Kabardians became known to Russian diplomacy in the middle of the XVI century under the name "Pyatigorsk Cherkasy". But the fact is that the toponymic definition “Pyatigorsk” does not imply the residence of Kabardians in the 16th century in the area of the modern city of Pyatigorsk, Stavropol Territory (Kabardians lived here, but much later). The term "pyatigorye" was used in a completely different region of the Caucasus - the Black Sea region. This is the following evidence, based on the information of travelers, historians, diplomats of the time. Here are just a few examples:
1. Giorgio Interiano. In 1502, in the information of this Italian traveler, geographer and ethnographer, it was said: "At this time, the Circassians (Kabardians) occupied the eastern shore of the Sea of Azov."
2. Martin Bronevsky. A prominent Polish diplomat and statesman who has twice visited the Crimea writes:
"As for Taman, located on the very edge of Tavrida and adjacent to the vast Pyatigorsk region, which Ptolemy and Strabo call Colchio ..."
In the chapter "Pyatigorsk region and its inhabitants" he also writes:
"The region of Pyatigorts, or Colchis ...". In other words, it refers to the territory adjacent to Abkhazia.
3. Jean Chardin. A French nobleman who visited the Caucasus in 1672 on the way to Persia and wrote the paper “The Journey of Mr. Nobleman Chardin to Persia and other Eastern Countries”. He also describes the "Pyatigorsk country":
“From the Palus of the Meotians (Priazovye) strait to Mingrelia there are six hundred miles of mountainous hills. These mountains are very beautiful, covered with forests and inhabited by Circassians. Turks call these peoples "Circassians" or "Kerkes". The ancients called them the common name of the ridge, as well as the inhabitants of the mountains; this corresponds to the definition of “chenge dagi”, which some Eastern geographers give to this people, that is, the “five mountains”. ... Ships from Constantinople and Kafa, going to Mingrelia, anchor on their way in many places on these shores ... ”
Based on this and other information, it can be stated that the toponymic definition of “Pyatigorsk” referred to the western part of the Caucasus - areas of the modern Krasnodar Territory and Abkhazia. Shipping in the area of the modern city of Pyatigorsk, Stavropol Territory, is unthinkable for obvious reasons. At the end of the XVI century, for some unclear reasons, part of the Circassians - Kabardians, leave the West Caucasus Pyatigorye. “In the first half of the 16th century, there were no Kabardian settlements in the Azov Sea region,” writes AM Nekrasov. The surviving registers of income and expenditure of all Ottoman possessions in the area in 1542 make it possible to compare for some items the budget of the colonies of the early 40s of the 16th century. One of these indicators is income from localities of the Western Caucasus ...
At the beginning of October 1545. Russian messenger Belyak Kiykov arrived in Crimea. He reported to Moscow that “there was no king in Crimea at that time, went to Cherkassy to the far to Khabartka on Pyatigorsk, and stood at that time going back from Cherkassy to the carriage against Kerch, then it was impossible to lift, great winds”. Thus, Sahib-Girey twice in one year was on a campaign on the Adygivs in the spring and autumn of 1545, in the first case in the Western Adygs (“near Cherkasy”), in the second - in the Kabardians….
