June 16, 1854

[Martin Antonenko]

Hostages versus Hostage - a Story From the Caucasus


On June 16, 1854 (our era!) Caucasian fighters attacked the Zinondali winery on the Alasan River (the border between the Principality of Georgia and the "wild" Caucasus) ...

The leader in the attack is the eldest son of the undisputed leader of the Muslim Caucasians, Imam Shamil, Kasi (Ghasi) Mohammed ...:

The Russians tried at that time to submit to the Caucasus, whereas the charismatic leader of the Caucasians, Imam Shamil of Dhagestan ...



... put up a fight.

The fortunes of war billowed to and to for decades. In 1839, under General Pavel Grabbé, the Russians sieged ...



... Shamil at the Aul (Caucasian: village / settlement) of Achulgo...:



In order to lift the siege, Shamil had to promise peace and hand over his youngest son Dschemal-Edin (Jamaldin), then six years old, as a hostage to the Russians.



The boy was brought to Saint Petersburg, where Tsar Nicholas I practically adopted him in place of his son ...



... gave him an excellent education and later accepted him as an officer in the guard, where he worked as the personal adjutant for the tsar.

**continued next post**

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Part II


In 1854 the Russians had to withdraw almost half of their troops from the Caucasus because of the Crimean War - and Shamil, who at that time was almost militarily defeated, saw a good opportunity to get his son back from Russia!

His people raided the Zinondali (Tsinandali) winery, which still exists today ...



... and kidnapped 23 women and children, including the wife of the Georgian prince and Russian officer David Tschavchavadze ...



... Princess Anna Orbeliani ...



... held captive, which lay almost impregnable on a hilltop, to which only a narrow path led - the negotiations with the Russians dragged on almost endlessly.



... held captive, which lay almost impregnable on a hilltop, to which only a narrow path led - the negotiations with the Russians dragged on almost endlessly.

We owe the prisoners extremely valuable descriptions of the private lives of Imam Shamil and his four wives ...:





We also learn from these reports that Shamil was by no means the bloodthirsty murderer and religious fanatic that Russian propaganda portrayed him as, on the contrary, he was highly educated.
For example, he corresponded in English with Queen Victoria!

Many details also got abroad!

One of the prisoners was the French nanny Madame Drancy ...



... who kept a daily diary, saved it from captivity and was later able to publish it in France!

We also know from the prisoners that Shamil had a cat that he loved dearly and, out of deep sorrow, fasted for four weeks when the animal died of old age.

In 1855 the exchange finally took place!

At this point in time the lieutenant in the guard, Prince Dschemal-Edin, was completely Russified, had absolutely nothing to do with his father, his political goals and Islam, and hardly spoke Caucasian any more!



The tsar had left him to decide for himself whether he wanted to be exchanged. He had - out of a sense of duty! - immediately agreed!

The evening before the exchange he celebrated a lavish farewell party with comrades from the Guard who had accompanied him to the Caucasus - it was absolutely clear to him that his change of front meant something like "life imprisonment".

Dschemal-Edin then separated himself completely from his father and his two brothers and lived in his own (dream) world until his father had all of his Russian books taken away from him.

He was taken to another auditorium when he was severely depressed and died a little later of "melancholy" (or - more likely - killed himself).

In 1859 Shamil and his last supporters had to capitulate to Field Marshal Prince Aleksandr Iwanowitsch Barjatinskij ...:

At the place where Shamil Barjatinskij met to surrender, there is this monument today - underneath is the stone on which the field marshal was sitting at that moment (see picture above) ...:

Shamil firmly expected to be executed, but the new Tsar Aleksander II had him brought to Saint Petersburg (Nikolai I had died in March March 1855!) And treated with the greatest respect and honor - and Shamil accompanied the Tsar for half a time In his wake for a year.

The next photo was taken in the Winter Palace at Saint Petersburg. Shamil and his sons Kasi Mohammed and Mohammed Scheffi can be seen in the middle ...:



After that, the Tsar granted the Imam and his family an honorable exile in a large stone house in the city of Kaluga.



The house still stands today - and a commemorative plaque commemorates its prominent resident ...:





Shamil's middle son Mohammed Scheffi became an officer in the Russian army, made it to the rank of colonel of a cavalry regiment and received several high awards ...:



Imam Shamil died on February 16, 1871 on a pilgrimage to Mecca in the city of Medina (now Saudi Arabia).


Recommended literature:

If you are interested in the history of the struggle for the Caucasus, I recommend this really excellent book ...:

 

[Airkid]

Fascinating stuff! That book looks to be an interesting read.

Phil

 

[Airkid]

Just ordered the book - looking forward to reading it

 

[Martin Antonenko]

It IS interesting - and very good to read! Tell me please your opinion after reading...


Cheers

 

[Nap]

Again a mass of information and interesting to read through

4 wives .....a brave fellow !....4 mother in laws ......lol

Cheers again Martin

Nap