Lazarev first circumnavigated the globe in 1813–1816, aboard the vessel Suvorov ; the expedition began at Kronstadt and reached Alaska . During this voyage, Lazarev discovered the Suvorov Atoll . As a commander of the ship Mirny and Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen 's deputy on his world cruise in 1819–1821 (Bellingshausen commanded Vostok ), Lazarev took part in

702-565: The Balka River, was attacked on 29 September 1779, and was occupied with the loss of the Kabardian defenders as well as 2,000 horses, 5,000 cattle and 5,000 sheep. About 50 tribal elites died in this conflict. On October 10, 1779, the principalities of Chemguy, Besleney, and Kabarda coordinated an offensive together. The leaders were Misostiqo Bat and Qownshayiqo Adildjeri. As a result, Russian armies temporarily withdrew from Circassia. In 1781,

756-660: The Black Sea Fleet, the Black Sea ports, and also military governor of Sevastopol and Nikolayev . Admiral Lazarev exercised great influence both in technical matters and as a mentor to younger officers. He advocated the building of a steam-powered fleet, but Russia's technical and economic backwardness hindered his plans. He tutored a number of Russian fleet commanders, including Pavel Nakhimov (1802-1855), Vladimir Alexeyevich Kornilov (1806-1854), Vladimir Istomin (1810-1855), and Grigory Butakov (1820-1882). An atoll in

810-469: The Black Sea had become very important for Russian trade, being responsible for a third of its exports. The date of the outbreak of the Russian-Circassian War has been a matter of debate by historians. Most scholars agree that organised warfare happened after 1763 when Russia established forts in Circassian territory, but small-scale conflicts had been going on since 1711. Another view held by

864-472: The Black Sea, and England sought to reduce Russia's ability to take advantage of the declining Ottoman Empire, known as the Eastern Question . In order to counter Persian influence in the region, Russia would require shipyards on the Black Sea, which made Circassia, with its coastline, a target. The Circassian territories were particularly attractive to the Russians due to their fertile valleys, and by 1853

918-452: The Circassian people. The Circassian-Russian alliance was damaged and eventually broken when the Circassians converted to Islam and adopted a more pro-Ottoman policy. On 13 May 1711, Tsar Peter I ordered Araksin, Governor of Astrakhan, to pillage Circassia. Araksin moved with 30,000 strong Russian armed forces and, on 26 August 1711, broke into the lands of the Circassians, and captured Kopyl town (now Slavianski). From there, heading towards

972-566: The Circassians. On 29 May (O.S.), 1791, Russian troops led by Ivan Gudovich crossed the Kuban and entered Circassia to capture the Anapa castle. The Russian camp was established in June. Mikhail Lazarev Admiral Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev ( Russian : Михаил Петрович Лазарев ; 14 November [ O.S. 3 November] 1788 – 23 April [ O.S. 11 April] 1851 )

1026-621: The Crimean Khanate with the 1774 Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca . Following these events, Russian presence in the region got stronger, and the Circassians requested help and alliance from the Ottomans. In 1776 the Russian army built several forts in Terek to encircle the Kabardian Circassians from the north. The Circassians managed to gather a 14,000 strong army and won back several forts. From 1777

1080-516: The Golden Horde, Timur's hordes, Kalmyks, Nogais, Kumyks and Adygs alternately replaced each other. The Ingush were partially exterminated, partially driven into the mountains. However, all these years they did not abandon their attempts to return to the plain. The Ingush got this opportunity in the 15th–16th centuries. This campaign was directed against the Ingush societies that left the mountains after

1134-582: The Kabardia region. In 1784, Sheikh Mansur , an imam in Chechnya who wanted to unite all Caucasian peoples against Russia, declared holy war against Russia. Angered, the Russian troops plundered and burned his village to the ground. Soon, Chechen fighters won the Battle of the Sunja . In 1786, Russian forces abandoned the new fort of Vladikavkaz , and did not occupy it again until 1803. From 1787 to 1791, during

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1188-599: The Kabardian princes to help the Kuban serasker in the upcoming campaign to Russia. In January 1769, the Kizlyar commandant, Major General N. A. Potapov, sent a letter to Bematiqwa putting pressure on him to stop listening to the Ottoman caliph and surrender. In the same year, a Russian army fought a battle against the Kabardian Circassians with the support of the Kalmyk Khan 's 20,000 cavalrymen, and were victorious as they destroyed

