[Variants given in brackets are different versions of the same name and the Arabic adjectival forms of place names. For example, “al-Qarakhi” means “from Qarakh.” Names in this book except for “Hadji Murat” are spelled as in Moshe Gammer, Muslim Resistance to the Tsar (London: Frank Cass, 1994). In the Tolstoi translation, versions of Muslim names are kept as close to the Russian originals as possible.]
Aghach Qala [Chumeskent]: Fort in thickly wooded mountains west of the Hindal area that was used at various times by Muslim leaders as a refuge from the Russians. Ghazi Muhammad, for example, used it a base from which to defend the Hindal area from Russian attacks in the spring of 1831.
Aghdash Awukh [Aktash Aukh]: Village on the Aktash River about 25 km south of Khasav Yurt.
Ahmad Khan [Akhmet-khan]: Hereditary ruler of Mekhtuli, a region just south of the territory of the shamkhal’s domain. The Russians installed Ahmad as the temporary ruler of the Avar area in 1836, which sparked a feud between him and Hadji Murat. Ahmad finally denounced Hadji Murat to the Russians as Shamil’s collaborator, causing Hadji Murat to turn against the Russians until 1851. Ahmad died in the early 1840s.
Akhdi [Akhty]: Russian fort on the Samur River in southern Daghestan. Shamil besieged a Russian force there in the fall of 1848 to spark a general uprising in this area but did not succeed.
Akhulgoh: Mountain village in central Daghestan on the Andi Koysu River near Ashilta where Shamil made an unsuccessful stand against the Russians in 1839.
Alazan River: River south of Daghestan. The Alazan river valley was at the center of the “Lezghian Line”—a defensive line established by the Russians in the 1830s to protect Georgia from incursions.
‘Andal: Area in the eastern part of the Avar region of Daghestan near the Andi Koysu River.
‘Andi Koysu: River that runs through the heart of the Avar region of Daghestan.
Ansal [Untsukul/al-Ansali, al-Untsukuli]: Village in the Hindal region of central Daghestan.
Argun: River that runs from the northern Caucasus through central Chechnia.
‘Ashilta [al-‘Ashilti]: Shamil’s home village in central Daghestan on the Andi Roysu River.
Atli Buyun: Village between Petrovsk and Temir-Khan-Shura where Ghazi Muhammad defeated a Russian force in 1831.
awul: Daghestani mountain village.
Avar [al-Avari]: One of the many Daghestani ethnic groups primarily living in central Daghestan in the areas between and near the Andi Koysu and Avar Koysu Rivers and in the area called Hindal or Koysubu.
Avar Koysu: River south of the ‘Andi Koysu River and just south of the village of Khunzakh.
bairam: Islamic holiday.
Balagin [Balakan]: Village in the Alazan river valley south of Daghestan and northwest of the Russian fort at Zakartalah.
baraka: Blessing from God.
Bayan: Village in Chechnia.
beshmet: Quilted jacket popular in the Caucasus.
Bizu‘: Valley near Ghunib.
burka: Felt cloak worn over the beshmet by mountaineers in the Caucasus.
Burnaia: Russian fortress built in 1821 near the shamkhal’s capital, Targhu. “Burnaia” means “stormy” in Russian.
Buynakh: Village south of the Russian fortress of Temir-Khan-Shura.
Char [al-Chari]: Village south of Daghestan in the Chartalah region, near the Russian fort at Zakartalah.
Chartalah: Region south of Daghestan in the Alazan river valley.
cherkesska: Circassian hat commonly worn in the Caucasus.
Chernyshev, Prince Aleksandr Ivanovich: Russian minister of war in the 1840s.
chikhir: A type of brandy popular in the Caucasus.
Chirkah [Chirkei/al-Chirkawi]: Village on the Sulak River in northern Daghestan.
Chokha: Village on the Ghazi-Ghumuq Koysu River south of Saltah.
Daghestan: Mountainous region of the northern Caucasus just southeast of Chechnia. It now belongs to the republic of Azerbaijan and has been the site of significant fighting since the late 1990s between Chechens, other Muslims, and the Russian Army. It remains an unsettled area populated by groups speaking at least 29 distinctive languages.
Darghiyya [Dargo/al-Darghiyyi]: Village in the Salatawh region of northern Daghestan.
Derbend: City on the Caspian coast with a major Russian fort. It is approximately 125 km south of Petrovsk [Makhachkala].
Dolgorukii [Dolgorukov]: Prince Vasilli Andreevich: Russian minister of war after Chernyshev.
dzhigit [yigit]: Turkish (as used in the Caucasus) for “brave young man.”
Enderi [Andreevskii Awul/Indiri/al-Indiri]: Village just north of the Caucasus and east of Chechnia near the Russian fort Vnezapnaia.
Ghazanish: Village near to and south of Temir-Khan-Shura.
ghazwa (plural “ghazazvat”): Campaign or battle in an Islamic holy war.
