{{Short description|Kabardians (Circassians) war with Georgians and Nakh peoples in 1596-1597 }} {{Infobox military conflict | conflict = The Daryal Gorge Campaign | partof = [[Circassian–Vainakh wars]] and [[Circassian–Georgian war (1587–1604)]] | image = Darial Gorge, Terek River, Georgia.jpg | caption = A view of the [[Darial Gorge]] near [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]]–[[North Ossetia]]n border | date = 1596–1597 | place = [[Daryal Gorge]], [[Vainakhia|Vainakh territories]], [[Kingdom of Kartli]] | result = Kabardian victory<ref name=":miziev">{{Cite web |last=Мизиев |first=И. М. |title=Исторические и политические страницы балкарского народа [Historical and Political Pages of the Balkar People] |url=http://www.balkaria.info/library/m/miziev/ipsbk/ipsbk.htm |website=Balkaria.info |publisher=Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) |date=2008-06-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628231854/http://www.balkaria.info/library/m/miziev/ipsbk/ipsbk.htm |access-date= |archive-date=28 June 2008 |language=ru}}</ref> | territory = • Kabardian occupation of Northern [[Daryal Gorge]]<br>• Pillaging and temporary control over [[Eastern Georgia (country)|Eastern Georgian lands]] | combatant1 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Princedom of Kabardia (Early 19th century).svg}} [[Kabardia|Kabardia (East Circassia)]] | combatant2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of medieval vainakh.jpg}} [[Nakh peoples|Vainakh tribes]]<br>{{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Kartli Georgia.png|22px|border}} [[Kingdom of Kartli]] | commander1 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Princedom of Kabardia (Early 19th century).svg}} [[Sholokh I of Kabardia|Sholokh Tepsaruqo]]<br>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Princedom of Kabardia (Early 19th century).svg}} [[Aitek-Murza]] | commander2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of medieval vainakh.jpg}} [[Sultan-Murza]]<br>{{flagicon image|Flag of Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti.svg}} [[Alexander II of Kakheti|Alexander II]] | strength1 = Unknown | strength2 = Unknown | casualties1 = Unknown | casualties2 = Heavy; many killed or taken prisoner }}
The '''Daryal Campaign''' or the '''Kabardian Invasion of Daryal Gorge''' (1596–1597) was a military conflict in the [[Caucasus]] involving the [[Kabardians]] and their incursion through the [[Daryal Gorge]] into the territories of the [[Vainakhs|Vainakh]] tribes and the eastern Georgian [[Kingdom of Kartli]].<ref name=":miziev">{{Cite web |last=Мизиев |first=И. М. |title=Исторические и политические страницы балкарского народа [Historical and Political Pages of the Balkar People] |url=http://www.balkaria.info/library/m/miziev/ipsbk/ipsbk.htm |website=Balkaria.info |publisher=Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) |date=2008-06-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628231854/http://www.balkaria.info/library/m/miziev/ipsbk/ipsbk.htm |access-date= |archive-date=28 June 2008 |language=ru}}</ref><ref name=":snosh">{{Cite book |last=Belokurov |first=S. A. |title=Сношения России с Кавказом [Relations of Russia with the Caucasus] |location=Moscow |publisher=Типография Императорской Академии наук |year=1888 |pages=304–305 |url=https://runivers.ru/upload/iblock/6db/belokurov.pdf |language=ru |access-date= }}</ref><ref name=":Gytnov">{{Cite journal |last=Gutnov |first=F. Kh. |title=Северный Кавказ в статейных списках конца XVI — середины XVII в. [The North Caucasus in the article lists of the late XVI - mid XVII century] |journal=Izvestiya Yuzhnogo Otdeleniya Instituta Nauk O Rannei Rossii RAN |volume= |issue= |date=2015 |url=https://izvestia-soigsi.ru/ru/archive/16-55-15/337-gutnov16 |language=ru |access-date= |archive-date=2017-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112192947/http://izvestia-soigsi.ru/ru/archive/16-55-15/337-gutnov16 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":Gytnov2">{{Cite journal |last=Gutnov |first=F. Kh. |title=Северный Кавказ в статейных списках конца XVI - середины XVII в [The North Caucasus in the Posol'skiye Spiski of the Late 16th – Mid-17th Centuries] |journal=Izvestiya Yuzhnogo Otdeleniya Instituta Nauk O Rannei Rossii RAN |volume=16 |issue=55 |date=2015 |url=https://izvestia-soigsi.ru/ru/archive/16-55-15/337-gutnov16 |language=ru |access-date=2025-05-02 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=":Inosteuropgeo">{{Cite book |last=Brosset |first=M. |title=Переписка, на иностранных языках, грузинских царей с российскими государями от 1639 г. по 1770 г. [Correspondence in Foreign Languages of Georgian Kings with Russian Sovereigns from 1639 to 1770] |publisher=Imperial Academy of Sciences Press |location=Saint Petersburg |year=1861 |url=https://rusneb.ru/catalog/000201_000010_REDKOSTJ52325/ |language=ru |access-date= }}</ref>
