Gayur-khan
| Khour II | |
|---|---|
| King of Simsim | |
| Reign | 1362–1395 |
| Religion | Christianity |
Gayur-khanorKyr Bek[a][b]was the king ofSimsirin the 14th century. He was involved in theTimuridinvasion of theCaucasusand was recorded in the twoPersianchronicles:ZafarnamabyNizam al-Din Shamiand theZafarnamabySharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi.
Background and Historical references
[edit]The earliest Historical reference to Khour comes in the form of a biography aboutTimurcalledZafarnamefrom the 15th century.[6]The biography was commissioned during the reign ofIbrahim Sultanthe grandson of Timur. The Zafarname has two versions from two different Persian authors namedNizam ad-Din ShamiandSharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi.[7]Both biographies speak of the campaigns of Timur in the Caucasus, it is here where Simsir and its leader Gayur-Khan are first mentioned.[6]Local Caucasian folklore such as the 19th century Ossetian poem "Alguziani"[8]and 19th century Chechen chronicle "Migration from Naxchuvan" also mention Khour Ela.[9]He is also mentioned in the 18th century book "Russian history" as "Kair-Mek" alongside anOssetianprince called Altanzibek.[10]
The historical sources coupled with local folk tales present Khour Ela as an important figure in theNorth Caucasusduring the 14th century. His ancestry and genealogy were studied by the Sadoy clan historian Murtazaliev who did fieldwork in Chechnya during 1991–1999 by interviewing several Sadoy clan elders. Their genealogy of the famous folk heroes from clan Sadoy contributed a lot to the Chechen historical sciences. The father of Khour was Khasi I who was the previous king while the son of Khour was a Muslim convert and Vassal of Timur named Makhama who is mentioned in the Zafarname as "Muhammad".[11][6]The Chechen-Arabic manuscript "Migration from Naxchuvan" from 1820 also gives insight into the family and religion of Khour-Ela. It mentions two brothers called "Kagar" (Kahir) and "Surak-khan" who were both Christians. The manuscript that is pro-Imamatedescribes the reach of these two brothers. Kagar rules lands in Chir-Yurt and his brother Surak extends his rule overAvaria.[9]The Dagestani chronicle "Tarikh Dagestan" also notes that the founder ofAvar Nutsaldomis a certain Surakat that is descended from the "Urus Sultans".[12]
Early statehood of Simsir
[edit]Simsiris believed to have started off as a vassal or tributary state of theGolden Hordeand played an important role in its Caucasian politics. Khour-Ela is believed to have been an ally of Khan Khidir. This is noted by the historian A.Tesaev who refers to the 18th century book "History of Russia" that relates an event during Khan Khidir's rule. The event in question was the 1360Kostromapogrom where a mob of ChristianRussiansrobbed and killed several MuslimTatars.The Tatars in return did the same in theVolgaregion.[13]To quell this violence the Khan sent three ChristianCaucasianambassadors to negotiate a peace with the Russians. These three ambassadors were called Urus, Altanzibek and Kair-Mek. The last two Ambassadors are noted for their similarity in name with theOssetianprince Altanzibek andChechenking Khour-Ela. The use of Caucasian Christian ambassadors toRussiawas not an uncommon thing to do by the Khan of the Golden Horde as it happened in a similar situation in 1327 as well.[13] Chechen folk tales also report that Khour convened with the Mekhk-Khela (National Council) and after successfully completing the tasks given to him by the Siyr's (Sages) he was elected as the leader of the whole Chechen nation. The folktales about Khour are recorded far and wide inChechnyaso much so that he is considered as the main leader of the Chechens in the late 14th century by modern historians.[13]It is also due to this that Khour is connected with an 18th century manuscript by Russian-Tatar general Sultan Kazi-Girey about a certain "Lamkerist" war with a certain "Mamai". The Chechen historian A. Tesaev notes that the manuscript coincides with events in the 14th century during the "Great Troubles" of the Golden Horde, when the rogue warlordMamaifought in several wars during this period. The 18th century manuscript by Kazi-Girey goes into detail about how a force of "Lamkerist" ( "Mountain Christians" in Chechen) went to a certain fortress called "Tatar-Tup" and defeated Mamai but did not take the fortress. Later it is described how the same army goes and defeatsNogayandOiratgarrisons in the area near theKumariver. The folktale gives us a date of the event as 1361–1362. This date is also accepted by the Russian historian V. Kuznetsov who notes that the attack showed the weakening of the Golden Horde in theNorth Caucasus.It is therefore the date 1362 that is considered important by A. Tesaev for the Simsir kingdom as archaeological research shows that Golden Horde minted coins cease to exist on the territory of Chechnya after 1362 (after Khan Khidir's reign) and only resurfaced during the reign of KhanTokhtamysh(an ally of Khour).[13]Another important factor to note was theGeorgian Kingdomwhich supported Khour in his campaigns according to folklore and Georgian reports from the reign ofGeorge V the Brilliant.[14]
Timurid invasion and fate of Khour
[edit]The 18th century document from Kazi-Girey also mentions that the ancestors ofChechenswere the main allies (in the vanguard) of theTokhtamysharmy against theTimuridinvasions of the Caucasus.[13]It was due to this fact that Timur decided to invadeSimsirwith such ferocity after theBattle of the Terek Riverin 1395. The invasion of Simsir is described in the Zafarname by both Nizam ad-Din Shami and Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi. In that invasion Khour loses his power and Timur grants the title of vassalage to his son Muhammad (Makhama). Timur's campaign in Simsir went even further into the mountains where Timur himself is described to have climbed the mountains and defeated the highlanders of Simsir.[6]The fate of Khour and his son is unknown in historical references but folk tales speak of an assassination of Makhama. They also mention how Khour kept a resistance against vassals of Timur and eventually fought in another invasion of Timur where he was treacherously murdered during negotiations.[11]TheOssetianpoem "Alguziani" gives a different version of the fate of Khour, the poem refers to Khour as "Kairkhan the Chechen" who was a powerful king that fought against the prince Alguz for the power ofOssetia.In the poem Alguz is victorious in a battle and defeats Khour. The poem is believed to have been regarded as a valuable source forNorth Caucasianfolk tales.[8]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Kuznetsov, Vladimir (1992).Очерки истории алан[Essays on the history of the Alans] (in Russian) (2nd ed.).Vladikavkaz:Ir. p. 348.