Ghazi Muhammad [Kazi-Mulla]: Daghestani imam (leader) who created a religio-political movement against the Russians that he led from 1826 to 1832, when he was killed in combat near Gimrah, which was his birthplace. Shamil’s eldest surviving son was named for him and later became an Ottoman general.
Ghazi-Ghumuq Koysu: River beginning in the mountains west of Qaytaq that flows north into the Sulak River.
Ghumuq plain: Area east of Chechnia in north Daghestan through which the Terek River flows.
Ghunib: Mountain plateau in central Daghestan near the Kara Koysu River where Shamil made his final stand against the Russians in 1859.
Gimrah [Gimry/al-Gimrawi]: The home village of Shamil and Ghazi Muhammad in the Hindal region.
Girgil [Gergebil]: Village south of Hindal near the Ghazi-Ghumuq Koysu where Shamil withstood a major Russian attack in 1847.
Grabbe, Lieutenant-General Pavel: Russian general who defeated Shamil at Akhulgoh in 1839.
Groznaia [Groznyi]: Site of an important Russian defensive fort in Chechnia built on the Sunja River in 1819. “Groznaia” means “menacing” in Russian.
Hadji Murat al-Khunzakhi: An Avar nobleman who had originally been loyal to the Russians. In November 1840, Ahmad Khan convinced the Russian commander in Khunzakh to arrest Hadji Murat on suspicion of secret ties to Shamil. Angry, Hadji Murat shifted allegiance to Shamil, under whose leadership he fought until 1851, when he rejoined the Russians, apparently due to some friction with the imam.
Hamza Bek [Hamza Bek]: Daghestani imam (1832–1834) who followed Ghazi Muhammad and preceded Shamil as leader of Muslim resistance to the Russians in Daghestan. He was killed in a battle in which many members of the traditional Avar ruling family were killed.
Harakan [Arakany/al-Harakani]: Village on the Ghazi-Ghumuq Koysu River in the Hindal region.
Hindal [Koysubu]: Area in central Daghestan near the Ghazi-Ghumuq Koysu River.
Hutsal [Gotsatl’]: An important village in the Avar region that was the birthplace of the second imam, Hamza Bek.
Ihali [al-Ihali]: Village in the Avar area just south of the Andi Koysu River.
imam: In Islam originally “imam” meant “Muslim prayer leader.” Later its meaning grew to sometimes include “community leader” and “ruler” more generally. In the context of the Eastern Caucasus in the nineteenth century, this term was applied successively to Ghazi Muhammad, Hamza Bek, and Shamil—the three imams of the Muslim resistance to the Russians in the Eastern Caucasus who led this movement from 1826 to 1859.
Indiri [al-Indiri]: Village in Chechnia just across the Aktash River from the Vnezapnaia fort.
Irpili [Erpeli]: Village just west of Temir-Khan-Shura.
‘Irib: Village in central Daghestan near the Kara Koysu River.
izba: Russian word for a hut or peasant house.
Jamal al-Din: Shamil’s son, named for the Naqshbandi leader Jamal al-Din al-Ghazi-Ghumuqi [Jamal Edin]. Jamal al-Din al-Ghazi-Ghumuqi became the principal murshid in Daghestan after the death of Muhammad al-Yaraghi and approved of the choice of Shamil as the third imam in 1834.
jihad: Often glossed as “holy war,” it generally means striving to promote and defend Islam.
Kafr Ghumuq: Village just northeast of Temir-Khan-Shura.
Karata [al-Karati]: Village in the Avar region just south of the Andi Koysu River.
Khasav Yurt: Town in the Ghumuq plain in Chechnia.
Khunzakh [al-Khunzakhi]: Hadji Murat’s home town just north of the Avar Koysu River, often depicted in al-Qarakhi’s work as a somewhat fickle place. It was a center of the Avar people, often at odds with Shamil.
Klugenau, General Frants Klüge-von-: Russian general who fought Shamil during the 1840s.
kosh kol’dy: Turkish (as used in the Caucasus) phrase for “welcome.”
koysu: Daghestani word for “river.”
kunak: Turkish (as used in the Caucasus) word for “guest”, who, according to Muslim tradition, should be fed and sheltered for three days. Having been someone’s guest also would imply a continuing relationship with that person.
Kuydurmas [Gudermes]: Town east of Groznaia in Chechnia on the Sunja river.
Mekhelta [al-Mililti]: Village in the northern part of the Avar region just south of the Salatawh area.
Mekhtuli: Area east of the Avar region ruled by Ahmad Khan, whose capital was at Jengutay.
Michik River: River in Chechnia.
muezzin: Muslim prayer caller.
Muhammad al-Yaraghi: Naqshbandi master from Daghestan who had been Shamil’s shaykh but died in the 1830s.
mullah: Word used by Tolstoi to mean “Islamic holy man.”
murid: Generally, the term murid refers to any follower and disciple of a Sufi guide and mentor (a murshid). Although Shamil did not consider himself an actual Sufi murshid, al-Qarakhi often called Shamil’s followers murids.
murshid: Sufi guide and mentor. Shamil considered his murshid to be Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaraghi, followed by Jamal al-Din al-Ghazi-Ghumuqi on al-Yaraghi’s death. Al-Qarakhi did not refer to Shamil as a murshid.
