Daghestan, Ottomans and Sheikh Shamil Campaign

Whenever Chechnya becomes an issue in world politics, Turks instinctively flash back to Sheikh Shamil, Haci Murad and the disastrous Turco-Russian War of 1877-78, mainly referred to as the War of '93, according to the Islamic calender. Sheikh Shamil is a legendary figure both for nationalist and Islamist youth in Turkey due to his war against the Russians, lasting almost 50 years until his surrender. Gazi Muhammad, Sheikh Shamil's predecessor and Haci Murad, one of Sheikh Shamil's disciples, have been well-known to Turks since the last century of the Ottoman Empire. The people of the Caucasus impressed the Russians to such an extent that Tolstoy wrote a novel entitled "Haci Murad" in which he depicts his betrayal to Sheikh Shamil as instrumental to his surrender to Russian forces. In "Memoirs From the House of the Dead" (Zapiski iz mertvogo doma), Dostoyevsky appraises Ali, a Dagestani who became a prisoner of war of Russian forces during Moscow's expansion towards the Caucasus. For good reasons or bad, the people of the Caucasus have always intrigued the Russians.

Mavi Boncuk |


 

Daghestan, Ottomans and Sheikh Shamil Campaign

Daghestan history have generally been studied together with Caucasian history. Throguh centuries, Caucasia have been attacked by Indo-European tribes from west and by Turan tribes from east. It was especially under the control of those tribes coming from the east of Caspian Sea. Turk and Mongol attacks started in the 4th century and continued at intervals, and it has made great changes in the ethnical and political structure of Caucasia. Khazar and Avar attacks on the Slavs continued from the 4th century to 13th century. Establishing a country between the river Volga and North Caucasia, Khazar Turks invaded Caucasia in th e7th century.

Wars on Daghestan were generally between Abbasid - Emevi Arabs and Khazars and other Turkish tribes. During these years the native settlers, Lezghis, became Muslim and fought against their Chiristian neighbor Georgians. After being conquered by Great Seljuk Empire in th 11th century, Dahgestan lived under the control of Seljuk Empire until being invaded by Mongols in the 13th century. In Seljuk Empire era between 11-13th centuries, they have an important role in Turkizing Daghestan. Later, Ilhan Empire (1256-1353) Altın Orda Khanate ‘1226-1502) Shirvanshakh, Timur Empire (1370-1506 and Safevis took Daghestan under control in order.

Close relations between Daghestan and the Ottomans started through Crimean Khanate in 1475 and it lasted until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. In Sultan Mehmet the Conquerer period, Kefe city was conguered and Crimean Khanate was taken under control by the Ottomans. Then, some Daghestan Begs in this Khanate acknowledged the Ottomans.

Daghestan was conquered by Ozdemiroglu Osman Pasha in 1578 and lived under Ottoman control for 28 years between 1578-1606. Daghestan governors kept close relations with the Ottomans ofter their control. This relations, which will be studied in detail later below, included mutual military aids, assignement of khans and other officials, accepting students for Ottoman Universities (Darülfünun and Darülmaillimin) and in almost all other political, economical, sociological and cultural fields.

The campain by Persians in the beginning of 17th century for spreading Shi’ism reacted severly by Daghestan people. In 1607, Shakh Abbas I invaded Shamahi Fort. The Ottomans left the fort with the condition that nobody would be hurt, Shakh Abbas killed many people. At the beginning of 17th century, Daghestans unionized under the leadership of Colak Surhak Khan of Ghazi Kumukh Khanate, took back the Shamahi fort from Persians and went under the protection of the Ottoman Empire from which they received support during this war against Persians.


Daghestan draw attention of Russia from the 16th century on. In 1722 Tzar Petro I announced war against Iran by claiming Russian traders’ homicide, and Russia invaded Derbent city. Ottoman Empire protested the Tzar Petro because Derbent was under his protection, and wanted Petro to leave the city. Russian forces were stopped near Bakhu city with the help of Ottoman army. But, with the agreement between Iran and Russian in 1724, Derbent and Bakhu were taken under Russian control. Nadir Shakh took bak Derbent in 1732. But after 1747, Russian again tried to control the Caucasia and in 1785 they assigned Caucasian Governor which meant Russian control over the region. With the Gulistan agreement between Russia and Iran, all Daghestan was left to Russia.


