History of History of DagestanDagestan

Mikhail Nokhov,Mikhail Nokhov,

Gymnasium # 1, Gymnasium # 1,

KhasavyurtKhasavyurt

The Map of DagestanThe Map of Dagestan

The oldest records about The oldest records about the region refer to the the region refer to the state of Caucasian state of Caucasian Albania in the south, Albania in the south, with its capital at with its capital at Derbent and other Derbent and other important centres at important centres at Chola, Toprakh Qala, Chola, Toprakh Qala, and Urtseki. The and Urtseki. The northern parts were held northern parts were held by a confederation of by a confederation of pagan tribes. In the first pagan tribes. In the first few centuries AD, few centuries AD, Caucasian Albania Caucasian Albania continued to rule over continued to rule over what is present day what is present day Azerbaijan and the area Azerbaijan and the area occupied by the present occupied by the present day Lezghians. It was day Lezghians. It was fought over in classical fought over in classical times by Rome and the times by Rome and the Persian Sassanids and Persian Sassanids and was early converted to was early converted to Christianity.Christianity.

In the fifth century AD, In the fifth century AD, the Sassanids gained the the Sassanids gained the upper hand and upper hand and constructed a strong constructed a strong citadel at Derbent, known citadel at Derbent, known henceforward as the henceforward as the Caspian Gates, while the Caspian Gates, while the northern part of northern part of Dagestan was overrun by Dagestan was overrun by the Huns, followed by the the Huns, followed by the Caucasian Avars. It is not Caucasian Avars. It is not clear whether the latter clear whether the latter were instrumental in the were instrumental in the rise of the Christian rise of the Christian kingdom in Central kingdom in Central Dagestan highlands. Dagestan highlands. Known as Sarir, this Known as Sarir, this Avar-dominated state Avar-dominated state maintained a precarious maintained a precarious existence in the shadow existence in the shadow of Khazaria and the of Khazaria and the Caliphate until the ninth Caliphate until the ninth century, when it managed century, when it managed to assert its supremacy in to assert its supremacy in the region.the region.

Due to Muslim Due to Muslim pressure and pressure and internal disunity, internal disunity, Sarir disintegrated Sarir disintegrated in the early in the early twelfth century, twelfth century, giving way to the giving way to the Khanate of Khanate of Avaristan, a long-Avaristan, a long-lived Muslim state lived Muslim state which relied on which relied on the alliance with the alliance with the Golden Horde the Golden Horde and braved the and braved the devastating devastating Mongol invasions Mongol invasions of 1222 and 1239, of 1222 and 1239, followed by followed by Tamerlane's raid Tamerlane's raid in 1389.in 1389.

TamerlaneTamerlane

As the Mongol authority gradually eroded, new As the Mongol authority gradually eroded, new centres of power emerged in Kaitagi and Tarki. centres of power emerged in Kaitagi and Tarki. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, legal traditions were codified, mountainous legal traditions were codified, mountainous communities (communities (djamaatsdjamaats) obtained a ) obtained a considerable degree of autonomy, while the considerable degree of autonomy, while the Kumyk potentates (Kumyk potentates (shamhalsshamhals) asked for the ) asked for the Tsar's protection. Tsar's protection.

Russians intensified Russians intensified their hold in the their hold in the region in the region in the eighteenth century, eighteenth century, when Peter the when Peter the Great annexed Great annexed maritime Dagestan maritime Dagestan in the course of the in the course of the First Russo-Persian First Russo-Persian War. Although the War. Although the territories were territories were returned to Persia returned to Persia in 1735, the next in 1735, the next bout of hostilities bout of hostilities resulted in the resulted in the Russian capture of Russian capture of Derbent in 1796.Derbent in 1796.

The eighteenth The eighteenth century also saw the century also saw the resurgence of the resurgence of the Khanate of Khanate of Avaristan, which Avaristan, which managed to repulse managed to repulse the attacks of Nadir the attacks of Nadir Shah of Persia and Shah of Persia and impose tribute on impose tribute on Shirvan and Shirvan and Georgia. In 1803 the Georgia. In 1803 the khanate voluntarily khanate voluntarily submitted to submitted to Russian authority, Russian authority, but it took Persia a but it took Persia a decade to recognize decade to recognize all of Dagestan as all of Dagestan as the Russian the Russian possession (Treaty possession (Treaty of Gulistan).of Gulistan).

Nadir Shah. Engraving by Thamas Koulikan

Memorial “Vatan” at the place of defeat of the troops of the conqueror of the world Persian ruler Nadir Shah by the united troops of Dagestans. The defeat of Nadir Shah and the glorious victory of the peoples of Dagestan over the most redoubtable armies at that time caused a great international response and became a vivid witness of the might and force of the peoples of Dagestan.

The Russian The Russian administration, however, administration, however, disappointed and disappointed and embittered the embittered the highlanders. The highlanders. The institution of heavy institution of heavy taxation, coupled with the taxation, coupled with the expropriation of estates expropriation of estates and the construction of and the construction of fortresses (including fortresses (including Makhachkala), electrified Makhachkala), electrified highlanders into rising highlanders into rising under the aegis of the under the aegis of the Muslim Imamate of Muslim Imamate of Dagestan, led by Ghazi Dagestan, led by Ghazi Mohammed (1828-32), Mohammed (1828-32), Gamzat-bek (1832-34) and Gamzat-bek (1832-34) and Shamil (1834-59). This Shamil (1834-59). This Caucasian War raged until Caucasian War raged until 1864, when Shamil was 1864, when Shamil was captured and the Khanate captured and the Khanate of Avaristan was abolished.of Avaristan was abolished.

