Abazinia, Abazashta or Abaza is a historical country at the northern mountainside of the
Caucasus Major
The Greater Caucasus ( az, Böyük Qafqaz, Бөјүк Гафгаз, بيوک قافقاز; ka, დიდი კავკასიონი, ''Didi K’avk’asioni''; russian: Большой Кавказ, ''Bolshoy Kavkaz'', sometimes translat ...
, now the northern part of
Karachay–Cherkess Republic
The Karachay-Cherkess Republic (russian: Карача́ево-Черке́сская Респу́блика, ''Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Respublika''; krc, Къарачай-Черкес Республика, ''Qaraçay-Çerkes Respublika''; Cir ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. Abazinia is a home of the
Abazins
The Abazin, Abazinians or Abaza (Abaza language, Abaza and Abkhaz language, Abkhaz: Абаза; Circassian language, Circassian: Абазэхэр; russian: Абазины; tr, Abazalar; ar, أباظة), are an ethnic group of the Caucasus, Nort ...
, a people related to the
Abkhaz people
Abkhazians (russian: Абхазы), or Abkhazs ( ab, Аԥсуаа, Aṕswaа, ), are a Northwest Caucasian ethnic group, mainly living in Abkhazia, a disputed region on the northeastern coast of the Black Sea. A large Abkhaz diaspora population ...
that speak the
Abazin language
Abaza (, ; ady, абазэбзэ) is a Northwest Caucasian language spoken by Abazins in Russia and many of the exiled communities in Turkey. The language has gone through several different orthographies based primarily on Arabic, Roman, and Cyr ...
.
In 16th-18th century Abazinia was a part of
Kabarda
Grand Principality of Great Kabarda or East Circassia was a historical country in the North Caucasus corresponding partly to the modern Kabardino-Balkaria. It had better political organization than its neighbors and existed as a political commun ...
and was often raided by the
Crimeans. Since the 19th century Abazinia is a part of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
. During the rule of
Kabardians
The Kabardians ( Highland Adyghe: Къэбэрдей адыгэхэр; Lowland Adyghe: Къэбэртай адыгэхэр; russian: Кабардинцы) or Kabardinians are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of th ...
, Crimeans and Russians some Abazins were forcibly resettled from their homeland.
Modern times
The Soviet power was proclaimed there in 1918. On April 1, 1918 Abazinia was made a part of the
Kuban Soviet Republic
The Kuban Soviet Republic (April 13 – May 30, 1918) was part of Soviet Russia within the general territory of the Kuban.Evan Mawdsley (2008) ''The Russian Civil War''. Edinburgh, Birlinn: 26-7 Its capital was Yekaterinodar.
It was merged i ...
. On May 28 of that year it was made part of the
Kuban-Black Sea Soviet Republic
The Kuban-Black Sea Soviet Republic (May 30 – July 6, 1918) was a short-lived republic of the Russian SFSR. Its capital was Yekaterinodar, now known as Krasnodar.
It was created by merging the Black Sea Soviet Republic and Kuban Soviet Re ...
. From July 5-December 1918 it was in the
North Caucasus Soviet Republic. On January 20, 1921, it was made a part of the
Mountainous ASSR. Then on January 12, 1922, it was made a part of the
Karachay–Cherkess Autonomous Oblast
Karachay-Cherkessia Autonomous Oblast (; krc, Къарачай-Черкес автоном область, translit=Qaraçay-Çerkes avtonom oblast; kbd, Къэрэшей-Черкес автономнэ область , translit=Qərəṩey-Cher ...
,
South-Eastern Krai. On April 26 in that same year it was made a part of the
Cherkess Autonomous Oblast
The Cherkess Autonomous Oblast ( rus, Черкесская автономная область, Cherkesskaya avtonomnaya oblast; kbd, Черкес автономнэ область, ''Čérkés avtonomne oblast’'') or Cherkessia ( rus, Чер ...
,
Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai (russian: Ставропо́льский край, r=Stavropolsky kray, p=stəvrɐˈpolʲskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject (a Krais of Russia, krai) of Russia. It is geographically located in the North ...
. Beginning on January 9, 1957, it was a part of the recreated
Karachay–Cherkess Autonomous Oblast
Karachay-Cherkessia Autonomous Oblast (; krc, Къарачай-Черкес автоном область, translit=Qaraçay-Çerkes avtonom oblast; kbd, Къэрэшей-Черкес автономнэ область , translit=Qərəṩey-Cher ...
,
Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai (russian: Ставропо́льский край, r=Stavropolsky kray, p=stəvrɐˈpolʲskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject (a Krais of Russia, krai) of Russia. It is geographically located in the North ...
.
In 1990-1991 the Abazin national movements ''Adgylara'' («Адгылара») and ''Apsadghyl'' («Апсадгъыл»,) as well as the Congress of Abaza and Circassian people claimed a national region for the Abazins. Circass-Abazin and Nogai-Abazin Republics were proposed to produce a region without
Karachays
The Karachays ( krc, Къарачайлыла, Qaraçaylıla or таулула, , 'Mountaineers') are an indigenous Caucasian Turkic ethnic group in the North Caucasus. They speak Karachay-Balkar, a Turkic language. They are mostly situated ...
dominance. However the government of Russia did not take this course of action.
At the congress of the Abazin deputies in November 1991 the Abazin Republic was proclaimed with the capital in the
aul
An aul (; ce, oil; russian: аул) is a type of fortified village or town found throughout the Caucasus mountains and Soviet Central Asia, Central Asia.