Some time later, according to Remmal-Hoji's story, a Kabardian ruler by the name of Elbozda arrived in Crimea, the name of this prince is well known from Russian sources. The Kabardian prince, he said, was defeated in the fight with his cousin and was forced to flee from Kabarda. Now he turned to Khan with a request to help him return to power. Elbózdu himself volunteered to be a guide. Using the opportunity, Sahib-Girey again gathered an army of 60-70 thousand people, including the Janissaries, and marched through the Azov steppes to Kabarda. Elbozda chose an opportune moment for the attack - the time of harvest was approaching, when, as he said, many Kabardians came under the protection of warriors in a certain area to harvest. In addition to the Kabardians, the prince said, the people of the Buzhaduk tribe harvest in this area from their fields. We are talking about the Western Adig tribe Bzhedugov. About eight days it took the Crimean army to reach the area indicated by Elbozdu. The Kabardians managed to catch up in their hands, but the Bzhedug, numbering 10 thousand people, learned about the attack in advance and decided to go for the trick - to start negotiations with the Khan, and at night to attack the Crimean camp. According to Remmal-hoja, the army of Sahib-Girey was located near the Belkh River. It was not possible to carry out his plan for the Bzhedugians, since the Khan, with the help of Elbozd, had guessed the plan. The night attack on the Sahib-Gereya camp ended with the defeat of the Bzhedug, although Remmal-Khoja especially noted their resilience and courage. As we know from the message of the Russian messenger, Sahib-Gerey returned through the army and prisoners through Temryuk and Kerch, and this means through the West Adg lands, which almost certainly were again devastated. So, 1545g. a strong blow was dealt to both the Western Adygs (Zhane and Bzhedug) and to Kabardians ”(52, p.108) From this message, we can conclude that in the 16th century. Kabardians have already migrated from the areas of the Azov Sea region, closer to the West Adig tribes of the Bzheduk and Zhane people, whose lands were located in the Western Caucasus.
4. Jean de Luc. The Italian monk of the Dominican Order in his work "Description of the Perekop and Nogai Tatars, Circassians, Mingrelians and Georgians, Jean de Luc, Monk of the Dominican Order (1625)" writes about Cherkessia and Kabarda:
"In their country, there are two significant rivers, of which one, flowing into the sea, the Kuban, is called Psi, and the other (Terek) passes near Kabarda."
This message, compiled in 1625, directly indicates that the Terek River is located near Kabarda, and does not flow through its territory.
VN Kudashev, knowing the folk legends, wrote:
“From all the various stories one can make, thus, only one conclusion: the Kabardians were not the original inhabitants of Kabarda, but they moved here somewhere”.
In the Big Soviet Encyclopedia, 1936 edition, it is indicated that Kabardians appeared on the territory of their modern residence at the beginning of the 16th century, but there is also a reservation that “according to some sources, even later”. The most probable date of arrival of Kabardians to the territory of Pyatigorsk is the beginning of the 17th century, but due to the constant attacks of the Crimean Khan, their stay in this area was not long.
The book of memoirs of Kabardian prince K. Atazhukin says that when Kabardians came to Malaya Kabarda, the Nogais lived there, this is also confirmed by archaeological monuments dating from the 15th-17th centuries.
In the historical memory of the Kabardian people, the legend of the first resettlement from the Western Caucasus is preserved. In 1881, the historical legend about the relocation of Kabard Tambiyev was recorded by K. Kashezhev. This legend tells that Kabardians used to live in the North-West Caucasus. Cabard Tambiyev was pristine prince Bolotokov. Because of the exorbitant demands of the prince, he and his people leave, and settles on the left bank of Malka. At that time, as the legend says, these lands belonged to the Kalmyks. Kabard Tambiev enters into an agreement with the Khan of the Kalmyks, and he leaves these lands with his horde. K.Tambiev allegedly remains the owner of the land, and gradually new groups of Adygs began to arrive here and the Kabardian people were formed. ("Folklore of the Circassians". Nalchik, 1990. pp. 197-202.).
It should be noted that Kalmyks appeared beyond the Volga in the 17th century, and even later in the Caucasus.
Russian documents give a much clearer and more consistent picture. In a brief description of the history of the Kabardian people, compiled by the former commandant of the fortress of Holy Cross, D. F. Eropkin, in 1732 (apparently based on the questioning of princes and old-timers) states:
“In the ancient years (and, how many years ago, no one knows), a small number of Cherkasy people crossed from the Polish Little Russians voluntarily to mountain places, and then the mountain Circassians were called and originally they lived in the headwaters of two Kum near five mountains. And in the time of their existence in those places came to those Circassians from different countries and from Russia of every rank people, whom the Circassians of that kind took to their lackeys. And in those days, those Circassians were moving to different places to steal, and were given masculine and feminine sex; and after a few years after the breeding of this people, the old-time Circassians who had emerged, the old people, who had their serfs for breeding, were called Uzdens (that is, nobles).
