The Mongol invasion of Circassia and Alania refers to the invasion of Circassia and Alania by the Mongolian Empire. During the 13th and 14th centuries, the

Mongols Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China ( Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family o ...

launched massive invasions of the territory of Circassia and Alania. William of Rubruck, who travelled to the Caucasus in 1253, wrote that the Circassians had never "bowed to Mongol rule", despite the fact that a whole fifth of the Mongol armies were at that time devoted to the task of crushing the Alano-Circassian resistance. Circassians and Alans made use of both the forests and the mountains, and waged a successful guerrilla war, maintaining their freedom to some extent.

Prelude

During what was the

late Middle Ages The late Middle Ages or late medieval period was the Periodization, period of History of Europe, European history lasting from 1300 to 1500 AD. The late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period ( ...

of Western Europe, the

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

was invaded by

and their Turkic vassals. The first appearance of Mongol troops in the Caucasus was an arrival of scouts between 1220 and 1222.Anchalabze, George. ''The Vainakhs''. Page 24 Kypchak Turkic peoples – some of which became future affiliates of

Genghis Khan Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; August 1227), also known as Chinggis Khan, was the founder and first khan (title), khan of the Mongol Empire. After spending most of his life uniting the Mongols, Mongol tribes, he launched Mongol invasions and ...

– had been invading and settling areas further and further South and West (a process that had continued since the fall of the

Khazars The Khazars ; 突厥可薩 ''Tūjué Kěsà'', () were a nomadic Turkic people who, in the late 6th century CE, established a major commercial empire covering the southeastern section of modern European Russia, southern Ukraine, Crimea, a ...

), including the fertile river valleys of the Terek and the

Kuban Kuban ( Russian and Ukrainian: Кубань; ) is a historical and geographical region in the North Caucasus region of southern Russia surrounding the Kuban River, on the Black Sea between the Don Steppe, the Volga Delta and separated fr ...

. In the 1230s, the Mongols gained rule over the Kypchaks, and turned them into vassals. The Circassians dominated the north and south of the Kuban river before the Mongol arrival.

Mongol Invasion

In 1237, the assault on the

North Caucasus The North Caucasus, or Ciscaucasia, is a subregion in Eastern Europe governed by Russia. It constitutes the northern part of the wider Caucasus region, which separates Europe and Asia. The North Caucasus is bordered by the Sea of Azov and the B ...

began. Mongols launched the first attacks: against the

Circassians The Circassians or Circassian people, also called Cherkess or Adyghe (Adyghe language, Adyghe and ), are a Northwest Caucasian languages, Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation who originated in Circassia, a region and former country in t ...

and the

Alans The Alans () were an ancient and medieval Iranian peoples, Iranic Eurasian nomads, nomadic pastoral people who migrated to what is today North Caucasus – while some continued on to Europe and later North Africa. They are generally regarded ...

. The king of the Circassians, Tuqar, was killed in battle against the Mongols. The people of the Caucasus proved no match for the arrows and flames of the Mongols, and their villages were totally destroyed.Jaimoukha, Amjad. ''The Chechens''. Pages 34-5 The Northern Caucasus was mostly invaded, but its resistant people survived up in the mountains. Those remaining joined their mountainous brethren in the highlands (lowland Circassians and Alans fled to the Circassian and Alan highlands of Caucasus), fleeing out of lack of an alternative. They regrouped in the mountains and reorganized themselves, planning a counterattack on the Turkic and Mongol invaders. Their goal was to survive both biologically and culturally. They had both the forests and the mountains on their side, and waged a successful guerrilla war. William of Rubruck, the emissary of the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the Middle Ages, medieval and Early modern France, early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe from th ...

to Sartaq Khan (son of Batu) travelled to the Caucasus in 1253. He wrote that the Circassians had never "bowed to Mongol rule", despite the fact that whole fifth of the Mongol armies were at that time devoted to the task of crushing their resistance.''G Rubruquis''. 1753. Cited in Jaimoukha's ''The Chechens'', page 35

Long-term effects of the Mongol invasions

Cultural effects

The concept of mythical beast known as the "almasti", an evil forest creature with enchanted hair, also dates to Mongol influence with the word ''almasti'' being a loan from Mongolian where it originally meant "forest-man"; Jaimoukha also proposes that the Mongol name may have become used in the place of a native name during the sojourn of the Golden Horde over Simsim.Colarusso, John. ‘Ethnographic Information on a Wild Man of the Caucasus’, in M.Halpin and M.Ames (eds), ''Manlike Monsters on Trial'', Vancouver and London: University of British Columbia Press, 1980.

References

{{Mongol Empire

Circassia Circassia ( ), also known as Zichia, was a country and a historical region in . It spanned the western coastal portions of the North Caucasus, along the northeastern shore of the Black Sea. Circassia was conquered by the Russian Empire during ...

1230s conflicts

Wars involving the Circassians Battles involving the Alans Wars involving the Karachay-Balkars

Prelude

Mongol Invasion

Long-term effects of the Mongol invasions

Cultural effects

See also

References