1242-575: The Kabardians became even more precarious when Russia occupied the Kuban in 1781 and annexed the Crimea in 1783. Many Tatars, the erstwhile enemies, took refuge in Circassia. Sensing the threat posed by Russia, the Circassians and Nogais launched joint attacks on the Russians in the Western Caucasus in 1784, but no success was achieved. Between 1783 and 1785, Russian forces led by General Potyomkin attacked

1296-501: The Kabardians. As a result of the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) , the Ottomans had forces in Circassia. They were seen as fellow Muslim allies by the Circassians. The Cossacks defended the village of Naur against a strong Circassian-Turkish combined army of 8,000 men. The Circassian Revolution began in 1770. In 1771, Circassians under the command of Soqur Qaramirza burned many Cossack and Russian barracks. A battle took near

1350-604: The Kuban and established their own villages The remaining Shapsugs returned to their regions in the Circassian Coast on the Black Sea , and established newer ones in the place of their previous burned villages between 1870 and 1880. The Shapsug National District was established on the 6 September 1924 as a part of the Black Sea Okrug of the South-Eastern Oblast . The district contained around 3400 Shapsugs , and

1404-635: The Kuban civilizations are related to the Cossacks not the Circassians and the Russians . The other motive for Shapsugs settling the mountains was to keep resisting and striking against Russians outposts on the Circassian Black Sea coast. When the Shapsugs felt that the resistance was impossible due to the severing of marine logistics lines and to the lack of weapons, they stopped resisting. Some went to settlements previously occupied by other Adyghe tribes in

1458-577: The Malka River on 29 September 1771. The Russians under General Yakobi won the battle. In 1772, a serious collision took place. In the fort Kizlar of the Russian army there were 10,000 soldiers. The battle occurred on Daghestan territory. Both sides suffered serious losses as finally the Russians emerged victorious. In the same year, 1772, the Kabardian princes sent another embassy to the Crimean Khan Devlet-Girey, calling him to assist them in

1512-657: The Ottoman sultan, who had declared war on Russia, sent a letter to Bematiqwa stating that he, as caliph, orders that all the Muslim peoples of the Caucasus should officially rise to war with Russia, obey the Crimean Khan as their commander, and together with the Nogais, defeat Russia. In December 1768, Muhammad-aga, the personal envoy of the Crimean Khan, arrived in Kabarda. The Crimean Khan asked

1566-650: The Ottomans, in Circassia, built a strong fortress in order to ensure Turkish influence in Circassia and as a base for future operations against Russia in the Kuban and the Don, as well as in the Crimea. In 1782, Ferah Ali Pasha arrived in the Soghujaq Castle in Western Circassia as a missionary and diplomat from the Ottoman Empire with the aim of Islamizing some Circassians who were still not Muslims. The position of

1620-557: The Russians besieged the Bighurqal (Anapa) castle, but failed. In 1787, Circassian envoys led by Tatarkhan Kurighoqo and Sidak Jankat requested a meeting with the Russians to secure a solution, but they were denied. The Russians sent the envoys back. In 1790, a large Russian army led by General Yury Bogdanovich Bibikov crossed the Kuban River and entered the territory of Western Circassia. Bibikov managed to reach Anapa, but failed to capture

1674-464: The Russians built a line of forts from Mozdok northwest to Azov . The presence of Cossacks in former grazing lands slowly converted traditional raiding from a kind of ritualized sport into a serious military struggle. In 1778, a battle took place between the Russian troops under the command of Colonel Kulbakov and the Circassians. In 1779, general Yakobi conducted an offensive in Kabarda, which lasted all summer. The Circassian region of Kabardia, near

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1728-511: The Russians. In 1557, Temryuk Idar of Eastern Circassia allied with the Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible and built a defense against possible enemies. Circassians were Christians during this period and Islam had not begun to spread. In 1561, Ivan the Terrible married Goshenay , daughter of Temryuk , and named her Mariya. Because of his alliance with Russia, in several narratives, Temryuk

1782-440: The Shapsugs were one of the most stubborn enemies of the Russian Empire , they suffered more than the other Circassian tribes. They were the last of their alliance to surrender to the occupiers' army, and kept resisting the Russians in a holy war, for more than 20 years after the end of the Russian-Circassian War in 1864. As a result of the tsars policy to kill the Circassian people in the Circassian Genocide or expel them to

