The twoCircassian languages—westernAdyghe and easternKabardian—are natively spoken by the Circassian people.[29][30] After the Russian Empire's war crimes and forced deportation,Ubykh branch of Circassian fell out of use and went extinct in Turkey with the death of its last speaker,Tevfik Esenç.[31]
Khabzeism is theirethnic religion, which was historically practiced in Circassia since ancient times, butSunni Islam became the dominant religion among them around the 17th century, following a long period ofIslamization.[32] Circassia has been repeatedly invaded since ancient times; its isolated terrain coupled with the strategic value external societies have placed on the region have greatly shaped the Circassian national identity as a whole.[33]
Circassians have played major roles in areas where they settled:in Turkey, those of Circassian origin have had massive influence, being instrumental in theTurkish War of Independence[35] and among the elites of Turkey's intelligence agency.[36] InJordan, they founded the capital cityAmman,[37][38] and continue to play a major role in the country. InSyria, they served as the volunteer guards of theAllies upon their entry into the country and still occupy high positions.[39] InLibya, they serve in high military positions. InEgypt, they were part of the ruling class.[40] The largest Circassian clan in the country also contributed to Egyptian and Arabic cultural literary, intellectual, and political life starting with the reign ofMuhammad Ali Pasha in Egypt and continuing to the modern day: theAbaza family.[41][42][43] InIsrael,Bibras Natcho is thecaptain of theIsraeli national soccer team.
Accordingly, Circassians have been designated asAdygeans in Adygea,Kabardians in Kabardino-Balkaria,Cherkess in Karachay-Cherkessia, andShapsug in Krasnodar Krai; all four are essentially the same people. Today, approximately 800,000 Circassians remain in historical Circassia, while 4,500,000 live elsewhere, mostly in Turkey.[44]
The Circassiansrefer to themselves asAdyghe[45] (also transliterated asAdyga, Adiga, Adige, Adığe,Adyge,Adygei). According to one view, the name derives fromAtyghe (Adyghe:Iатыгъэ,romanized: 'atığə) meaning "high [in altitude]" to signify a mountaineer, as the Circassian people have lived in and near the mountains for thousands of years.[46][47]
The medieval Circassian people known asZygii were called "Adzakha" in the Bosporus inscriptions, leading to a theory that their endonym was originallyAdzigha (Adyghe:Адзыгъэ), which eventually evolved intoAdyghe.[48]
The wordCircassian (/sərˈkæsiənz/sər-KASS-ee-ənz) is anexonym, Latinized fromRussianCherkess (Russian:Черкес;Adyghe:Чэркэс/Шэрджэс), which is of debated origin.[49][45] The term, in Russian, was traditionally applied to all Circassians beforeSoviet times, but it has since usually referred only to Circassians living in northernKarachay-Cherkessia,[45] afederal subject of Russia, where they are indigenous and were about 12% of the population in 2010.[50][51] In English, it still refers to all Circassians.
The origin of the term "Circassian" is disputed. One view is that its root stems from Turkic languages, and means "head choppers" or "warrior killers", because of the Circassians' battle practices.[52] Other sources argue that the term comes fromMongolianJerkes, meaning "one who blocks a path".[33][53] Some believe it comes from theancient Greek name of the region,Siraces. According to another view, its origin isPersian and combines two parts,kar ("mountain") andkās ("region", inPahlavi), meaning "mountainous region". The spellingCherkess may be an abbreviation of PersianChahār-kas ("four people"), denoting four tribes.[54]Ali ibn al-Athir (died c. 1232/3) andIbn Khaldun (died 1406) used the termJahārkas, but the Persian hypothesis remains uncertain.[54]
In early Russian sources, Circassians are calledKasogi, but one view holds that the modern term "Cherkes" derives fromKerket, the name of one of the ancient Circassian tribes.[54]
In languages spoken geographically close to the Caucasus, the native people originally had other names for the Circassians (such asGeorgian: ჯიქი,Jiqi), but with Russian influence, the name has been settled asCherkess. It is the same or similar in many world languages that cite these languages.
TheEncyclopaedia Islamica adds: "The Cherkess: the Kabardians and the western Adyghe people share a common language, which is spoken by the north-western Caucasian people, and belongs to the family known as Abkhazian-Adyghe".[54][55]
In Medieval Oriental and European texts, the Adyghe people were known by the name Cherkess/Circassians.[54] In Persian sources,Charkas/Cherkes is used to refer to the "actual" Circassians of the northwest Caucasus, and in some occasions as a general designation forCaucasians who live beyondDerbent (Darband).[56]
Remaining Circassian populations in historic Circassia, 21st century
Despite a common self-designation and a common Russian name,[57] Soviet authorities divided the nation into four different peoples and applied four designations to Circassians remaining in the historic lands of Circassia:
Cherkess (Adyghe:Шэрджэс), Circassians ofKarachay-Cherkessia (Circassians speaking theCherkess, i.e. Circassian, language,[58][59] one of two indigenous peoples of the republic who are mostlyBesleney Kabardians. The name "Cherkess" is the Russian form of "Circassian" and was used for all Circassians before Soviet times.)
Genetically, the Adyghe have shared ancestry partially with neighboringpeoples of the Caucasus, with some influence from other regions.[61] The most prevalentSNPhaplotype among all Circassian tribes isG2-YY1215 (43%); others areR1a-M198* (13%), G2-YY9632 (9%), andJ2-M172* (7%), sharing a single common ancestor 3,000 years ago, with the largest demographic growth between 2,000 and 1,500 years ago. Prevalence of the G2-YY1215 haplogroup is higher in the Western Caucasus and decreases to the east, while G2-YY9632 has the opposite tendency. R1a-M198* is shared withBalkars,Karachays andKubanCossacks.[62]
The ancestors of present-day Circassians are known as theSinti-Maeotian tribes.[64][65][66] Archaeological research shows that these tribes were the indigenous people of the Caucasus.[67][68] Some researchers have claimed there may be links between Circassians and Indo-European-speaking communities,[69] and some have argued that there are connections between Circassians andHatti, who are from ancient Anatolian peoples,[70][71][72] but these theories are not widely accepted. According to genetic tests performed on Circassians, their closest relatives areIngush,Chechens,Georgians andAbkhazians.[citation needed]
Turkish nationalist groups and proponents of modern-dayPan-Turkism have claimed that the Circassians are of Turkic origin, but no scientific evidence supports this claim, and it has been strongly denied by ethnic Circassians,[73] impartial research,[74][75][76][77][78][79] linguists,[80] and historians[81] around the world. The Circassian language does not share notable similarities to the Turkish language, except for borrowed words. According to various historians, the Circassian origin of the Sind-Meot tribes refutes the claim that the Circassians are of Turkic ethnic origin.[74]
German racial theorists, after comparing skull shapes, declared that Europeans, North Africans, and Caucasians were of a common race, termed "Caucasian" or later "Caucasoid". Scientific racism emphasized the so-called "superior beauty" of the Circassian people, referring to them as "how God intended the human race to be",[82][83] leading to the 18th century stereotype of theCircassian beauty.
