Yusuf bek Kurinski (, ) was the last khan of

Kura Khanate Kura Khanate (, ) or Kürin Khanate was a state entity that existed from 1812 to 1864 in southern Dagestan. The khanate was ruled by a branch of ruling family of Gazikumukh Khanate. Geography The Kura Khanate was located mainly in the historic ...

, as well as a general-major of Imperial Russian army.

Career

He was born in 1806 to Tahir bek, brother of Aslan bek, the first khan of

. He entered military service in the early 1820s in the cavalry of the Separate Caucasian Corps and from 1823 took part in campaigns against the mountaineers, served in the Caucasian militia units. In 1831, during the occupation of the village of

Madzhalis Madzhalis (russian: Маджалис; Dargwa language, Dargwa: Мажалис) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, rural locality (a Village#Russia, selo) and the administrative center of Kaytagsky District of the Dagestan, Republic of Da ...

in Dagestan, he was wounded by a rifle bullet in his left hand with damage to two fingers, and on March 14, 1832, he was promoted to

warrant officer Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mos ...

for the distinguish. He also took part in the 1839 campaign in the Caucasus and was awarded the

Order of St. Vladimir The Imperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir (russian: орден Святого Владимира) was an Imperial Russian order established on by Empress Catherine II in memory of the deeds of Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptize ...

of the 4th degree with a bow. However, his brother Harun bek changed sides after uprising of

Imam Shamil Imam Shamil ( av, Шейх Шамил, Şeyx Şamil; ar, الشيخ شامل; russian: Имам Шамиль; 26 June 1797 – 4 February 1871) was the political, military, and spiritual leader of North Caucasian resistance to Imperial Russia in ...

. In 1842, when the forces of Imam Shamil approached Gazikumukh, Harun bek went over to the side of the imam, surrendering to him the fortress with a garrison and ammunition. Yusuf bek's other brother al-Hajj Yahya was one of Shamil's followers. Harun bek himself was sent back by Shamil to Kurakh, and his son Abbas-bek was taken as hostage. However soon enough the Russian detachment under the command of Colonel Zalivkin arrested Harun bek and sent him to

Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the Capital city, capital and the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia, lying on the ...

. Meanwhile, Yusuf bek received

Order of St. George The Order of Saint George (russian: Орден Святого Георгия, Orden Svyatogo Georgiya) is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. Originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) a ...

of the 4th degree on August 18, 1844, as staff captain for his participation in battles against

and as the Khan. He was promoted to the rank of

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

on August 19, 1845, and received a golden saber with the inscription "For Bravery". But Harun bek returned to rule in 1847 and died next year. Then, from 1848 until the very end of the existence of the khanate in 1864 the rule reverted to Yusuf bek. In 1849 he was promoted to colonel, and on October 1, 1852, to major general. On August 26, 1856, he was admitted to the Retinue of His Majesty. Continuing his service in the Caucasus and returned to Kura in 1859. However, he was an unpopular ruler among his subjects, who rose up against him in 1860 and sent attorneys to Caucasus Viceroyalty, demanding his deposition. Yusuf bek after making a ''

hajj The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...

'' to

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...

(pilgrimage) on 2 September 1862, he finally resigned from his khanate in 1864 and instead enrolled in the army cavalry in the Caucasian army in 1865. The khanate was abolished and incorporated into Kyurinsky okrug of

Dagestan Oblast The Dagestan Oblast was a province (''oblast'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It roughly corresponded to most of present-day southeastern Dagestan within the Russian Federation. The Dagestan Oblast was created in 1860 out of t ...

. He finally retired from Imperial army in May 1876.

Death

Yusuf-bek died in the city of

Derbent Derbent (russian: Дербе́нт; lez, Кьвевар, Цал; az, Дәрбәнд, italic=no, Dərbənd; av, Дербенд; fa, دربند), formerly romanized as Derbend, is a city in Dagestan, Russia, located on the Caspian Sea. It is ...

on December 19, 1878, and was buried at the Kirkhlar cemetery. The historian Mirza Hasan Alkadari described him as a God-fearing, charitable and religious person.

Family

He had several wives and 8 sons. Known wives include Agha bike, Begüm bike and Selmi-biad. Known sons are Haji Muhammad bek, Haji Sadig bek, Khalid bek, Shahmardan bek, Tahir bek, Muhammad Nutsal bek and Omar bek. His grandson Aliyar bey Hashimbeyov served as governor of Zaqatala Governorate in

Azerbaijan Democratic Republic The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic), or simply as Azerbaijan in Paris Peace Conference, 1919–1920,''Bulletin d'Information de l'Azerbaidjan'', No. I, September 1, 1919, pp. 6–7''125 H.C.Debs.'', 58., February 24, 1920, p. 1467. Caucasian Az ...

. His descendants bear the surname Yusufkhanov ({{Lang-ru, Юсуфханов).

Awards

, 4th degree (1839) *

, 4th degree (1844) *

Golden weapon "For Bravery" The Gold Sword for Bravery (russian: Золотое оружие "За храбрость") was a Russian award for bravery. It was set up with two grades on 27 July 1720 by Peter the Great, reclassified as a public order in 1807 and abolished ...

(1845) *

, 3rd degree (1861) *

Order of St. Stanislaus The Order of Saint Stanislaus ( pl, Order Św. Stanisława Biskupa Męczennika, russian: Орден Святого Станислава), also spelled Stanislas, was a Polish order of knighthood founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Ponia ...

, 1st degree (1861) *

Order of St. Anna The Imperial Order of Saint Anna (russian: Орден Святой Анны; also "Order of Saint Anne" or "Order of Saint Ann") was a Holstein ducal and then Russian imperial order of chivalry. It was established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holst ...

, 1st degree (1871)

References

Khans of Kura 1878 deaths 1806 births Muslims from the Russian Empire Imperial Russian Army generals Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Fourth Degree Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class Recipients of the Order of Saint Stanislaus (Russian), 1st class Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 1st class Recipients of the Gold Sword for Bravery People of the Caucasian War