And further: "And these Circassians wandered in the long summer passing along the rivers Turku, along Qom, along the Kuban and near those places where the Turkish cities of Temryuk and Taman were." (KRO, vol. 2, p. 78).
As we see, here we are talking not about the territory of present-day Kabardino-Balkaria, but about the steppes of Stavropol and the Azov region. This is confirmed by the information of the modern historian A.M. Nekrasov:
“It is rather curious that the Remhalhoja message about the annual arrival of bzhedug in Kabarda for conducting field work. According to later data, the bzhedughs lived in the mountains south of the Khatukayevites, i.e. at a considerable distance from Kabarda. " (“International relations and peoples of the Western Caucasus”, M., p. 108, 1990).
In this case, a comment is required. How bzhedugi living in the mouth of the Kuban, twice a year went to Kabarda for 600 km. for spring plowing, sowing and harvesting the autumn harvest? At that time there were no highways in the Caucasus. Another question arises: how did they bring the harvest home? It is impossible to answer these questions from the traditional position on the location of Kabarda in the Central Caucasus. Kabarda was not far from the lands of the Bzhedug, only in this case they could rent land from Kabardians. This is confirmed by other information. In Russian sources the ethnonym "bzhedugi" appears only in the XVIII century. The document of 1718 informs that “behind Kabarda there are six townships in which the Circassians live in another language; and of those in Hatukai and in Zhadu, he, Bahty-Giray, is partly believed. ” (KRO, t, II, p.19) This same tribe is named in the Russian documents of the 40s of the same century - bzheduhi (bzhedugi). (NG Volkov "Ethnonyms and tribal names of the North Caucasus", M., p.39, 1973)
These data are consistent with the document number 12. From the article list of the Russian messenger to Turkey I.P. Novoseltseva about negotiations with Turkish Pasha Maamet in 1570: “And Ivan said. - From Kabarda to Beslenei versts with 500, and that land went far away from Cherkas (approximately, this is the Terek delta, - NB), which your sovereign bowed and served, and did not own that land, where the city of Turka became, chant Temruck nihto "(KRO, T.1, p.23).
Unsubscribe from the Terek voivode I.ADashkov and his comrades to the Ambassadorial order on the exploration of silver ore deposits in 1629. One of the first mentions of Balkarians in the gorge is Tashly-tala, in Russian documents. Judging by the answer (to send military men), the Balkars were not under the sovereign's hand.
In 1633, the Kabardian murza of Tatarkhan, who served in the city of Terek, asked the brothers to give him permission to fish in the Terek canals, “co-op with the city people of Terek, Russian people”. (T. 1, p. 169). From the context of this document, it can be argued that during this period of time, the Kabardian nomad camp was located at the mouth of the Terek. Moreover, based on the information of subsequent events, we can consider this as another move of Kabardians to the area of the river Kuma and Pyatigorsk.
From the petitional murza of Mutsal Sunchaleevich about rewarding him for swearing in Kazyeva Kabarda in 1643.
“... And the Kabardian, the sovereign, Aleguk and Chojdozhduk Murza and Small Nogai Murza told him that they were at your state’s grace to go without disobedience, but now it’s impossible to go, they wander away, and the Turks and Crimean soldiers in the big fence, and only they (Kabardians, -N.B.) will go to the Terek, and they, they will detain them and destroy them. And so de, sovereign to go with them from the Terek for a contract on the river Kourou to me, your lackeys Mutsalka, and their cabs to go to the Five Mountains.
... And I, your slave, from the Cossack from the Verkhneva of the Cherlensky town went to Aleguk and Chodduzduk murza on the river Kuru "(V.1, pp. 236-237).