Feudalism began to emerge among Circassians by the 4th century. As a result of Armenian, Greek, andByzantine influence, Christianity spread throughout the Caucasus between the 3rd and 5th centuries.[84][85] During that period, Circassians (known at the time asKassogs)[86] began to accept Christianity as a national religion, but did not abandon all elements of theirindigenous religious beliefs. Circassians established many states, but could not achieve political unity. From around 400, wave after wave of outsiders began to invade the lands of theAdyghe people, who were also known as theKasogi (or Kassogs) at the time. They were conquered first by theBulgars (who originated on the Central Asiansteppes). Outsiders sometimes confused the Adyghe people with the similarly namedUtigurs (a branch of the Bulgars). After theKhazar state dissolved, the Adyghe people were integrated around the end of the 1st millennium AD into theKingdom of Alania. Between the 10th and 13th centuries,Georgia had influence on the Adyghe Circassian peoples. In the medieval era, there was a Circassian kingdom called Zichia (Adyghe:Адзыгъэй;Greek:Ζιχία) or Zekchia.[87]
In 1382,Circassian slaves took theMamluk throne, theBurji dynasty took over and the Mamluks became a Circassian state. The Mongols, who started invading the Caucasus in 1223, destroyed some of the Circassians and most of the Alans. The Circassians lost most of their lands during the ensuing Golden Horde attacks and had to retreat to the back of the Kuban River. In 1395, Circassians fought violent wars againstTamerlane, and although they won the wars,[88] Tamerlane plundered Circassia.[89]
Prince Inal, who owned land in the Taman peninsula during the 1400s,[90] established an army and declared that his goal was to unite the Circassians[91] under a single state. They were divided into many states at that time, but after declaring his own princedom, Inal conquered all of Circassia one by one.[92] Circassian nobles and princes tried to prevent Inal's rise, but Inal and his supporters defeated 30 Circassian lords.[93] After successfully uniting the Circassians, Inal still wanted to include the closely related Abkhazians. Inal, who won the war in Abkhazia, officially conquered Northern Abkhazia and the Abkhaz people recognized his rule.[88][94][93][95][96] One of the stars on theflag of Abkhazia represents Inal. He divided his lands between his sons and grandchildren in 1453 and died in 1458. After that, Circassian tribal principalities were established, includingChemguy, founded by Temruk;Besleney, founded by Beslan;Kabardia, founded by Qabard; andShapsug, founded by Zanoko.
In 1708, Circassians paid tribute to the Ottoman sultan in order to preventTatar raids, but the sultan did not fulfill the obligation and the Tatars raided all the way to the center of Circassia, robbing everything they could.[98] For this reason, Kabardian Circassians announced that they would never pay tribute to the Crimean Khan and the Ottoman Sultan again.[99] The Ottomans sent their army of at least 20,000 men[100] to Kabardia under the leadership of the Crimean Khan Kaplan-Girey to conquer the Circassians and ordered that he collect the tribute.[101][102] The Ottomans expected an easy victory against the Kabardinians, but the Circassians won[103] owing to the strategy set up byKazaniko Jabagh during the battle ofKanzhal.[98][104][105][106][107][108]
The Crimean army wasdestroyed on 17 September 1708. The Crimean KhanQaplan I Giray barely managed to save his life,[103][98] and was humiliated, all the way to his shoes taken, leaving his brother, son, field tools, tents and personal belongings.[98] In 2013, the Institute of Russian History of theRussian Academy of Sciences recognized that the Battle of Kinzhal Mountain was of paramount importance in the national history of Circassians, Balkarians and Ossetians.[109]
In 1714,Peter I established a plan to occupy the Caucasus. Although he was unable to implement this plan, he laid the political and ideological foundation for the occupation to take place.Catherine II began implementing this plan into action. The Russian army was deployed on the banks of theTerek River.[110][full citation needed]
A map of the expulsion of Circassians to the Ottoman Empire. The light-green area denotes the final borders of Circassians, who had already been pushed southwards prior to their expulsion to the Ottoman Empire. In the late 18th century, Circassians lost their northern territories, which do not appear in green on this map.
The Russian military initially tried to impose their authority by building a series of forts, but these forts in turn became the new targets of raids, and indeed sometimes the highlanders actually captured and held the forts.[111] Under Yermolov, the Russian military began using a strategy of disproportionate retribution forraids. Russian troops retaliated by destroying villages where resistance fighters were thought to hide, as well as employing assassinations, kidnappings, and executions of whole families.[112] Because the resistance was relying on sympathetic villages for food, the Russian military also systematically destroyed crops and livestock and killed Circassian civilians.[113][114] Circassians responded by creating a tribal federation encompassing all tribes of the area.[114] In 1840,Karl Friedrich Neumann estimated the Circassian casualties at around one and a half million.[115] Some sources state that hundreds of thousands of others died during the exodus.[116] Several historians use the phrase "Circassian massacres"[117] for the consequences of Russian actions in the region.[118]
In a series of sweeping military campaigns lasting from 1860 to 1864... the northwest Caucasus and the Black Sea coast were virtually emptied of Muslim villagers. Columns of the displaced were marched either to the Kuban [River] plains or toward the coast for transport to the Ottoman Empire... One after another, entire Circassian tribal groups were dispersed, resettled, or killed en masse.[119]
Circassians established an assembly called "Great Freedom Assembly" in the capital city of Shashe (Sochi) on 25 June 1861. Haji Qerandiqo Berzedj was appointed as the head of the assembly. This assembly asked for help from Europe,[120] arguing that they would be forced into exile soon. However, before the result was achieved, Russian General Kolyobakin invaded Sochi and destroyed the parliament,[121] and no country opposed this.[120]
In May 1864, a final battle took place between the Circassian army of 20,000 Circassian horsemen and a fully equipped Russian army of 100,000 men.[122] Circassian warriors attacked the Russian army and tried to break through the line, but most were shot down by Russian artillery and infantry.[123] The remaining fighters continued to fight as guerillas and were soon defeated. All 20,000 Circassian horsemen died in the war. The war ended officially on 21 May 1864. The place where this war took place is known today as Krasnaya Polyana.[124] "Krasnaya Polyana" means red meadow. It takes its name from the Circassian blood flowing from the hill into the river.