1836-509: The campaign as “one of the most vital tasks in Russian history .” In 1861, Russian Tsar Alexander II publicly declared the imperial policy as the expulsion of all Circassians; followed by the state implementation of settler-colonial Russification and Christianization programs across Caucasus . Circassians, Christianised through Byzantine influence between the 5th and 6th centuries, were generally in alliance with Georgians and both Georgians and Circassians wanted to keep good relations with

1890-534: The castle. He also suffered heavy losses during his retreat. After this defeat, Bibikov was removed from his post and Circassian attacks on Russian forts increased significantly. At the same year, Russian armies entered the Bzhedugh region and burnt several villages. The Russians introduced courts in Kabarda in the early 1790s and declared that the Adyghe Xabze , the Circassian law, has been removed. This greatly angered

1944-500: The center of the district was the coastal city of Tuapse . Its area was around 462 square kilometres (178 sq mi). In the beginning of 1925, the district was divided into 4 village councils (Karpovskij [Карповский], Kičmaj [Кичмай], Krasno-Aleksandrovskij [Красно-Александровский], and Pseušxo [Псеушхо]). The South-Eastern Oblast was abolished on October 16, 1924, and the district was transferred to newly established North Caucasus Krai . In July 1930, okrugs were abolished, and

1998-485: The conflict, and Russian state media and officials have gone as far as to claim that the conflict "never happened” and they have also claimed that Circassia "voluntarily joined Russia in the 16th century". Several Russian imperial historians have recorded the expulsion and extermination campaign against Circassians by Russian military during the 1860s. Adolf Berzhe portrayed the expulsion of Circassians as essential for "Russian security" while Rostislav Fadeyev described

2052-481: The departure of Timur the Lame and mastered their foothill plane from the beginning of the 15th century. In 1562, the Kabardian prince Temryuk Idarovich undertook an aggressive campaign against the Ingush , who lived in anticipation. Detachments of Nogai Murzas come to his aid. The Russian Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible, married to Temryuk's daughter Maria, sent 1,000 Cossacks under the command of Grigory Pleshcheev to help him. As

2106-489: The discovery of Antarctica and numerous islands. On 28 January 1820 the expedition discovered the Antarctic mainland, approaching the Antarctic coast at the coordinates 69°21′28″S 2°14′50″W  /  69.35778°S 2.24722°W  / -69.35778; -2.24722 and seeing ice-fields there. In 1822–1825, Lazarev circumnavigated the globe for the third time on his frigate Kreyser , conducting broad research in

2160-529: The district center was transferred to Soviet-Kvadzhe , and in January 1934, Lazarevskoye was transferred to Shapsug National District as well and became the district center. In 1945, the Shapsug National District was renamed Lazarevsky District and it ceased to be a national district. The Shapsug called it Psyṣ̂wap ( Adyghe : Псышӏуап ) instead of Lazarevsky because Lazarevsky was named for one of

2214-510: The district was directly subordinated to the krai. In 1930, the center of the Shapsug National District was transferred to Krasno-Aleksandrovskoye (today Kalezh  [ ru ] ), and the district was divided into 8 village councils (Kamir-Astrovskij [Камир-Астовский], Karpovskij [Карповский], Kičmajskij [Кичмайский], Krasno-Aleksandrovskij [Красно-Александровский], Lazarevskij [Лазаревский], Psebinskij [Псебинский], Pseušxovskij [Псеушховский], and Sovet-Kvadže [Совет-Квадже]). In March 1931,

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2268-921: The enemies of the Circassian nation, Mikhail Lazarev , who facilitated the invasion and conquest of Circassia, and put a siege over it during the Russian-Circassian War. In 1961, the district was subordinated to the city of Sochi and is currently known as Lazarevsky City District . Russian-Circassian War [REDACTED] Russian Empire [REDACTED] Russian Imperial Army Before 1860: [REDACTED] Circassian Cavalry Units [REDACTED] Irregular military [REDACTED] Abreks [REDACTED] Murtaziqs (1848–1859) After 1860: [REDACTED] Circassian Confederational Army Foreign volunteers [REDACTED] Military casualties: 43,000–90,000 in combat (Estimate) [REDACTED] Civilian casualties: 1763–1818: 315,000+ Surviving Destroyed or barely existing The Russo-Circassian War , also known as

2322-596: The fields of meteorology and ethnography . In 1826, Lazarev became commander of the ship Azov , which would sail to the Mediterranean Sea as the flagship of the First Mediterranean Squadron under command of Admiral Login Petrovich Geiden and participated in the Battle of Navarino in 1827. Lazarev received the rank of rear admiral for his excellence during the battle. In 1828–1829, he