Imam Ghazi Imam Ghazi MohammedMohammed

Imam ShamilImam Shamil

Khadzhy MuratKhadzhy Murat

The Battle of GhimriThe Battle of Ghimri

Dagestan and Chechnya Dagestan and Chechnya profited from the Russo-profited from the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-1878, Turkish War, 1877-1878, to rise against Imperial to rise against Imperial Russia for the last time. Russia for the last time. During the Russian Civil During the Russian Civil War, the region became War, the region became part of the short-lived part of the short-lived Republic of the Republic of the Mountaineers of the Mountaineers of the North Caucasus. After North Caucasus. After more than three years of more than three years of fighting White movement fighting White movement reactionaries and local reactionaries and local nationalists, the Dagestan nationalists, the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was Socialist Republic was proclaimed on 20 January proclaimed on 20 January 1921. 1921.

After the Civil War, After the Civil War, Dagestan managed to Dagestan managed to liqudate economic liqudate economic devastation, hunger and devastation, hunger and epidemics. This opened epidemics. This opened the broader possiblities the broader possiblities for the consolidation of all for the consolidation of all Dagestanian people and Dagestanian people and ethnic groups into a ethnic groups into a nation for a rapid nation for a rapid developmentof the developmentof the economy and culture of economy and culture of the young republic. the young republic. Indeed during the first Indeed during the first five year plans Dagestan five year plans Dagestan was converted from a was converted from a backward agrarian backward agrarian country into a a country into a a developing industrial-developing industrial-agrarian republic. agrarian republic.

But this was achieved by its population at a high But this was achieved by its population at a high price. During the period of Stalin’s personality price. During the period of Stalin’s personality cult. From the 1930’s to the early 1950’s in cult. From the 1930’s to the early 1950’s in Dagestan like everywhere else in the country, Dagestan like everywhere else in the country, there were a great number of violations of there were a great number of violations of legality, attacks on the honor and dignity of the legality, attacks on the honor and dignity of the individuals, and the political repressions of many individuals, and the political repressions of many innocent people. innocent people.

During the World War II the peoples of Dagestan During the World War II the peoples of Dagestan together with the peoples of the former Soviet together with the peoples of the former Soviet Union stood up for the defense of their Union stood up for the defense of their Motherland. They displayed courage and heroism Motherland. They displayed courage and heroism at the front. More than 50 Dagestanis were at the front. More than 50 Dagestanis were awarded the highest title of the Hero of the awarded the highest title of the Hero of the Soviet Union. Soviet Union.

After the victorious Great After the victorious Great

Patriotic war the working Patriotic war the working people of Dagestan people of Dagestan began with new strength began with new strength to bring into life the to bring into life the plans of restoring their plans of restoring their economy and to solve economy and to solve new problems that arose new problems that arose before them. In 1970 our before them. In 1970 our republic was struck by a republic was struck by a natural disaster, an natural disaster, an earthquake which earthquake which inflicted great material inflicted great material damage to its economy damage to its economy and population. A and population. A number of other number of other republics and regions of republics and regions of the former Soviet union the former Soviet union rendered considerable rendered considerable assistance to Dagestan to assistance to Dagestan to eliminate the effects of eliminate the effects of the earthquake. the earthquake.

90.7% percent of Dagestan's population 90.7% percent of Dagestan's population is Muslim, with Christians accounting is Muslim, with Christians accounting for much of the remaining 9.3%. for much of the remaining 9.3%.

As with much of the Caucasus region, As with much of the Caucasus region, Dagestan's native Islam consists of Dagestan's native Islam consists of Sunni Sufi orders that have been in Sunni Sufi orders that have been in place for centuries. Resul Magomedov, place for centuries. Resul Magomedov, who is a contemporary writer of who is a contemporary writer of Daghestan, writes about the unifying Daghestan, writes about the unifying role of Islam: “Before Islam, all role of Islam: “Before Islam, all Daghestan tribes were divided in Daghestan tribes were divided in respect of language, religion, ethnic respect of language, religion, ethnic structure and geography like all other structure and geography like all other Caucasian peoples. This situation caused Caucasian peoples. This situation caused severe hostility and conflicts.severe hostility and conflicts.

Central Mosque in Makhachkala

After all native tribes became Muslims, a unity After all native tribes became Muslims, a unity in belief could be sustained among Daghestan in belief could be sustained among Daghestan tribes which also stopped ethnic conflicts tribes which also stopped ethnic conflicts among them. If these conflicts continued, our among them. If these conflicts continued, our homeland would face great disasters. This homeland would face great disasters. This unity could only be established by medressehs unity could only be established by medressehs spread out all the country. The scientists, spread out all the country. The scientists, scholars, imams graduated from these scholars, imams graduated from these medressehs had an important role in stopping medressehs had an important role in stopping these conflicts in this multinational region and these conflicts in this multinational region and they helped tribes to establish friendly they helped tribes to establish friendly relations. Islam should also serve such a goal relations. Islam should also serve such a goal today.” There is a millennia-old presence of a today.” There is a millennia-old presence of a Jewish community, the "Mountain Jews," in Jewish community, the "Mountain Jews," in Dagestan. Their influx from Babylonia and Dagestan. Their influx from Babylonia and Persia occurred from the seventh century B.C. Persia occurred from the seventh century B.C. to the sixth century A.D. to the sixth century A.D.

Znamensky Cathedral in Khasavyurt