Kabardian Civil War (1615)
The Kabardian Civil War (1615) was a Kabardian internal conflict led by Sholokh I Tepsaruqo, the Grand Prince of Kabardia, and his son Karashay Murza in Lesser Kabardia. The campaign ended in an effective victory for Sholokh and death of many Greater Kabardian princes.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
| Sholokh's Campaign in Greater Kabarda | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Civil Wars in Kabardia | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
|
Greater Kabarda (Principality of Qazi) Tsardom of Russia |
Lesser Kabardia (Talostaney) Nogai Horde[9] Tarki Shamkhalate | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Qazi Shiapshoqo †[3] Pyshta Tepsaruqo † Aksak Qeytuqo † Dokshuqo Jansokh † Anfok Shodjenuqo † Kudenet Qeytuqo † Inarmas Aslanbech † Ivan Nagaev (POW) Qul Qeytuqo Kilish Jansokh Chereguk Yelbezduq Peter Priklonsky |
Sholokh the Mighty Karashay Murza Istherek Bey Budachai of Tarki | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Heavy looses | Minimal | ||||||||
History
Prelude
The relations between Sholokh and the princes of Qeytuqo dynasty were already bad because of Sholokh's refusal to recognise Jansokh Qeytuqo as the Grand Prince of Kabardia. When Sholokh began a struggle to be titled as the Grand Prince, Jansokh Qeytuqo, along with the Idarovich-Cherkasskys and a Russian detachment of 750 streltsy led by Grivory Poltev, invaded Sholokh's domains in Talostaney in November 1589. The allies advanced deep in the lands ans ravaged more than 30 villages, thus Sholokh was forced to recognise Jansokh as the Supreme leader of Kabardia and handed over many hostages.[10]
When Sholokh finally became the Grand Prince of Kabardia in 1609, he was stronger than ever. In the second decade of the 17th century, relations between Sholokh and the Prince of Greater Kabardia, Pshiapshoqo Qeytuqo's son Qazi Pshiapshoqo, worsened with Qazi harboring of Sholokh's rebellious brother, Pyshta Murza.[11]
Campaign
In November 11th of 1615,[11] Sholokh together with his eldest son Kharashay, launched a major campaign against their enemy Qazi Pshiapshoqo's domain. Sholokh was supported by Ishterek Bey from the Nogai Horde and Budachai of Tarki. He led his forces deep into Qazi's domain, which was located in Greater Kabarda. He kept his advance until the Kurkhudzin River, where Qazi Shiapshoqo and Sholokh's brother Tepsaruqo Pyshta were killed in a major battle.[11][2][3][4][5] Along with Qazi, his nephews Aslanbech's son Inarmas, Aksak Qeytuqo, Qanoqo's son Kudenet, Jansokh's son Dokhshuqo, and Shodjenuqo's son Anfok were murdered[7][8] and the Russian voivode Ivan Nagaev was wounded, then later captured by Sholokh's forces.[6]
After devastating the lands of Qazi's Kabarda, Sholokh withdrew back to his lands with total success. But the relatives of Qazi Pshiapshoqo, Kilish Jansokh, Chereguk Yelbezduq, and Qul Qeytuqo went to Russia to ask them for help against Sholokh to get revenge. Russia gave the relatives of Pshiapshoqo a big army under the command of Peter Priklonsky. With the assistance from the military men from Russia, relatives of Pshiapshoqo invaded Talostaney, but they were ultimately stopped by the eldest son of Sholokh, Karashay Murza.[8]
Aftermath
Next year, in 1616, at the call of the Qeytuqo's, Crimean Khan Janibek Giray, attacked Kabardia with a massive Tatar army. The Crimeans killed, captured, and wounded many, devastating the Kabardian lands. Eventually, Sholokh's son Karashay Murza, who was suffering great wounds from the battle with the enemy, pushed out the Crimean army. Later that year, he died of his wounds.[12][9]
References
- ^ a b c A. E. Kristopa. The Turks of the Central Caucasus in the 16th–18th Centuries (Problems of Ethnic History) (PDF) (in Russian). p. 125. ISBN 978-5-94839-705-4.
- ^ a b «. . . говорил про твое царское величество невежливое слово»: новый источник о событиях 1615-1616 гг. В Кабарде.
- ^ a b c Kozhev, Z. А.; А, Кожев З. (2024-12-28). "Secession of Kaziyev's Kabarda in 1601 and 1641 years: stages of the «dynasty change»". Caucasology (in Russian). 0 (4): 27–39. doi:10.31143/2542-212X-2024-4-27-39. ISSN 2542-212X.
- ^ a b "Князь князей Алыджыкъуэ Щоджэныкъуэ". Адыгэ Хэку (in Russian). 2009-01-20. Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ a b "КАВКАЗОЛОГИЯ. 2024. № 4. Кожев З.А. | Кабардино-Балкарский государственный университет им. Х.М. Бербекова". Официальный сайт Кабардино-Балкарского Государственного Университета им. Х.М. Бербекова (in Russian). 2024-12-29. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ a b Формирование и служба стрельцов Терского города в конце XVI – начале XVII в. Tkhamokova Irina Khasanovna. p. 10.
- ^ a b "Кабардинская правящая элита и политика России по отношению к Ногайской Орде (окончание)" [The Kabardian ruling elite and Russia's policy towards the Nogai Horde (conclusion)]. www.kbigi.ru. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
- ^ a b c Kardanov, Ch. E. (2021). Knyazya Kabardy (Princes of Kabarda). Kavkaz (in Russian). Vol. 21. Nalchik: Izdatel'stvo M. i V. Kotlyarovykh. p. 372. ISBN 978-5-93680-971-2.
- ^ a b Malbakhov B. K. "Kabarda at the Stages of Political History (Mid-16th to Early 19th Century)", Moscow, Pomatur Publishing, 2002. ISBN 5-86208-106-2, p. 248
- ^ "КАБАРДИНЦЫ МЕЖДУ ТЮРКАМИ И РУССКИМИ". Ethnoglobus. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
- ^ a b c The Turks of the Central Caucasus in the 16th–18th Centuries (Problems of Ethnic History) (PDF) (in Russian). p. 125. ISBN 978-5-94839-705-4.
- ^ Kardanov, Ch. E. (2021). Knyazya Kabardy (Princes of Kabarda). Kavkaz (in Russian). Vol. 21. Nalchik: Izdatel'stvo M. i V. Kotlyarovykh. p. 373. ISBN 978-5-93680-971-2.