2376-414: The inevitable war against tsarist Russia. However, in June 1774, despite nominally being allies, the Crimean Khanate attacked Circassia. A large Crimean army led by Khan Devlet-Girey and Kalga Shabaz-Girey attacked Kabarda and the Battle of Beshtamak took place. The Crimean horde entered Mozdok and hit the nearby villages, which were occupied and ruined by them. The Ottoman Empire lost its protection over

2430-493: The longest war both Russia and Circassia have ever fought and the longest war in the Caucasus region. During and after the war, the Russian Empire employed a genocidal strategy of systematically massacring civilians which resulted in the Circassian genocide where up to 3,500,000 Circassians were either killed or forcibly expelled to the Ottoman Empire (especially to modern-day Turkey ; see Circassians in Turkey ), creating

2484-739: The representative of the Russian Kizlyar commandant N. A. Potapov and unsuccessfully demanded the demolition of the Mozdok fortress built by the Russians. If the Russian government refused, the Kabardian princes threatened to seek alliance with the Crimean Khan against Russia. Also in 1764, Kabardian Circassian knights Keysin Keytiqo and Kundeyt Shebez-Giray also met with Catherine II in Saint Petersburg. They informed her that "the military build-up in Mezdeug

2538-531: The upper reaches of the Kumy river. Bematiqwa and his associates, in need of allies, turned to the Crimean Khan Devlet Giray for help. The Khan promised to send a small detachment, however, before that happened, the Russian lieutenant general Johann de Medem sent detachments of Cossacks and Kalmyk cavalry against the Kabardians. In an unequal battle on the river Eshkokon, the superior Russian forces defeated

2592-546: The whole Kabardian army. Another major battle took place in the Nartsane area in June 1769, when a large Russian army entered Kabardia and took up positions near the Pashtu mountains. Circassian forces under the leadership of Misost Bematiqwa retreated as both sides suffered losses. At this point, the anti-Russian group, which refused to cooperate with the Russian tsarist government, was headed by Bematiqwa. He and his supporters moved to

2646-666: Was a Russian fleet commander and an explorer . Lazarev was born in Vladimir city, a scion of the old Russian nobility from the Vladimir province. In 1800, he enrolled in Russia 's Naval College. Three years later he was sent to the British Royal Navy , where he would stay for a continuous five-year navigation. From 1808 to 1813, Lazarev served in the Baltic Fleet . He took part in

2700-471: Was described as a tyrant who only cared about his rule. Although there had previously been a small Muslim presence in Circassia, significant conversions came after 1717, when Sultan Murad IV ordered the Crimeans to spread Islam among the Circassians. Islam gained much more ground later as conversion came to be used to cement defensive alliances to protect their independence against Russian expansion. Despite this, there were still Pagans and Christians among

2754-403: Was in charge of the Dardanelles blockade . In 1830, Lazarev returned to Kronstadt and became a commander of naval units of the Baltic Fleet. Two years later, he was made Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet . In February–June 1833, Lazarev led a Russian squadron to the Bosporus and signed the Treaty of Hünkâr İskelesi with the Ottoman Empire . In 1833, Lazarev was appointed Commander of

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2808-459: Was unable to annex Circassia in his lifetime, he laid the political and ideological foundation for the occupation to take place. After the Mongols and Timur, the Ingush began to develop their foothill plains in the 15th–16th centuries. “In the XIII-XIV centuries. complex processes are taking place on the plain and in the foothills of the North Caucasus: long and unprecedentedly cruel wars, on the flat part of Ingushetia such nomads and semi-nomads as

2862-414: Was unacceptable, the region has been a land of Circassians, the situation would create hostility and conflict". She refused diplomacy and the envoys were sent back. On 21 August 1765, the citizens of Circassia were instructed by Russian General De-Medem to accept Russian control or face the Russian army. In 1765, Kabardian Circassians occupied the fortress of Kizlyar. In June 1767, Misost Bematiqwa started

2916-436: Was under rebel occupation, despite the fact that the polity was not and had never been under Russian control. Russian generals did not refer to the Circassians by their ethnic name. Instead, they called the Circassians "mountaineers", "bandits", and "mountain scum". The war has been subjected to historical revisionism and it has also garnered controversy due to the fact that later Russian sources mostly ignored or downplayed

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