The proposal to deport the Circassians was ratified by the Russian government, and a flood of refugee movements began as Russian troops advanced in their final campaign.[125] Circassians prepared to resist and hold their last stand against Russian military advances and troops.[126] With the refusal to surrender, Circassian civilians were targeted one by one by the Russian military with thousands massacred and the Russians started to raid and burn Circassian villages,[114] destroy the fields to make it impossible to return, cut trees down, and drive the people towards the Black Sea coast.[127]
Although it is not known exactly how many people are affected, researchers have suggested that at least 75%, 90%,[128][129] 94%,[130] or 95–97%[131] of the ethnic Circassian population are affected. Considering these rates, calculations including those taking into account the Russian government's own archival figures, have estimated a loss 600,000–1,500,000.Ivan Drozdov, a Russian officer who witnessed the scene at Qbaada in May 1864 as the other Russians were celebrating their victory remarked:
On the road, our eyes were met with a staggering image: corpses of women, children, elderly persons, torn to pieces and half-eaten by dogs; deportees emaciated by hunger and disease, almost too weak to move their legs, collapsing from exhaustion and becoming prey to dogs while still alive.
— Drozdov, Ivan. "Posledniaia Bor’ba s Gortsami na Zapadnom Kavkaze". Pages 456–457.
The Ottoman Empire regarded the Adyghe warriors as courageous and well-experienced. It encouraged them to settle in various near-border settlements of the Ottoman Empire in order to strengthen the empire's borders.
Circassia was a small independent nation on the northeastern shore of the Black Sea. For no reason other than ethnic hatred, over the course of hundreds of raids the Russians drove the Circassians from their homeland and deported them to the Ottoman Empire. At least 600,000 people lost their lives to massacre, starvation, and the elements while hundreds of thousands more were forced to leave their homeland. By 1864, three-fourths of the population was annihilated, and the Circassians had become one of the first stateless peoples in modern history.[53]
As of 2025,Georgia andUkraine are the only countries to classify the events as genocide.[132][133]
As early as 1859, the Russian government had sought potential avenues for expelling the native Circassian population, and found a solution in the Ottoman Empire. Despite their numerous historical and ongoing disputes, the two empires negotiated on the impending migrations and resettlements. The Russians promised a gradual process that would see the Ottomans ultimately receive fewer than 100,000 Circassians.[134] The Circassians would first be moved, or coerced to move, to the Circassian Black Sea coast, from which Ottoman boats would take them to designated ports in Anatolia.[134] The recently formed OttomanMuhacirin Komisyonu, or Emigrant Commission, would coordinate both the retrieval and resettlement of the Circassians throughout the Ottoman Empire.[135] The process of expulsion had already begun even before the end of the Russo-Circassian war; the first Circassians had begun to arrive in small numbers as early as 1859, mainly consisting of wealthier aristocrats.
Even prior to the end of the Russo-Circassian War, expelled Circassians had begun to crowd the Circassian coast in far greater numbers than the Ottomans had anticipated, easily reaching tens of thousands at a time.[136] Conditions on the beaches were dismal, as those waiting for Ottoman-chartered ships contended with insufficient supplies of food and shelter, occasional raids from Russian soldiers, and outbreaks of typhus and smallpox that were only exacerbated by the cramped and unsanitary conditions.[136] By 1864, hundreds of thousands of Circassians had either already entered the Ottoman Empire or still languished on the Circassian coast awaiting transit, even as far greater numbers arrived following the Russo-Circassian War's conclusion.[134] What was intended to be an orderly, gradual expulsion quickly eroded over the following months, as the Ottomans overcrowded boats and neglected previously enforced safety regulations. Numerous boats sank, unable to safely accommodate these larger loads, while the overcrowded conditions helped disease spread even further among both the Circassian migrants and the Ottoman crews.[137]
Upon their arrival, the Emigrant Commission attempted to relocate most of the new arrivals as quickly as possible to alleviate the strain on Ottoman port cities, and began to settle the Circassians throughout the Ottoman Empire. The exiled Circassians were resettled in the Empire's remaining Balkan territories, in Ottoman Syria and Transjordan, and Anatolia, while a smaller number were resettled into the Empire's major cities.[138][139]
The actions of the Russian military in acquiring Circassian land through expulsion and massacres[140] have given rise to a movement among descendants of the expelled ethnicities for international recognition of the perpetration of genocide.[141] On 20 May 2011, theGeorgian parliament voted in a 95 to 0 declaration that Russia had committed genocide when it engaged in massacres against Circassians in the 19th century.[142]
Adyghe society prior to the Russian invasion was highly stratified. While a few tribes in the mountainous regions of Adygeya were fairly egalitarian, most were broken into strict castes. The highest was the caste of the "princes", followed by a caste of lesser nobility, and then commoners, serfs, and slaves. In the decades before Russian rule, two tribes overthrew their traditional rulers and set up democratic processes, but this social experiment was cut short by the end of Adyghe independence.[143]
Circassians mainly speak theCircassian languages, two mutually intelligible languages of theNorthwest Caucasian language family, namelyAdyghe (West Circassian) andKabardian (East Adyghe). Adyghe is based on Temirgoy (Chemirgoy) dialect, while Kabardian is based on the dialect of the same name. Circassians also speakRussian,Turkish,English,Arabic, andHebrew in large numbers, having beenexiled byRussia to lands of the Ottoman Empire, where the majority of them live today, and some to neighboringPersia, to which they came primarily through mass deportations by theSafavids andQajars or, to a lesser extent, asmuhajirs in the 19th century.[144][145][146][147]
Linguists divide the Northwest Caucasian languages into three branches, namely Circassian (Adyghe and Kabardian), Ubykh (consisting only of the Ubykh language, which is considered to have diverged from the Circassian languages and is now a dead language), andAbazgi (Abkhaz and Abaza). The Ubykhs lived on the Black Sea coast, around the city of Sochi, the capital of Circassia, north of Abkhazia.
Although related, Abazgi and Circassian are mutually unintelligible. Abazgi is spoken byAbkhazians and theAbazins. The Abkhazians lived on the coast between the Circassians and the Georgians, were organized as thePrincipality of Abkhazia and were involved with the Georgians to some degree. The Abazins or Abaza, their relatives, lived north of the mountains and were involved with Circassia proper. They extended from the mountain crest northeast onto the steppe and partially separated the Kabardians from the rest.Sadz were either northern Abkhazian or eastern Abaza, depending on the source.