Muzlik [Mozdok]: Town on the Terek River northeast of Groznaia.
naib: Arabic for “deputy.” In the context of the nineteenth-century Caucasus, it meant military governor of a particular area in Daghestan or Chechnia appointed by Shamil to administer justice and lead troops there.
Naqshbandi order: Important Sufi order named for Muhammad Baha al-Din Naqshband, a fourteenth-century Central Asian Sufi master. The followers of this order are well known among Muslims for strongly emphasizing the reconciliation of mystical knowledge of God with strict Islamic orthodoxy They are still quite numerous in diverse parts of the Islamic world including modern Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The particular branch of the Naqshbandi order with which Shamil was affiliated, the Khalidiyya, spread to Daghestan through Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaraghi, who had been ordained as a murshid (spiritual leader) by Ismail al-Shirwani, a Naqshbandi leader from Azerbaijan who had been an early follower of Shaykh Khalid, founder of the Khalidiyya branch of the Naqshbandi order. Shamil was never referred to as a murshid in al-Qarakhi’s work, although he was sometimes called “imam”. He was always represented in al-Qarakhi’s text as a murid (follower) of Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaraghi.
Orota [al-‘Uruti]: Village in the Avar region of Daghestan just south of the Andi Koysu river.
Petrovsk [Makhachkala]: Russian fort town founded in 1843 on the Caspian coast near the shamkhal’s capital at Targhu that was near an early Russian fort site.
Qarakh [al-Qarakhi]: Region in the south central part of the Avar region of Daghestan east of the Avar Koysu River. Qarakh was the home region of the author of The Shining of Daghestani Swords, Muhammad Tahir al-Qarakhi.
Qaranay: Village on the road between Temir-Khan-Shura and Gimrah.
Qaytaq [Kaitakh, Kaitag, Khaydaq/al-Khaydaqi]: Region between the Avar area of Daghestan and Derbend. Qaytaq is northwest of the area of Tabarsaran.
Qidhlar [Kizlyar]: Important Russian fort on the Ghumuq plain about 120 kilometers north of central Daghestan.
Qubah [Kuba]: Town south of Daghestan fairly near the Caspian coast that experienced an anti-Russian uprising in 1837.
Rughcha [Rugdzha/al-Rughchawi]: Avar village on the Kara Koysu River west of Ghunib.
saklya: Simple dwelling in a mountain village in the Caucasus.
Salatawh [Salatau]: Mountainous region in southern Chechnia just north of Daghestan.
Saltah [Salty]: Village near the Kara Koysu River in central Daghestan.
sardar: A Persian word meaning “military commander.” In The Shining of Daghestani Swords it is written “sardal.”
saubul: Turkish response phrase (as used in the Caucasus) to “welcome”: “Be well.”
Shamil: Third imam who ruled in Daghestan and struggled against the Russians from 1834 to 1859. Born in 1796, he died in 1871 on a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.
shamkhal: The hereditary ruler of a group of the Turkic Ghumuq people in the eastern Caucasus near the Caspian Sea. The shamkhal’s capital was Targhu, near the Russian forts of Petrovsk and Burnaia. Beginning in the late eighteenth century, the shamkhal and his followers often allied with the Russians.
sharia: Islamic holy law primarily based on two sources: (1) The Quran, God’s revelation to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel; and (2) the Sunnah, Muhammad’s practices and sayings. All Muslims must believe in one God and obey his holy law as set forth in these two sources.
Tabarsaran [Tabassaran]: Region in southern Daghestan southeast of Qaytaq and just west of Derbend.
Targhu [Tarki]: A village next to the Russian fort Burnaia in Daghestan near the Caspian Sea. Capital of the Shamkhal a traditional ruler of the area along the Caspian coast.
Tatar: A Turkic people whose homeland is the region north of the Black Sea and the northern Caucasus.
Tiflis [Tbilisi]: The capital of Georgia.
Temir-Khan-Shura [Shura]: Important Russian fort in the northeastern Caucasus between the Caspian Sea and the Avar region of Daghestan.
Tiliq [al-Tiliqi]: Mountain village south of the Avar Koysu River.
Vedan [Vedeno, New Darghiyya]: One of Shamil’s capitals in the northern Caucasus on the Khulkhulau river.
Vladikavkaz: Russian city on the Terek river north of the Caucasus founded in 1784.
Vnezapnaia: Russian fortress built in 1820 on the west bank of the Aktash River near Enderi. “Vnezapnaia” means “sudden” in Russian.
Vozdvizhenskoe [Vozdvizhensk]: Russian fortress built in 1844 on the west bank of the Argun River in Chechnia near Enderi. “Vozdvizhenskoe” means “elevated” in Russian.
Zakartalah [Zakataly]: Russian fort just south of the village of Char in the Alazan river valley south of Daghestan.
Zunuh: Village on the Arghun river in Chechnia.
Compiled by Ernest Tucker