[...] а правителем области Симсим в Чечено-Ингушетии был Гаюрхан.
[[...] and the ruler of the Simsim region in Checheno-Ingushetia was Gayurkhan.] - ^Khizriev 1992,p. 86: Правителем страны Симсим на территории Чечено-Ингушетии назван Гаюр-хан [...] [Gayur Khan is named the ruler of the country Simsim on the territory of Checheno-Ingushetia [...]]
- ^Akhmadov, Yavuz.История Чечни с древнейших времен до конца XVIII века: пособие для изучающих историю родного края[History of Chechnya from ancient times to the end of the 18th century: a guide for students of the history of their native land] (in Russian). Moscow: Mir domu tvoemu. p. 233.
[...] Гаюр-хан («Кюр-бек» некоторых источников) так и не изъявил покорности Тимуру [...]
[[...] Gayur-khan ( "Kyr-bek" in some sources) never expressed his submission to Timur [...]] - ^Akhmadov, Yavuz; Akaev, Vakhit (2005). "Чеченцы" [The Chechens]. InZhdanov, Yuri;et al. (eds.).Энциклопедия культур народов Юга России[Encyclopedia of cultures of the peoples of the South of Russia] (in Russian). Vol. 1: Народы Юга России [Peoples of the South of Russia]. SKNTs VSh. p. 233.
[...] «Симсим», имевшее правителем Гаюр-хана
[[...] "Simsim", which had Gayur Khan as its ruler] - ^Khizriev 1992,p. 86.
- ^abcdТизенгаузена, В.Г (1941)."Книга Побед" Шереф-ад-Дина Йезди, по переводу В.Г. Тизенгаузена.Soviet Union. pp. 180–184.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^Manz, Beatrice Forbes (2007).Power, politics, and religion in Timurid Iran.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 167.
- ^abДжанашвили, М.Г (1897).Описание Осетии, Дзурдзукии, Дидоэтии, Тушетии, Алании и Джикетии.Tbilisi: Сборник материалов для описания местностей и племен Кавказа.
- ^abСалгириев, А.М (2019). "етопись об исходе чеченцев из Нахчувана (перевод и комментарии)".Таллам.2:33–35.
- ^Татищев, В.Н (2015).История Российская (1055-1378 гг.).Ryazan: Александрия.
- ^abМуртазалиев, В.К вопросу об истории государства и права чеченцев.
- ^"->Текст".
- ^abcdeTesaev, Amin (2018). "Симсим".РЕФЛЕКСИЯ.2:61–67.
- ^Tesaev, Amin (2020). "Чечено-грузинские контакты в XIV–XVII вв".РЕФЛЕКСИЯ.5:40–44.
Bibliography
[edit]- Khizriev, Kh. A. (1992). Iriskhanov, I. A. (ed.).Кавказцы против Тимура (Борьба народов Северного Кавказа против экспансии Тимура)[Caucasians against Timur (The struggle of the peoples of the North Caucasus against the expansion of Timur)] (in Russian).Grozny:Kniga. pp. 1–168.ISBN5-7666-0320-7.
- Rtveladze, E. V. (1976). "О походе Тимура на Северный Кавказ" [About Timur's campaign in the North Caucasus]. In Vinogradov, V. B. (ed.).Археолого-этнографический сборник: вып. 4[Archaeological and ethnographic collection: no. 4] (in Russian).Grozny.pp. 103–128.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Shnirelman, V. A.(2006). Kalinin, I. (ed.).Быть Аланами: Интеллектуалы и политика на Северном Кавказе в XX веке[To be Alans: Intellectuals and Politics in the North Caucasus in the 20th Century] (in Russian).Moskva:Novoe Literaturnoe Obozrenie. pp. 1–348.ISBN5-86793-406-3.ISSN1813-6583.