From the reply of the Terek governor M.I. Volynsky in Ambassadorial order to bring to the coat (oath) Kaziyoy Kabarda. This document is notable for the fact that Karachais are mentioned there in the Pyatigorsk area in 1643.
“... we, your serfs, were sent to Kabarda to be accompanied with a newly baptized with Petrunka Ondreyev. And in the inquiry we, your servants, were told that on the Kum River on the Modzhar Settlement they were crushed by the Don Cossacks, the horses were driven away and they were all beaten, and they took the new Petrunka alive and took him with him, and he de Chuvayko, the very third from that battle they had escaped into the forest; and went to Kabarda along the Qom rivers at night. And in Kabarda, sovereign, under the Five Mountains, they were taken by the Karachai Circassians, and from those Karachai Circassians they were taken by Aleguk Murza Shaganukov to their pubs and kept for themselves. And as de, sovereign, they came from Terek to Aleguk and Chojdozhduk murza in the tavern son of boyar Ondrei Senin yes interpreter Grishka Ortemyev, and he de, Aleguka Murza, with them let them go to Terek "
This document is important because it first mentions Karachai – Karachayev Circassians who lived near Pyatigorsk in 1643. BBPiotrovsky writes about this: “In the area of Beshtau, to the west of the territory of the Basivbiyev, there were spring bazaars where trade people came from different places” (109, p.356). As the ethnonym Basian is known, the Basianbians called the Balkarians.
From the reply of Terek voevoda, MP Volynsky, to negotiations with Murzy Kaziyeva Kabarda to transfer their taverns closer to the Terek town in 1644.
“And we, your serfs, sent Mutsal-Murza from Terek to Kabarda to escort the Terek cavalry centurion Streletsky Mikhail Molchanov with mounted archers and from Novokresheny and okochany. And with him, in Kabarda and in Maliy Nogai, they wrote that they single-handedly went to their former nomad camps closer to Tersk town without any stirring ... "(V.1, p.248-250)
From the reply of M.P. Volyn:
“Both Aleguk and Khozhdduk Murza told him, Mutsalu, that they were your sovereigns, and now de Euro, Mutsalov, they plowed arable land on the Crimean side beyond the Kuban River and they couldn’t go to the city closer to Terek ...
... And for much, de, sovereign, time, Aleguk and Khodduzduk Murza, were dissuaded to wander beyond the Kuban River, and their former nomad camps were not closer to Tersk town ...
Kabardian Aleguka and Khotozduka Murza Kaziyev, with their own taverns and Murza Maly Nogaya from the Uluses, from the Crimean side, from behind the Kuban River, switched to their former nomads closer to the Tersky town on the Kumu River. (Thus, the former nomads of Kabardians, from where they, under the leadership of Aleguki Khodzduki, crossed over to the Crimean side, beyond the Kuban, were not in the current Big Kabarda, but on the Kume River, NB)
... he, Mutsal-murza, to you, the sovereign, served, and Kabardian Aleguk and Chozdduku murz and murz of Maliy Nogai, who were alone with him, uttered and led to the fact that they were with kabaks and with all the ulus people, with all their possession, from the Crimean side, under Beslan, because of the Kuban River, they moved to your sovereign ancestral land to the city of Tersk and began to wander from the uluses along the Kum river and near their old town, from the city of Tersk in only four bottoms.
... And he took, Mutsal, that amanat brought to his city of Tersk and his brother Aleguku-murzu and Budaicheva's wife and children and his taverns with all his possession from Aleguki-murza took him and planted along the Suu side of the Kuma river, from the Alegukins and the Khozhdukino kabaks from the middle of the bottom near the city, in the lining on the river Byuhukhuke before your sovereign decree, for the time being for Evo, Mutsalov, blessing you, sire, to transfer their taverns to the Sunshu river ... ”(v.1, p.248-250).
Memory from the order of the Kazan Palace in the Ambassadorial order (1674).