==Background== In 1557, [[Kabarda]] voluntarily accepted the Russian suzerainty, which strengthened Kabardian influence in the North Caucasus and established a formal political ties with the Tsardom of Russia. These relations were further solidified in 1561 by the marriage of [[Maria Temryukovna]], daughter of the Kabardian prince [[Temruqo Idar]], to [[Ivan the Terrible|Tsar Ivan IV]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Demidova|first=N.F.|title=Temruk Idarovich|url=http://www.hrono.info/biograf/bio_t/temryuk.php|access-date=2021-09-09|website=Hrono}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Domestic and foreign policy of Ivan the Terrible|url=http://bibliotekar.ru/karamzin/70.htm|access-date=2021-09-09|website=Bibliotekar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bronevsky |first=S.N. |title=Historical summary on Russia's relations with Persia, Georgia and with the mountain peoples of the Caucasus |url=http://www.vostlit.info/Texts/rus9/Bronevskij/frametext1.htm |access-date=2021-09-09 |website=Vostlit}}</ref><ref name="пов">{{Cite web |title=Повесть о женитьбе Ивана Грозного на Марии Темрюковне |url=http://old-rus.narod.ru/08-52.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407175407/http://old-rus.narod.ru/08-52.html |archive-date=2020-04-07 |access-date=2010-04-23}}</ref>
In October 1562, an army under the command of [[Temruqo the Brave|Temruqo Idar]], composed of Kabardians, Nogais, and Cossacks, launched a campaign into the central [[Caucasus]]. According to historical sources, including the Nikon Chronicle, the objective was to seize the lands inhabited by the [[Ingush people]] between the [[Terek (river)|Terek]] and [[Sunzha (river)|Sunzha]] rivers.<ref name="autogenerated3">{{Cite book | title=Кабардино–русские отношения в XVI–XVIII вв. Т. 1 | year=1957 | pages=10–11}}</ref><ref>Белокуров С. А. Сношения России с Кавказом (1578–1613 гг.)</ref><ref name="autogenerated4">{{Cite web |url=https://ghalghay.com/2010/02/22/кабардинские-завоевания-в-ингушетии/ |title=Кабардинские завоевания в Ингушетии |author= |date=February 22, 2010 |website=Ghalghay |accessdate= }}</ref><ref name="autogenerated5">{{Cite web |url=https://ghalghay.com/2010/03/15/завоевательный-поход-кабардинского/ |title=Завоевательный поход кабардинского |author= |date=March 15, 2010 |website=Ghalghay |accessdate= }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Белокуров |first=Сергей Алексеевич |title=Сношения России с Кавказом. 1578-1613 гг. |publisher=Университетская типография |year=1889 |edition=Вып. 1 |location=Москва |pages=60–61 |language=Russian}}</ref>
In the 16th century, the Ingush lived primarily in the plains, but a series of invasions by the [[Mongols]], [[Timur]], and later regional powers forced much of the population into the mountains.<ref name="EncIslam">[[Vladimir Minorsky|Minorsky, Vladimir]], "Tiflis", in: M. Th. Houtsma, E. van Donzel (1993), ''E. J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913–1936'', p. 757. Brill, {{ISBN|90-04-08265-4}}.</ref><ref name="Geography">{{cite web |author=D. V. Zayats |year=2001 |title=Maghas – 'The Sun City' – New Capital of Ingushetia |url=http://geo.1september.ru/2001/11/4.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030307073900/http://geo.1september.ru/2001/11/4.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 7, 2003}}</ref><ref>''G. Rubruquis''. 1753. Cited in Jaimoukha's ''The Chechens'', p. 35</ref><ref name="JaimoukhaInvade1">Jaimoukha, Amjad. ''The Chechens''. pp. 34–35</ref>
The campaign was supported by Nogai murzas and a Russian detachment of 1,000 Cossacks under Grigory Pleshcheev, sent by Ivan IV. According to Russian chronicles, a total of 164 settlements were destroyed. The Ingush population again retreated into the mountains, and Kabardian settlers occupied the de-populated lowlands.<ref name="autogenerated4"/><ref name="autogenerated5"/><ref>{{Cite book|last=Kodzoev|first=N.D.|title=The History of the Ingush People|location=Nazran}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |author=История ингушского народа. Глава 4 |url=http://old.memo.ru/d/34268.html |title=История ингушского народа. Глава 4. ГЛАВА 4 ИНГУШЕТИЯ В XV–XVIII ВВ. § 1. Жизнь ингушей на равнинах и в горах |access-date=26 November 2020 |archive-date=24 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424165408/http://old.memo.ru/d/34268.html |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Gazikov|first=B.D.|title=Articles on the History of Ingushetia. Based on the Nikon Chronicle and Ingush Folklore|year=2002|location=Nazran}}</ref>