Walter Richmond writes that the Circassian languages in Russia are "gravely threatened." He argues that Russian policy of surrounding small Circassian communities with Slavic populations has created conditions where Circassian languages and nationality will disappear. By the 1990s, Russian had become the standard language for business in theRepublic of Adygea, even within communities with Circassian majority populations.[148]
Themosque of Abu Darwish (a descendant of Adyghes), one of the oldest mosques inAmman,Jordan, and considered a majorlandmark.
Before conversion to Islam, the Adyghe people had gradually abandoned theirancient polytheist beliefs for Christianity.[149]
It is the tradition of the early church that Christianity made its first appearance in Circassia in the first century AD via the travels and preaching of theApostle Andrew.[150] Subsequently, Christianity spread throughout the Caucasus between the fourth[84] and sixth centuries.[85]
A small Muslim presence in Circassia has existed since the Middle Ages, but widespread Islamization occurred after 1717, when Sultan Ahmed III ordered the Crimean Khans to spread Islam among the Circassians, with the Ottomans and Crimeans seeing some success in converting members of the aristocracy who would then ultimately spread the religion to their dependents.[151] Moreover, the ever increasing threat of an invasion from Russia helped expedite the already centuries long process of gradual islamization of the region.[151][152]
Significant Christian and pagan presence remained among some tribes such as the Shapsugs and Natukhai with Islamization pressures implemented by those loyal to theCaucasus Imamate.[153] Sufi orders including theQadiri andNakshbandi orders gained prominence and played a role in spreading Islam.[154]
Today, the vast majority of Circassians are Muslim, and significantly fewer areHabze, atheists,[154] or Christians.[155] Among Christians, Catholicism, originally introduced along the coasts by Venetian and Genoese traders, today constitutes just under 1% of Kabardins,[156] notably including those inMozdok[157] and some of thoseKursky district.[158] Among Muslims, Islamic observance varies widely between those who only know a few prayers with a Muslim identity that is more "cultural" than religious, to those who regularly observe all requirements.[154]
Today, both Islam and the Habze are identified as national characteristics, even by those who do not practice either religion.[154] Today, Islam is a central part of life in many Circassian diaspora communities, such as in Israel, while in the Circassian homeland Soviet rule saw an extensive process ofsecularization, and there is wide influence of many social norms which contradict Islamic law, such as widespread norms like social alcohol consumption; in Israel, meanwhile, such non-Islamic social norms are not present.[155]
In the modern times, it has been reported that they identify primarily as Muslims.[159][160] There have also been reports of violence and threats against those "reviving" and diffusing the original Circassian pre-Islamic faith.[161][162] The relationship betweenhabze and Islam varies between Circassian communities; for some, there is conflict between the two, while for others, such as in Israel, they are seen as complementary philosophies.[155] In 2005, a representative sample study of younger generation of Circassians aged 20–35 found that some 26% of those surveyed identified asirreligious.[154]
Society was organized byAdyghe khabze, or Circassian custom.[163] Many of these customs had equivalents throughout the mountains. The seemingly disorganized Circassians resisted the Russians. The aristocracy was calledwarq. Some aristocratic families held the rank ofPshi or prince and the eldest member of this family was thePshi-tkhamade who was the tribal chief. Below the warq was the large class totfokotl, roughly yeomen or freemen, who had various duties to thewarq.
They were divided into clans of some sort. Below them were three classes approximating serfs or slaves. Of course, these Circassian social terms do not exactly match their European equivalents. Since everything was a matter of custom, much depended on time, place, circumstances and personality. The three 'democratic' tribes, Natukhai, Shapsug, and Abdzakh, managed their affairs by assemblies calledKhase or larger ones calledZafes.
Decisions were made by general agreement and there was no formal mechanism to enforce decisions. The democratic tribes, who were perhaps the majority, lived mainly in the mountains where they were relatively protected from the Russians. They seem to have retained their aristocrats, but with diminished powers. In the remaining 'feudal' tribes power was theoretically in the hands of thePshi-tkhamade, although his power could be limited by Khases or other influential families.
In addition to the vertical relations of class there were many horizontal relations between unrelated persons. There was a strong tradition of hospitality similar to the Greekxenia. Many houses would have akunakskaya or guest room. The duty of a host extended even toabreks or outlaws. Two men might be sworn brothers orkunaks. There were brotherhoods of unrelated individuals calledtleuzh who provided each other mutual support. It was common for a child to be raised by anatalyk or foster father. Criminal law was mainly concerned with reconciling the two parties.Adyghe khabze is sometimes calledadat when it is contrasted to the kind ofIslamic law advocated by people likeImam Shamil.
The traditional female clothing (Adyghe:Бзылъфыгъэ Шъуашэр, Bzıłfıǵe Ȿuaşer[bzəɬfəʁaʂʷaːʃar]) was very diverse and highly decorated and mainly depends on the region, class of family, occasions, and tribes. The traditional female costume is composed of a dress (Adyghe:Джанэр, Janer[d͡ʒaːnar]), coat (Adyghe:Сае, Saye[saːja]), shirt, pant (Adyghe:ДжэнэкӀакор, Jeneç'akuer[d͡ʒanat͡ʃʼaːkʷar]), vest (Adyghe:КӀэкӀ, Ç'eç'[t͡ʃʼat͡ʃʼ]), lamb leather bra (Adyghe:Шъохътан, Ȿuex́tan[ʂʷaχtaːn]), a variety of hats (Adyghe:ПэӀохэр}, Peꜧuexer[paʔʷaxar]), shoes, and belts (Adyghe:Бгырыпхыхэр, Bğırıpxıxer[bɣərəpxəxar]).
Holiday dresses are made of expensive fabrics such as silk and velvet. The traditional colors of women's clothing rarely includes blue, green or bright-colored tones, instead mostly white, red, black and brown shades are worn. The Circassian dresses were embroidered with gold and silver threads. These embroideries were handmade and took time to complete as they were very intricate.
An Adyge woman and man in traditional clothing
The traditional male costume (Adyghe:Адыгэ хъулъфыгъэ шъуашэр, Adığe X́uıłfıǵe Ȿuaşer[aːdəɣaχʷəɬfəʁaʂʷaːʃar]) includes a coat with wide sleeves, shirt, pants, a dagger, sword, and a variety of hats and shoes. Traditionally, young men in the warriors' times wore coat with short sleeves—in order to feel more comfortable in combat. Different colors of clothing for males were strictly used to distinguish between different social classes, for example white is usually worn by princes, red by nobles, gray, brown, and black by peasants (blue, green and the other colors were rarely worn).
