The Circassian Revolution refers to a series of revolts by
Circassian farmers which resulted in the most developed regions of
Circassia
Circassia (; also known as Cherkessia in some sources; ady, Адыгэ Хэку, Адыгей, lit=, translit=Adıgə Xəku, Adıgey; ; ota, چرکسستان, Çerkezistan; ) was a country and a historical region in the along the northeast ...
abandoning social classes and switching to democracy.
History
In 1770, the free farmers of
Abzakh
The Abzakh ( Circassian: Абдзэх, ''Abdzekh''; Russian: абадзехи; also known as Abdzakhs or Abadzekhs) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag. Histori ...
Circassians revolted against the aristocratic class. Captured princes were killed. Those who escaped took refuge in other Circassian tribes. All privileges held by the princes, who were aristocratic and noble class, were abolished by free farmers. While many contemporary French nobles took refuge in Russia during the similar
revolution in France, some of the Circassian nobles took the same path and refuge in Russia.
In July 14, 1791 the
Natukhaj commoners peacefully took power from the aristocrats, declaring a republic. A similar attempt among the
Shapsugs
The Shapsug ( ady, шапсыгъ , russian: шапсуги, tr, Şapsığlar, ar, الشابسوغ, he, שפסוגים) (also known as the Shapsugh or Shapsogh) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes. Historically, the Shapsug tribe ...
led to a civil war which the commons won in 1803. Famous Circassian writer and historian
Amjad Jaimoukha
Amjad Jaimoukha ( Circassian: Жэмыхъуэ Амджэд, ; sometimes quoted as "Амыщ", the Circassian personal name) was a Circassian writer, publicist and historian, who wrote a number of books on North Caucasian – specifically Circ ...
says that from 1770 to 1790 there was a class war among the Abadzeks that resulted in the extermination of the princes and the banishment of most of the nobility.
[Amjad Jaimukha, p. 156] The three west-central "democratic" tribes, Natukhaj, Shapsugs and Abedzeks, who formed the majority of the Circassians, managed their affairs through assemblies with only informal powers.
Sefer Bey Zanuqo
Seferbiy Zaneqo (; ; 1798 – 1 January 1860) or Sefer Pasha was a Circassian diplomat and military commander who served as the 5th leader of the Circassian Confederation from 1859 to 1860. He took part in the Russo-Circassian War both in a mi ...
, the three Naibs of
Shamil Shamil (Arabic: شَامِل ''shāmil'') is a lesser common masculine Arabic name. The name is usually from the adjective which have several correlated meanings from the Arabic "complete, comprehensive, universal" but could also mean "embodying, pr ...
and the British adventurers all tried to organize the Circassians – with limited success.
The Bzhedug tribe helped the exiled princes which further escalated conflicts. The newly established revolutionary states of Abdzakh and Shapsug attacked the Bzhedug in order to kill their former nobility.
[Бзиюкская битва // Военная энциклопедия: 18 т./ под ред. В. Ф. Новицкого ... др. — СПб. ; abbr>М.: Тип. т-ва И. Д. Сытина, 1911—1915.]
Notes
References
{{Reflist
Revolutions