The word itself is of Turkic origin and simply means ''village'' in many Turkic language ...
of
Psyzh
Psyzh (russian: Псыж; abq, Псыжв) is a rural locality (an ''aul'') in Abazinsky District of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Russia. Population:
Demographics
In 2002, the population mainly comprised the following ethnic groups:
*Abazin ...
. The republic wasn't recognized by the authorities of the
RSFSR
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
. Instead Abazinia remained a part of
Karachay–Cherkessia
The Karachay-Cherkess Republic (russian: Карача́ево-Черке́сская Респу́блика, ''Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Respublika''; krc, Къарачай-Черкес Республика, ''Qaraçay-Çerkes Respublika''; Cir ...
, which gained a republic status on November 30, 1990.
In January 1995 the congress of the Abazin people claimed an autonomous Abazin region within
Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai (russian: Ставропо́льский край, r=Stavropolsky kray, p=stəvrɐˈpolʲskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject (a Krais of Russia, krai) of Russia. It is geographically located in the North ...
. At June 27, 2005, a Special Congress of the Abazin People bound the head of 13 Abazin auls, situated in 5 different districts of Karachay-Cherkessia to leave these districts to emerge to
Abazinsky District
Abazinsky District (russian: Абази́нский райо́н; Abaza: ; krc, Абаза район; kbd, Абазэ куей) is an administrativeLaw #84-RZ and municipalLaw #103-RZ district (raion), one of the ten in the Karachay-Cherkess R ...
. At December 25, 2005, referendum 99% of Abazinia population voted for the establishment of this district. July 1, 2006, the premier-minister of the
Russian Federation
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
decreed the district with center in
Inzhich-Chukun
Inzhich-Chukun (russian: Инжич-Чукун; abq, Йынджьыгь-Чӏкӏвын) is a rural locality (an ''aul'') and the administrative center of Abazinsky District in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Russia, located on the banks of the Ma ...
. Municipalities Psyzh, Elburgan, Inzhich-Chukun, Kubina and Kara-Pago were passed from the
Prikubansky District
Prikubansky District is the name of several districts in Russia.
Districts of the federal subjects
*Prikubansky District, Karachay-Cherkess Republic, an administrative and municipal district of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic
City divisions
* Pr ...
,
Ust-Dzhegutinsky District
Ust-Dzhegutinsky District (russian: Усть-Джегути́нский райо́н; krc, Джёгетей Аягъы район, ''Cögetey Ayağı rayon''; abq, Усть-Джьгваты район; kbd, Жэгуэтэныпэ куей) is a ...
and
Khabezsky District
Khabezsky District (russian: Хабе́зский райо́н; abq, Хӏабаз район; kbd, Хьэбэз къедзыгъуэ; krc, Хабез район) is an administrativeLaw #84-RZ and a municipalLaw #48-RZ district (raion), one of ...
. Abazinsky District will be eventually formed on January 1, 2009.
According to the 2002
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
, there were 37,942 Abazins in Russia. An Abazin diaspora exists in
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
,
[Ethnologue.com](_blank)
/ref> Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
, Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
, Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
(which features the Abaza family
The Abaza family ( ar, الأسرة الأباظية) is an Egyptian family of maternal Circassians, Circassian origin. They have had an influence in the late 18th century to modern times. They are believed to have a net worth of over US$800 mi ...
, one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in Egypt),Abaza family
/ref> and other Islamic countries, most of which are descendants of refugees (''muhajir
Muhajir or Mohajir ( ar, مهاجر, '; pl. , ') is an Arabic word meaning ''migrant'' (see immigration and emigration) which is also used in other languages spoken by Muslims, including English. In English, this term and its derivatives may refer ...
s'') from the Caucasian War
The Caucasian War (russian: Кавказская война; ''Kavkazskaya vojna'') or Caucasus War was a 19th century military conflict between the Russian Empire and various peoples of the North Caucasus who resisted subjugation during the R ...
with the Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
.
There is a significant Abazin presence in Turkey. An estimated number of 150,000 Abazins live in the provinces of Eskişehir
Eskişehir ( , ; from "old" and "city") is a city in northwestern Turkey and the capital of the Eskişehir Province. The urban population of the city is 898,369 with a metropolitan population of 797,708. The city is located on the banks of the ...
, Samsun
Samsun, historically known as Sampsounta ( gr, Σαμψούντα) and Amisos (Ancient Greek: Αμισός), is a List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, city on the north coast of Turkey and is a major Black Sea port. In 2021, Samsun reco ...
, Yozgat
Yozgat is a city and the capital district of Yozgat Province in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. According to 2019 census, population of the district is 421,200 of which 106,280 live in the city of Yozgat.
History
The first surveys were s ...
, Adana
Adana (; ; ) is a major city in southern Turkey. It is situated on the Seyhan River, inland from the Mediterranean Sea. The administrative seat of Adana Province, Adana province, it has a population of 2.26 million.
Adana lies in the heart ...
and {{Interlanguage link multi, Uzunyayla, tr, 3=Uzunyayla, lt=Uzunyayla, Kayseri (the long plateau). Most of them belong to Ashkharua clan that fought against the Tsarist army and emigrated to Turkey after losing the battle of Kbaada (Krasnaya Polyana
Krasnaya Polyana (russian: Кра́сная Поля́на) meaning "Red Meadow" is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia:
Modern localities Amur Oblast
As of 2012, one rural locality in Amur ...
in today's Sochi
Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents in ...
), whereas the Tapanta clan fought with the Russian forces.
Links and references
Abazin site
*[https://archive.today/20130113112949/http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/Abaza+family?cx=partner-pub-0939450753529744:v0qd01-tdlq&cof=FORID:9&ie=UTF-8&q=Abaza+family&sa=Search%23906#906]
Karachay-Cherkessia
Abazins