A compulsory item in the traditional male costume is a dagger and a sword. The traditional Adyghean sword is calledshashka. It is a special kind ofsabre; a very sharp, single-edged, single-handed, andguardless sword. Although the sword is used by most of Russian and Ukrainian Cossacks, the typically Adyghean form of the sabre is longer than the Cossack type, and in fact the word Shashka came from the Adyghe word "Sashkhwa" (Adyghe:Сашьхъуэ, Sas̨x́ue) which means "long knife". On the breast of the costume are long ornamental tubes or sticks, once filled with a single charge of gunpowder (called gaziri cartridges) and used to reload muskets.
An old country house and traditional cuisine withHaliva (Хьэлжъо, Helɀwa) andMataz (Мэтазэ, Metaze), two of the prominent traditional Adyghe snacks.
The Adyghe cuisine is rich with different dishes.[164][165] In the summer, the traditional dishes consumed by the Adyghe people are mainly dairy products and vegetable dishes. In the winter and spring the traditional dishes are mainly flour and meat dishes. An example of the latter is known asficcin.
A popular traditional dish is chicken or turkey with sauce, seasoned with crushed garlic and red pepper. Mutton and beef are served boiled, usually with a seasoning of sour milk with crushed garlic and salt.
Variants of pasta are found. A type of ravioli may be encountered, which is filled with potato or beef.
On holidays the Adyghe people traditionally makehaliva (Adyghe:хьэлжъо, Helɀua) (fried triangular pastries with mainly Circassian cheese or potato), from toasted millet or wheat flour in syrup, baked cakes and pies. In the Levant there is a famous Circassian dish which is called Tajen Alsharkaseiah.[166]
The Adyghes have been famous for making carpets (Adyghe:пӏуаблэхэр, P'uablexer[pʷʼaːblaxar]) or mats worldwide for thousands of years.[citation needed]
Making carpets was very hard work in which collecting raw materials is restricted to a specific period within the year. The raw materials were dried, and based on the intended colours, different methods of drying were applied. For example, when dried in the shade, its[clarification needed] colour changed to a beautiful light gold colour. If it were dried in direct sun light then it would have a silver colour, and if they wanted to have a dark colour for the carpets, the raw materials were put in a pool of water and covered bypoplar leaves (Adyghe:екӏэпцӏэ, Yeç'epc'e[jat͡ʃʼapt͡sʼa]).
The carpets were adorned with images of birds, beloved animals (horses), and plants, and the image of the Sun was widely used.
The carpets were used for different reasons due to their characteristic resistance to humidity and cold, and in retaining heat. Also, there was a tradition in Circassian homes to have two carpets hanging in the guest room, one used to hang over rifles (Adyghe:шхончымрэ, Şxuençımre[ʃxʷant͡ʃəmra]) and pistols (Adyghe:къэлаеымрэ, Qelayeımre), and the other used to hang over musical instruments.
The carpets were used topray upon, and it was necessary for every Circassian girl to make three carpets before marriage. These carpets would give the grooms an impression as to the success of their brides in their homes after marriage.[167]
From thelate Middle Ages, a number of territorial- and political-based Circassian tribes or ethnic entities began to take shape. They had slightly different dialects.
Dialects came to exist after Circassia was divided into tribes after the death ofInal of Kabardia, who united Circassia for the last time before its short reunion during the Russo-Caucasian War. As the logistics between the tribes became harder, each tribe became slightly isolated from one another, thus the people living under the banner of each tribe developed their own dialects. In time, the dialects they speak were named after their tribes.
At the end of theCaucasian War most Circassians were expelled to the Ottoman Empire, and many of the tribes were destroyed and the people evicted from their historical homeland in 1864.
The twelve stars on the Circassian flag symbolize the individual tribes of the Circassians; the nine stars within the arc symbolize the nine aristocratic tribes of Adygea, and the three horizontal stars symbolize the three democratic tribes. The three democratic tribes or tribes were the Natukhai, Shapsug, and Abdzakh. They managed their affairs by assemblies while the other tribes were controlled by "princes" orPshi. The twelve tribes are the Abdzakh, Besleney, Bzhedug, Hatuqwai, Kabardian, Mamkhegh, Natukhai, Shapsug, Temirgoy, Ubykh, Yegeruqwai, and Zhaney.[168]
Adyghe tribes with remnants still inCircassia are: Kabarda (the largest), the Temirgoy and Bzhedug in Adygea, and the Shapsug near Tuapse and to the north of Tuapsiysiy Rayon of Krasnodarskiy Kray. There are also a few Besleney and Natukhai villages, and an Abdzakh village. The majority tribes indiaspora are Kabardian, Abdzakh, and Shapsug.
Completely expelled from the Caucasus, found almost exclusively in Turkey where most speak East Adyghe, and some West Adyghe (often Hakuchi sub-dialect) as well as Abaza
Approximate location of Circassian tribes, Tsutsiev's Atlas
The narrowBlack Sea coast was occupied, from north to south by theNatukhai,Shapsug, andUbykh. The main part of the Natukhai and Shapsug tribes were located in the north of the mountains. The Natukhai were enriched by trade since their coast was not backed by high mountains and opened onto the steppe.
Thenorth slope was inhabited, from north to south, by the Natukhai, Shapsug, andAbdzakh. They seem to have been the most populous tribes after the Kabarda and its inland location gave then some protection from Nogai and Cossack raiding.
In thefar west were three small tribes that were absorbed into the Natukhai and disappeared. These were theAdele on the Taman peninsula and theShegak andChebsin nearAnapa.
Along theKuban were the Natukhai,Zhaney,Bzhedug,Hatuqwai, andTemirgoy. The tribes along the Kuban and Laba rivers were exposed to Nogai and Cossack raiding than those in the interior.
On theeast, between the Laba and Belaya, from north to south, were the Temirgoy,Yegeruqwai,Makhosh, andBesleney. The Besleney were a branch of theKabardians. Along the Belaya River were the Temirgoy, the ill-documentedAdemey and then theMamkhegh near the modernMaykop.
TheGuaye are poorly documented. The Tchelugay lived west of the Makhosh. TheHakuch lived on the coast south of the Natukhai. Other groups are mentioned without much documentation. There are reports of tribes migrating from one place to another, again without much documentation. Some sketch maps show a group ofKarachays on the upper Laba without any explanation.
In theFar east theKabarda occupied about a third of the north Caucasus piedmont from mid Circassia proper eastward to the Chechen country. To their north were the Nogai nomads and to the south, deeper in the mountains, were from west to east, the Karachays, Balkars, Ossetes, Ingushes, and Chechens. The Kabardians were fairly advanced, interacted with the Russians from the sixteenth century and were much reduced by plague in the early nineteenth century.
