CAUCASIOCAUCASION LEGENDN LEGEND

IMAM IMAM SHAMILSHAMIL

Imam Shamil was born in Imam Shamil was born in 1797 in the small village 1797 in the small village of Gimry which is in of Gimry which is in current-day Dagestan, current-day Dagestan, Russia. He was Avar like Russia. He was Avar like Nurmagomedov Family. Nurmagomedov Family. His father was a free His father was a free landlord, and this position landlord, and this position allowed Shamil and close allowed Shamil and close friends Ghazi Mullah to friends Ghazi Mullah to study many subjects study many subjects including Arabic and logic. including Arabic and logic. Shamil also joined the Shamil also joined the Naqshbandi Mujaddidy Naqshbandi Mujaddidy Khalidiya Sufi order, and Khalidiya Sufi order, and established himself as a established himself as a well-respected and well-respected and educated man among educated man among other Muslims of the other Muslims of the Caucasus.Caucasus.

Shamil’s Street and Houses

The Village of Gimry

Shamil was born at a time Shamil was born at a time when the Russian Empire when the Russian Empire was expanding into the was expanding into the territories of the Ottoman territories of the Ottoman Empire and Persia (see Empire and Persia (see Russo-Persian War (1804-Russo-Persian War (1804-1813) and Russo-Turkish 1813) and Russo-Turkish War). Following the War). Following the Russian invasion, many Russian invasion, many Caucasian nations united Caucasian nations united in resistance to harsh in resistance to harsh Tsarist rule in what Tsarist rule in what became known as the became known as the Caucasian War. Some of Caucasian War. Some of the earlier leaders of the earlier leaders of Caucasian resistance were Caucasian resistance were Sheikh Mansur, and Ghazi Sheikh Mansur, and Ghazi Mollah. Shamil was Mollah. Shamil was actually childhood friends actually childhood friends with Mollah, and would with Mollah, and would become his disciple.become his disciple.

In 1834, Ghazi Mollah died at In 1834, Ghazi Mollah died at the battle of Ghimry, and the battle of Ghimry, and Shamil took his place as the Shamil took his place as the premier leader of the premier leader of the Caucasian resistance and the Caucasian resistance and the Imam of the Naqshbandi Imam of the Naqshbandi Mujadidyi Khalidiya Tariqat. Mujadidyi Khalidiya Tariqat. In 1839 (June-August), Shamil In 1839 (June-August), Shamil and his followers, numbering and his followers, numbering about 4000 men, women and about 4000 men, women and children found themselves children found themselves under siege in their mountain under siege in their mountain stronghold of Akhoulgo, stronghold of Akhoulgo, nestled in the bend of the nestled in the bend of the Andee Koisou River, about ten Andee Koisou River, about ten miles east of Gimry. This epic miles east of Gimry. This epic siege of the war lasted eighty siege of the war lasted eighty days, resulting finally in a days, resulting finally in a Russian victory. The Russians Russian victory. The Russians suffered about 3000 casualties suffered about 3000 casualties in taking the stronghold, while in taking the stronghold, while the rebels were almost the rebels were almost entirely slaughtered after entirely slaughtered after extremely bitter fighting extremely bitter fighting where typical of the war, no where typical of the war, no quarter was either asked or quarter was either asked or givengiven

Ruins of Shamil’s Tower

Shamil and a small party of Shamil and a small party of his closest followers, his closest followers, including some family including some family miraculously managed to miraculously managed to escape down the cliffs and escape down the cliffs and through the Russian siege through the Russian siege lines during the final days at lines during the final days at Akhoulgo. Following his Akhoulgo. Following his escape he once again set escape he once again set about regaining his following about regaining his following and resisting the Russian and resisting the Russian occupation. Shamil was occupation. Shamil was effective at uniting the many, effective at uniting the many, frequently quarreling, frequently quarreling, Caucasian tribes to fight Caucasian tribes to fight against the Russians. He against the Russians. He made effective use of made effective use of guerrilla warfare tactics and guerrilla warfare tactics and the resistance continued the resistance continued under his leadership until under his leadership until 1859. On August 25, 1859 1859. On August 25, 1859 Shamil and his family Shamil and his family surrendered to Russian forces surrendered to Russian forces and were jailed in the and were jailed in the Dagestan aoul of Gunib.Dagestan aoul of Gunib.

After his capture, After his capture, Shamil was sent to Shamil was sent to Saint Petersburg to Saint Petersburg to meet the Emperor meet the Emperor Alexander II. Afterwards Alexander II. Afterwards he was exiled to Kaluga, he was exiled to Kaluga, then a small town near then a small town near Moscow. After several Moscow. After several years in Kaluga he years in Kaluga he complained to the complained to the authorities about the authorities about the climate and in climate and in December, 1868 Shamil December, 1868 Shamil received the permission received the permission to move to Kiev, a to move to Kiev, a commercial center of commercial center of the Empire's southwestthe Empire's southwest

In Kiev he was In Kiev he was afforded a mansion at afforded a mansion at the Aleksandrovskaya the Aleksandrovskaya Street. The Imperial Street. The Imperial authorities ordered authorities ordered the Kievan the Kievan superintendent to superintendent to keep Shamil under keep Shamil under "strict but not overly "strict but not overly burdensome burdensome surveillance" and surveillance" and allotted the city a allotted the city a significant sum for significant sum for the needs of the exile. the needs of the exile. Shamil seemed to Shamil seemed to have liked his have liked his luxurious detainment luxurious detainment as well as the city as as well as the city as confirmed the letters confirmed the letters he sent from Kiev.he sent from Kiev.

A Memorial Boar on a House in

Kiev.

In 1869 he was given a In 1869 he was given a permission to take Hajj permission to take Hajj to the holy city of Mecca. to the holy city of Mecca. He traveled there by ship He traveled there by ship from Kiev through from Kiev through Odessa and Istanbul. He Odessa and Istanbul. He died in Medina in 1871 died in Medina in 1871 while visiting the city, while visiting the city, and was buried in the and was buried in the Jannatul Baqi which is Jannatul Baqi which is also the site where many also the site where many important personalities important personalities from Islamic history are from Islamic history are buried. His two sons buried. His two sons (Cemaleddin and (Cemaleddin and Muhammed Şefi) became Muhammed Şefi) became officers in the Russian officers in the Russian army, while two other army, while two other sons (Muhammed Gazi sons (Muhammed Gazi and Muhammed Kamil) and Muhammed Kamil) served in the Turkish served in the Turkish army.army.

Monument to Imam Shamil in Makhachkala