And the Crimean Khan wrote to Musost (Kaziyev, Kabardian prince; NB) with brothers and nephews, so that they would go to their old nomads on the Kumu River and on Balk and on Besht” (V.1, p.334 )
A document has already been quoted above, which states that from “Kabarda to Beslenei, i.e. to the Kuban "versts with 500"; thus, Kabarda at that time was somewhere in the region of the present lowland part of Chechnya, Ingushetia and Northern Dagestan, near the lower reaches of the Terek, Kuma and Sunzha. These data are also confirmed when analyzing information about neighboring nations. For example, Karachaevans and Svans are mentioned only once, Balkarians and Ossetians twice, while Cossacks, Kumyks, Nogays (large and small), Kalmyks, Dagestanis, Chechens and Ingushs (okochane, Mick, Shato, shubut). Kabardians roamed the steppes between the Terek delta, Kuma, and Pyatigorsk, the transition from a semi-nomadic way of life and their settlement in the present territory began in 1720.
KRO, Volume II.
It should be noted that documents relating to the period 1689-1711. Ie, precisely by the time when Kabardians, pressed from the north by Kalmyks and Nogais, from the east by Kumyks and Chechens, from the west - by the Crimeans, were forced to retreat into the present territory, for two reasons they don’t.
From the letter of Kabardian prince Arslanbek to Peter I (1723).
“From the past years, your Majesty's fathers and our grandfathers allowed us to live in Turki, and Kumyks were never allowed to live here; I humbly ask, in order to continue to be an inheritance from our relatives on Terka, and that there should be no presence here for Kumyks ”(V.2, p.38).
Another statement about Kabardians, drawn up on the testimony of several Kabardian nobles, dates back to 1732:
“... ago, dear to this, Kabardians allegedly lived along the Kume River and served as a Russian sovereign, and in the city of Terek they gave Amanat with a change, but they do not remember, and at that time they had a son, the elder Prince Masaus Kaziev, according to it Tenzbey, Bek-Murza, Kazi Masaus and others; and they sent de from themselves often to Moscow to the Russian sovereign for ambassadors for a salary; and at that time, fearing the Kuban (Nogai), so that they would not be ruined, Kabardians yasyrei were given to Crimea instead of tribute a year to ten people, and then quarreling among themselves Kabardians and one of them, Bek-Murza, killing two owners, the Tanbeyevs children, went to the Crimea and begged troops from the Crimean Khan there, during which the commander Sawat-weights Sultan came, Circassian all the princes and with their subordinates were cast into full and transferred to the Orb River (modern Urup. - note) and there they were settled ”; and further:
“... and having lived, the de Kabardians, after taking them to the full Orbe River, went a little to the Kuban River, and from the Kuban, on the other side of the Kuban, to the Chilchik River, and from Chilchik, they went along the same side of the Kuma River to the Purgusat River (present-day Burgustan. - approx.), and from the river Purgusat they went on their own to Beshtou (to the Five Mountains), where their homes had been before, and settled there for a while; and then, hearing that the Crimean army was heading for them, and being afraid, they, the Circassians, went to a strong place, to the mountains on the Baksan River ”(vol. 2, p. 64).
The Kabardian ambassador Magomet Atazhukin told about the same thing in the College of Foreign Affairs in March 1732:
“... he came, Bek-Murza, with the Crimean Shahbaz-Girey Khan to take them, Pyatigorsk owners, with all possession in the Crimea. And then these owners all left; alone in the Kalmyk uluses to Ayuk Khan, and in the Kumyks; and the vile people took all the Crimean Shahbaz-Girey Khan, drove to the Kuban, and then their Pyatigorsk owners called for him to the Kuban. And with the advice of Kalmyk Ayuki Khan, the new owners, both from him and the lawyers, all went to the Kuban. And how many years he lived there, Mahomet Bek, does not remember that. Then, as the war began with Russia with the Turks and the Crimeans, at that time the Ayuki Khan Kalmyk army came to the Kuban Pyatigorsk city owners with all their possession and took them to Baksan ”(KRO, vol. 2, p. 59).
....
rincipality of Lezgians"