Circassians commemorate the banishment of the Circassians from Russia inTaksim,Istanbul
The Circassian people were subjected toethnic cleansing by the Russian military during theCaucasus War and mass exile to the Ottoman Empire. In the 1860s and the 1870s, the Ottoman government settled Circassians in territories of modern-day Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Kosovo, Greece, Cyprus, and North Macedonia.[172] Most Circassian refugees in the Balkans had fled the region during the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877–78. However, Circassians have also lived outside the Caucasus region since theMiddle Ages. They were particularly well represented in the Ottoman Empire andEgypt.
Turkey has the largest Adyghe population in the world, around half of all Circassians live in Turkey, mainly in the provinces ofSamsun andOrdu (in Northern Turkey),Kahramanmaraş (in Southern Turkey),Kayseri (in Central Turkey),Bandırma, andDüzce (in Northwest Turkey), along the shores of theBlack Sea; the region near the city ofAnkara. All citizens of Turkey are considered Turks by the government, but it is estimated that approximately two million ethnic Circassians live in Turkey. The "Circassians" in question do not always speak the languages of their ancestors, and in some cases some of them may describe themselves as "only Turkish". The reason for this loss of identity is mostly due toTurkey's Government assimilation policies[173][174][175][176] and marriages with non-Circassians. Circassians are regarded by historians to play a key role in the history of Turkey. Many of theYoung Turks were of Circassian origin.[177][178] Some of the exiles and their descendants gained high positions in the Ottoman Empire. Until the end of the First World War, many Circassians actively served in the army. In the period after the First World War, Circassians came to the fore in Anatolia as a group of advanced armament and organizational abilities as a result of the struggle they fought with the Russian troops until they came to the Ottoman lands. However, the situation of the Ottoman Empire after the war caused them to be caught between the different balances of power between Istanbul and Ankara and even become a striking force. For this period, it is not possible to say that Circassians all acted together as in many other groups in Anatolia. The Turkish government removed 14 Circassian villages from Gönen and Manyas regions in December 1922, May and June 1923, without separating women and children, and drove them to different places in Anatolia from Konya to Sivas and Bitlis. This incident had a great impact on the assimilation of Circassians. After 1923, Circassians were restricted by policies such as the prohibition of Circassian language,[179][176][180] changing village names, andsurname law.[181][182][175] Circassians were seen by the Turkish government as a group that inevitably had to be assimilated.
Cyprus Circassians had settled in Cyprus during the Memluk period. However these were mainly members of Memluk Army and majority of them left the island during the Venetian period. Even though, Circassians have arrived to the island during the Ottoman Empire from Caucasus by ships and they settled Limasol Circassian Farm (Cerkez Ciftlik) and villages of Larnaca; Arsos (Yiğitler), Vuda, Tremetousa (Erdemli), Paralimni in October 1864. Cypriot Circassians had joined the Turkish Cypriot Community and some of them the Greek Cypriot Community. Although they lost their original language and culture, they still view themselves as Circassian.
Circassians play a major role in the history of Syria. In Syria, they settled mainly in theGolan Heights. Prior to theSix-Day War of 1967, the Adyghe people – then estimated at 30,000 in number – were the majority group in the Golan Heights region. The most prominent settlement in the Golan was the town ofQuneitra. Estimates of the total number of Circassians in Syria range from 50,000 and 100,000.[183] In 2013, as tensions between theBaath government and the opposition forces escalated, Syrian Circassians said they were exploring returning to Circassia. Circassians from different parts of Syria, such asDamascus, have moved back to the Golan Heights, which they believed would be safer. Some refugees have been reportedly killed by shelling. Circassians have lobbied the Russian and Israeli governments to help evacuate refugees from Syria; Russia has issued some visas.[184]
In Israel, the Adyghe initially settled in three places—inKfar Kama,Rehaniya, and in the region ofHadera. Due to a malaria epidemic, the Adyghe eventually abandoned the settlement near Hadera. Though Sunni Muslim, Adyghe within Israel are seen as a loyal minority who serve in theIsraeli armed forces.[185][186][187]
The Circassians had a major role in the modern history of Jordan. Circassian refugees started arriving in Ottoman Transjordan after their expulsion from the Ottoman Balkans during theRusso-Turkish War (1877–1878). Between 1878 and 1904, Circassians founded (or re-established) five sites: Amman (1878), Wadi al-Sir (1880), Jerash (1884), Na'ur (1901), and al-Rusayfa (1904).[188] Amman was primarily a Circassian village untilWorld War I. Amman grew rapidly thanks to Circassian agricultural labor and trade, and mercantile investment from Damascus, Nablus, and Jerusalem, made possible by the construction of theHejaz Railway.[189]
Over the years, various Adyghe have served in distinguished roles in the kingdom of Jordan. Adyghes have served as a prime minister (Sa'id al-Mufti), as ministers (commonly at least one minister should represent the Circassians in each cabinet), as high-ranking officers, etc., and due to their important role in the history of Jordan, Adyghe form theHashemites'honour guard at the royal palaces. They represented Jordan in theRoyal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2010, joining other honour guards such as theAirborne Ceremonial Unit.[190][191]
During the 13th century the Mamluks seized power in Cairo. Some 15th-century Circassian converts to Islam becameMamluks and rose through the ranks of theMamluk dynasty to high positions, some becoming sultans in Egypt such asQaitbay, Mamluk Sultan of Egypt (1468–1496). The majority of the leaders of theBurji Mamluk dynasty in Egypt (1382–1517) had Circassian origins,[192] while also including Abkhaz,Abaza, and Georgian peoples whom the Arab sultans had recruited to serve their kingdoms as a military force. With the rise ofMuhammad Ali Pasha (who ruled Egypt from 1805 to 1848), most senior Mamluks were killed by him in order to secure his rule and the remaining Mamluks fled to Sudan.[citation needed]Most Circassian communities in Egypt were assimilated into the local population.[193] As of 2016[update] several thousand Adyghe reside in Egypt; in addition to the descendants of Burji Mamluks of Adyghe origin, there are many who descend from royal Circassian consorts or Ottoman pashas of Circassian origin as well as Circassianmuhajirs of the 19th century.[citation needed]
The biggest Circassian clan in Egypt is theAbaza family, the country's largest aristocratic family which settled in the Nile Delta in the 18th century.[194] It gained prominence under theMuhammad Ali dynasty and maintained it in the contemporary republican period.[195][196][197]
Adyghe came toIraq directly fromCircassia. They settled in all parts of Iraq—from north to south—but most of all in Iraq's capitalBaghdad. Many Adyghe also settled inKerkuk,Diyala,Fallujah, and other places. Circassians have played major roles in different periods throughout Iraq's history, and made great contributions to political and military institutions in the country, to theIraqi Army in particular. Several Iraqi prime ministers have been of Circassian descent.