==The war == In 1596, Kabardian forces led by princes Sholokh and Aytech-Murza advanced through the [[Darial Gorge|Daryal Gorge]], seizing fortified settlements (’‘kabaki’’) belonging to the Vainakh noble [[Sultan-Murza]]. After establishing control in the highlands, they moved southward into Kartli's mountainous borderlands, specifically targeting the [[Sioni (townlet)|Sioni]] and [[Ksani]] regions.<ref name=":miziev" /><ref name=":snosh" /><ref name=":Gytnov" /><ref name=":Gytnov2" /><ref name=":Inosteuropgeo" />
In May 1597, King [[Alexander II of Kakheti|Alexander II of Kartli]] reported the incursion to Russian envoys [[Kuzma Savin]] and [[Andrei Polukhanov]]. According to their account, Alexander informed them that “Sholokh, the Kabardian ruler, and Aytech-Murza” had invaded the “land of Soni,” killing many and taking numerous captives. The term “ruler” (’‘gosudar’’) used by Alexander in reference to Sholokh suggests a recognition—possibly tactical—of his authority among the Kabardians.<ref name=":miziev" /><ref name=":snosh" /><ref name=":Gytnov" /><ref name=":Gytnov2" /><ref name=":Inosteuropgeo" />
==Role of Alexander II of Kakheti== The same report noted that another Kabardian noble, referred to as “Gosudar Alkhas,” had warned King Alexander about Sholokh's actions and even released many of the captives taken during the raid. In retaliation, Sholokh attempted to incite Russian voivodes stationed in [[Terek]] to join him in military action against Mudar.<ref name=":Inosteuropgeo" />
In response, Alexander sent a letter to the Russian commanders urging them not to act against Alkhas. He assured them that if [[Mudar Alkhas|Mudar]] had offended the Russian Tsar in any way, he would soon “correct his mistake, fully submit to the Tsar, and remain eternally loyal.”<ref name=":Inosteuropgeo" />
==Aftermath== ===Kabardian Expansion in the Early 17th Century===
In the early 17th century, the most active political and military force in the central Caucasus region was represented by the Kabardian princes. Supported by loyal retainers and allied nobles, they sought to gain control over strategic routes leading into eastern Georgia.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Borov |first1=A. Kh. |last2=Muratsova |first2=E. G. |last3=Azikova |first3=Yu. M. |title=Социально-политические взаимосвязи владений и обществ Центрального Кавказа в XVI – первой трети XIX в.: документальный обзор [Socio-Political Relations of the Domains and Societies of the Central Caucasus in the 16th – First Third of the 19th Century: A Documentary Review] |journal=Caucasology |volume=2020 |issue=1 |pages=79–119 |doi=10.31143/2542-212X-2020-1-79-119 |language=ru |publisher=KBSU |url=https://kbsu.ru/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/borov_muratova_azikova_kavkazologija_2020_1.pdf |access-date=2025-05-02}}</ref>
By 1604, Kabardian influence had expanded to the vicinity of the [[Daryal Gorge]], a key passage connecting the North Caucasus with the Kingdom of Kartli. Prince Aitek secured control over an alternative mountain route leading to the "land of Soni"—a designation referring to the domain of the [[Ksani eristavi]].<ref name=":snosh2">{{Cite book |last=Belokurov |first=S. A. |title=Сношения России с Кавказом [Relations of Russia with the Caucasus] |location=Moscow |publisher=Типография Императорской Академии наук |year=1888 |pages=453–456|url=https://runivers.ru/upload/iblock/6db/belokurov.pdf |language=ru |access-date= }}</ref><ref name=":Gytnov" /><ref name=":Gytnov2" />
Kabardian feudal lords conducted raids into Georgian territory, attacking the lands of the Ksani eristavi, capturing inhabitants, and asserting intermittent military pressure on border regions.<ref name=":snosh2" /><ref name=":Gytnov" /><ref name=":Gytnov2" />
==References== {{reflist}}
[[Category:Wars involving the Circassians]] [[Category:Wars involving Ingushetia]] [[Category:Wars involving Chechnya]] [[Category:Wars involving Georgia (country)]] [[Category:Conflicts in 1596]] [[Category:Conflicts in 1597]]