The Rutul Federation or The Rutul Free Society is a
Rutul state located in Southern
Dagestan
Dagestan ( ; rus, Дагеста́н, , dəɡʲɪˈstan, links=yes), officially the Republic of Dagestan (russian: Респу́блика Дагеста́н, Respúblika Dagestán, links=no), is a republic of Russia situated in the North C ...
and was formed in the 7th century.
Rutuli experienced strong cultural and linguistic pressure from Azerbaijanis and to a lesser extent from Lezghins.
Before the annexation by 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. ...
, the Rutuls made a federation of multiple rural communities which were known as the "Rutul Magal".
This Magal was ruled by a
Bek, a permanent leader. These Beks address important issues and are required to convene to a popular assembly.
In the 17th century, the Rutul Federation included
Tsakhur villages and captured some
Lezgin villages. They did lose two Rutul villages to the
Gazikumukh Khanate
Gazikumukh Khanate was a Lak state that was established in present-day Dagestan after the disintegration of Gazikumukh Shamkhalate in 1642. Its peoples included various Lezgin tribes and Avars.
State structure
Supreme council
Khanate was rule ...
and two more to the
Akhty Federation (
Akhty-para). This free society consisted of
Rutul and
Lezgi villages and was one of the largest free societies, along with
Akhty-para,
Alty-para and
Dokuz-para free societies.
History
In 1536, the Rutul Federation were allied with the
Shamkhalate of Tarki
The Shamkhalate of Tarki, or Tarki Shamkhalate (also Shawhalate, or Shevkalate, ') was a Kumyk state in the eastern part of the North Caucasus, with its capital in the ancient town of Tarki. It formed on the territory populated by Kumyks and inc ...
to attack the Akhty Federation. The Akhty Federation attacked Rutul with the support of
Derbent Khanate
The Derbent Khanate ( fa, خانات دربند, Khānāt-e Darband; az, Dərbənd Xanlığı) was a Caucasian khanate that was established in Afsharid Iran. It corresponded to southern Dagestan and its center was at Derbent.
History
Large part ...
in 1541. Rutul attacked Akhty again in 1542, with the support of the
Quba Khanate
The Quba Khanate (also spelled Qobbeh; fa, خانات قبه, Khānāt-e Qobbeh) was one of the most significant semi-independent khanates that existed from 1747 to 1806, under Iranian suzerainty. It bordered Caspian sea to the east, Derbent Khan ...
. In 1574, Gazibek, a representative of the
Shamkhalate of Tarki
The Shamkhalate of Tarki, or Tarki Shamkhalate (also Shawhalate, or Shevkalate, ') was a Kumyk state in the eastern part of the North Caucasus, with its capital in the ancient town of Tarki. It formed on the territory populated by Kumyks and inc ...
, became the leader of the federation.
[Лавров Л. И. Рутульцы ⁄⁄ В сб. «Народы Дагестана». М., 1955.]
His name was mentioned several times: in 1588, the Turkish Sultan
Murad III
Murad III ( ota, مراد ثالث, Murād-i sālis; tr, III. Murad; 4 July 1546 – 16 January 1595) was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1574 until his death in 1595. His rule saw battles with the Habsburgs and exhausting wars with the Saf ...
wrote a letter to Gazibek, congratulating him on gaining leadership over the federation. In 1598,
Shah Abbas offered Gazibek assistance for the
Tsakhur ruler Mahmedbek.
Beks
* Ilchi-Ahmad (early 15th century)
* Afrosimbeck
* Mahmudbek, son of Afrosimbeck
* Kazimbek, son of Mahmudbeck
* Muhammadbeck
* Gazibek (1574-1601)
* Ibragimkhan (1626-1635)
* Hasankhan (19th century)
References
{{reflist
1839 disestablishments
History of Dagestan