Iran has a significant Circassian population.[198] It once had a very large community, but the vast majority were assimilated in the population in the course of centuries.[199][200][201] TheSafavid (1501–1736) andQajar (1789–1925) dynasties saw the importing and deporting of large numbers of Circassians to Persia, where many enjoyed prestige in theharems and in the élite armies (the so-calledghulams), while many others settled and deployed as craftsmen, labourers, farmers and regular soldiers. Many members of the Safavid nobility and élite had Circassian ancestry and Circassian dignitaries, such as the kingsAbbas II of Persia (reigned 1642–1666) andSuleiman I of Persia (reigned 1666–1694). While traces of Circassian settlements in Iran have lasted into the 20th century, many of the once large Circassian minority became assimilated into the local population.[202]
However, significant communities of Circassians continue to live in particular cities in Iran,[198] like Tabriz and Tehran, and in the northern provinces ofGilan andMazandaran.[203][204]
Serbian troops clashing with Circassians during theSerbian-Turkish War, 1876–1878
Out of 1,010 Circassians living in Ukraine (473Kabardian Adyghe (Kabardin),[208] 338Adygean Adyghe,[209] and 190Cherkessian Adyghe (Cherkess)[210]—after the existing Soviet division of Circassians into three groups), only 181 (17.9%) declared fluency in the native language; 96 (9.5%) declared Ukrainian as their native language, and 697 (69%) marked "other language" as being their native language. The major Adyghe community in Ukraine is inOdesa.
There is a small community of Circassians in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (where the surname "Čerkez" exists) and North Macedonia. A number of Adyghe also settled in modern Bulgaria and inNorthern Dobruja, which now belongs toRomania (seeCircassians in Romania, in 1864–1865, but most fled after those areas became separated from the Ottoman Empire in 1878. The small part of the community that settled inKosovo (theKosovo Adyghes) moved to theRepublic of Adygea in 1998, after reprisals from the Serbian occupation forces intensified. The majority of the community, however, remained inKosovo where they have been well established and integrated into Kosovan society. Many members of this community can be identified as they carry the family name "Çerkezi", or "Qerkezi". This community is also well established in the Republic ofNorth Macedonia, usually mingling with theAlbanian Muslim population.Circassians can be found also inAlbania but totally assimilated. The surname "Çerkezi" or "Çekrezi" is carried by this families.
Numerous Circassians have also immigrated to the United States and settled inUpstate New York, California, and New Jersey. There is also a small Circassian community in Canada.
The2014 Winter Olympics facilities inSochi (once the Circassian capital)[211] were built in areas that were claimed to containmass graves of Circassians who were killed during genocide by Russia in military campaigns lasting from 1860 to 1864.[212]
Adyghe organizations in Russia and the Adyghe diaspora around the world requested that construction at the site stop and that the Olympic Games not be held at the site of theAdyghe genocide, to prevent desecration of Adyghe graves. According to Iyad Youghar, who headed the lobby group International Circassian Council: "We want the athletes to know that if they compete here they will be skiing on the bones of our relatives."[211] The year 2014 also marked the 150th anniversary of the Circassian Genocide which angered the Circassians around the world. Many protests were held all over the world to stop the Sochi Olympics, but they were not successful.
^"Syrian Circassians returning to Russia's Caucasus region". TRTWorld. TRTWorld and agencies. 2015. Archived fromthe original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved8 May 2016.Currently, approximately 80,000 ethnic Circassians live in Syria after their ancestors were forced out of the northern Caucasus by Russians between 1863 and 1867.
^Lopes, Tiago André Ferreira."The Offspring of the Arab Spring"(PDF).Strategic Outlook. Observatory for Human Security (OSH). Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 24 December 2018. Retrieved16 June 2013.
^abBashqawi, Adel (15 September 2017).Circassia: Born to Be Free. Xlibris.ISBN978-1543447644.
^Gammer, Moshe (2004).The Caspian Region: a Re-emerging Region. London:Routledge. p. 67.
^Ünal, Muhittin (1996).Kurtuluş Savaşında Çerkeslerin Rolü [The Role of Circassians in the War of Independence] (in Turkish). Cem Yayınevi.ISBN9789754065824.
^Spencer, Edmund (1838).Travels in the Western Caucasus, including a Tour through Imeritia, Mingrelia, Turkey, Moldavia, Galicia, Silesia, and Moravia in 1836. London: H. Colburn. p. 6.
^Loewe, Louis (1854).A Dictionary of the Circassian Language: in Two Parts: English-Circassian-Turkish, and Circassian-English-Turkish. London: Bell. p. 5.
^Nevruz, Yılmaz (2013).Umumî Kafkas Tarihi'ne Giriş [Introduction to the General History of the Caucasus] (in Turkish). Istanbul. p. 375.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Douglas Harper,Etymonline states:"1550s, in reference to a people people of the northern Caucasus along the Black Sea, from Circassia, Latinized from Russian Cherkesŭ, which is of unknown origin. Their name for themselves is Adighe. Their language is non-Indo-European. The race was noted for the "fine physical formation of its members, especially its women" [Century Dictionary], who were much sought by neighboring nations as concubines, etc."
^Mousavi-Bojnourdi, Kazem.Encyclopaedia Islamica.This is because the Cherkess, the Kabardians and the western Adyghe people share a common language, which is spoken by the north-western Caucasian (Abkhazi) people, and belongs to the family known as Abkhazian-Adyghe
^Li, Jun; Absher, Devin M.; Tang, Hua; Southwick, Audrey M.; Casto, Amanda M.; Ramachandran, Sohini; Cann, Howard M.; Barsh, Gregory S.; Feldman, Marcus; Cavalli-Sforza, Luigi L.; Myers, Richard M. (2008). "Worldwide Human Relationships Inferred from Genome-Wide Patterns of Variation".Science.319 (5866):1100–1104.Bibcode:2008Sci...319.1100L.doi:10.1126/science.1153717.PMID18292342.S2CID53541133.
^Winthrop, Jordan (1968).White over Black. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. pp. 222–3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
^abThe Penny Magazine. London, Charles Knight, 1838. p. 138.
^abMinahan, James.One Europe, Many Nations: a Historical Dictionary of European National Groups. Westport, USA, Greenwood, 2000. p. 354.