But Russia could not control Daghestan for a long time. As Baddeley tells, Imam Mansur, a warrior, leader and mentor from mountains, appeared as rain falls down, and trying to unionized the Highlander tribest, he announced a holy war against Russia. Thus, the campaign was starter by Imam Mansur in 1783, carried on by Ghazi Muhammed in 1794 and later by Hamzat Bek, and lastly by Sheikh Shamil in an intensive way. Being elected as Imam, Sheikh Shamil organized this holy war campaign of Dahgestan people against Russia and fought bravely agains Russians for 25 years. At last, he had to yealded to heavily armed forces under the command of General Bartyatinsky on 25th August 1859.

It was not good for the Caucasian tribes lived as small khanates and could not be organized as a powerful state. Imam Shamil succeeded to unionize these especially Turan origin tribes around religion base, but this unionize could not be successful at the end because the Ottoman Empire was in a dissolving period.

Imam Shamil was more successful director and soldier when compared to his successors who were more eligible than Imam Shamil in respect of religiost subjects. During the Shaikh’s campaign, Russia could only took the control of Caspian Coast and Southern Caucasia. Applying Islamic rules, Sheikh Shamil received the respect of his people by his justice. After establishing a military direction system in Daghestan, Russia founded so called Islamic local courts as an alternative to that of Shaikh’s Islamic courts. But this Russian system was not accepted by Daghestan people and democratic state system founded by Imam Shamil on Islamic basis, lived with all its force.


Though Imam Shamil succeeded in breaking the power of beks and in developing a democratic system, Russians did no development in the slavery system of Daghestan villagers. However Russia abolished this system after two years of Shamil’s captivity. On the contrary, Russan Tzardom preferred attributed bekhs the government in these newly invaded contry as they did in Azerbaijan. When exile, capital punishment, migration and discrimination were addet to this situation, it is quite understandable how Daghestans hated Russian sovereign. It should be a subject to a research that how Imam Shamil succeeded not only in military basis but also in government respect, in such a country including many trbes which were gathered around a common target by Shamil who is still respected by all groups.

After the yieald of Imam Shamil, Russia decided to support the local bekhs against the Imams. Dahgestan war against Russia, continued even not as effective By using the Ottoman-Russian war in 1877, Daghestanis revolted together with Chechen at the same time, and they started a nationalistic movement under the leadership of Abdurrahman Efendi, one of the regencies of Sheikh Shamil. Old national foundation and institution were rebuilt and whole Daghestan was cleared from the Russians. Daghestan people fought severely against Russia with the hope that the Ottoman army would come for help. But, as the war turns in favour of Russians, they suppessed this revolt by new forces taken from Ottoman border.

The second revolt in 1905 did not succeed. The severe resistance of Daghestan people against the use of Russian language, made the Russia gave up this decisian. mecbur bıraktı. After Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, National Committee founded in Timurhan – Shura inn March, took the control of whole Daghestan. Russian left the government with no resistance. Daghestans also attended Caucasia İslamic Assembly held in Bakhu in April 1917. A large Caucasian assembly held in May at Terek-Kale (Vladikafkas) city to which all Caucasian highlandens from Caspian Sea to Black Sea attended. During this assembly it was decided to establish a national state. Then Terek Daghestan Lokal Government was founded. On 11th May 1918, Daghestan announced its independence under the leadership of Abdulmacid Cermoy as Daghestan and North Caucasia Republic with the support of the Ottoman Empire. On 6th October 1918 Derben was taken back and on 13th October 1918, the Daghestan Republic flag was raising over the republic. But, as the Ottoman army left the Caucasia with the Mondros Ceasefire on 30 October 1918, Daghestan was alone and faced the danger for invasion again.

Daghestan’s war first to Tzardom armies and then against Bolsheviks lasted in March 1920. 30 March 1920 Red Army started the invasion of Daghestan and Dahgestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was founded on 20 January 1921. After USSR dissolved, Daghestan still carries its situation as an Autonomous Republic depentand on Russian Federation.