^Shora Nogma has 1427 (per Richmond, Northwest Caucasus, kindle@610). In a later book (Circassian Genocide kindle @47) Richmond reports the legend that Inal reunited the principalities after they were driven into the mountains by the Mongols. In a footnote (@2271) he says that Inal was a royal title among the Oguz Turks
^Papaskʻiri, Zurab, 1950- (2010).Абхазия : история без фальсификации. Izd-vo Sukhumskogo Gos. Universiteta.ISBN9941016526. OCLC 726221839.
^Klaproth, Julius Von, 1783—1835. (2005). Travels in the Caucasus and Georgia performed in the years 1807 and 1808 by command of the Russian government. Elibron Classics
^The 200-year Mingrelia-Abkhazian war and the defeat of the Principality of Mingrelia by the Abkhazians of XVII-XVIII cc.
^Jaimoukha, Amjad M. (2014)."Circassian: Customs & Traditions"(PDF). Centre for Circassian Studies. p. 7.Archived(PDF) from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved23 March 2018.
^King 2008, pp. 47–49Quote on p48: "This, in turn, demanded...above all the stomach to carry the war to the highlanders themselves, including putting aside any scruples about destroying, forests, and any other place where raiding parties might seek refuge... Targeted assassinations, kidnappings, the killing of entire families, and the disproportionate use of force became central to Russian operations..."
^Rosser-Owen 2007, p. 16: "... with one estimate showing that the indigenous population of the entire north-western Caucasus was reduced by a massive 94 per cent". Text of citation: "The estimates of Russian historian Narochnitskii, in Richmond, ch. 4, p. 5. Stephen Shenfield notes a similar rate of reduction with less than 10 per cent of the Circassians (including the Abkhazians) remaining. (Stephen Shenfield, "The Circassians: A Forgotten Genocide?", in The Massacre in History, p. 154.)"
^Richmond 2013, p. 132: "If we assume that Berzhe's middle figure of 50,000 was close to the number who survived to settle in the lowlands, then between 95 percent and 97 percent of all Circassians were killed outright, died during Evdokimov's campaign, or were deported."
^abcKarpat, Kemal H. (1985).Ottoman Population 1830-1914: Demographic and Social Characteristics. Madison:University of Wisconsin Press. p. 68.
^Cuthel, David Cameron (2005).The Muhacirin Komisyonu: An Agent in the Transformation of Ottoman Anatolia 1860-1866 (PhD).Columbia University. pp. 1–5.
^Cuthel, David Cameron (2005).The Muhacirin Komisyonu: An Agent in the Transformation of Ottoman Anatolia 1860-1866 (PhD).Columbia University. pp. 165–170.
^Shenfield, Stephen D., 1999.The Circassians: a forgotten genocide?. In Levene, Mark and Penny Roberts, eds.,[clarification needed]The Massacre in History. Oxford and New York,Berghahn Books. Series: War and Genocide; 1. 149–62.
^Chamokova, Susanna Turkubievna (2015). "Transformatsiya religioznykh vzglyadov adygov na primere osnovnykh adygskikh kosmogonicheskikh Bozhestv"Трансформация религиозных взглядов адыгов на примере основных адыгских космогонических Божеств [Transformation of the religious views of the Circassians using the example of the main Circassian cosmogonic Deities].Вестник Майкопского государственного технологического университета (in Russian).
^Antiquitates christianæ, or, The history of the life and death of the holy Jesus as also the lives acts and martyrdoms of his Apostles: in two parts, by Taylor, Jeremy, 1613–1667. p. 101.
^abNatho, Kadir I.Circassian History. Pages 123–124
^Shenfield, Stephen D. "The Circassians : A forgotten genocide". In Levene and Roberts,The Massacre in History. Page 150.
^abcdeLyagusheva, Svetlana (2005). "Islam and the Traditional Moral Code of Adyghes".Iran and the Caucasus.9 (1).Brill:29–35.doi:10.1163/1573384054068123.JSTOR4030903.in February 1996... Respondents in the 20–35 age group... 26 percent considered themselves atheists...
^abcChen Bram (1999)."CIRCASSIAN RE-IMMIGRATION TO THE CAUCASUS"(PDF). In S. Weil (ed.).Routes and Roots: Emigration in a global perspective. pp. 14–15.Archived(PDF) from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved18 July 2018.
^Sofos, Umut Özkırımlı; Spyros A. (2008).Tormented by history: nationalism in Greece and Turkey. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 167.ISBN9780231700528.
^abİnce, Başak (26 April 2012).Citizenship and identity in Turkey : from Atatürk's republic to the present day. Londra: I.B. Tauris.ISBN978-1-78076-026-1.
^Ayhan Aktar, "Cumhuriyet’in Đlk Yıllarında Uygulanan 'Türklestirme' Politikaları," in Varlık Vergisi ve 'Türklestirme' Politikaları,2nd ed. (Istanbul: Iletisim, 2000), 101.
^Aslan, Senem (April 2007). ""Citizen, Speak Turkish!": A Nation in the Making".Nationalism and Ethnic Politics. Vol. 13, no. 2.Routledge. pp. 245–272.
^Suny, Ronald Grigor; Goçek, Fatma Müge;Naimark, Norman M., eds. (23 February 2011).A question of genocide : Armenians and Turks at the end of the Ottoman Empire. Oxford: Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-539374-3.
^Peleschuk, Dan (27 March 2012)."Long Lost Brethren". Russiaprofile.org. Archived fromthe original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved20 August 2013.
^"Circassian".Encyclopædia Britannica.Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved22 February 2015.
^Waldman, Carl; Mason, Catherine (2006)."Circassians".Encyclopedia of European Peoples. Vol. 2. Infobase Publishing. pp. 175–176.ISBN978-1-4381-2918-1. Retrieved28 June 2017.
Hamed-Troyansky, Vladimir (2017). "Circassian Refugees and the Making of Amman, 1878–1914".International Journal of Middle East Studies.49 (4):605–623.doi:10.1017/S0020743817000617.S2CID165801425.
Rosser-Owen, Sarah A. S. Isla (1 October 2007).The First 'Circassian Exodus' to the Ottoman Empire (1858–1867), and the Ottoman Response, Based on the Accounts of Contemporary British Observers (Thesis).University of London.
_p183_CIRCASSIAN_DANCE.jpg)
![Yegeruqwai [ru]](/image.pl?url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2f%2fupload.wikimedia.org%2fwikipedia%2fcommons%2fthumb%2f1%2f1a%2fWhite_pog.svg%2f20px-White_pog.svg.png&f=jpg&w=240)
.jpg)
_LACMA_M.87.231.42.jpg)
