The 16th
and 17th centuries are periods in which Daghestan were under the sovereign of Ottoman
Empire through Crimean Khanate. The letter to Crimean Khan Mehmet Giray II written on 3rd
November 1578 is an important document that the country was within Ottoman borders. In
this letter, Murat III wanted Crimean Khan together with Kumukh Hakim Shamhal and
Ddaghestan Hakims Tabasara, Avar, Chechen, Kabartay and Karabudak Begs to make preparation
for Shirvan Attack in Iran. Daghestan Begs obeyed this order, and participated in Shirvan
wars and Karabag attacks in the Ottoman army together with other North Cacuasian tribes
such as Circassians and Nogays. With the leadership of
Daghestan’s most powerful ruler, Kumukh and Kaytak Emir Shamhal, Tabasaran and Avar begs
went under the service of Ottomans since 1475 and they were granted with army flags and
personages. Because of the great services of these begs, Ottomans insisted on Sunni
Daghestan which Shah Abbas had to accept their loyality to Ottoman Empire in 1611 and 1618
peace agreements.
Being under Ottoman sovereignty, it gives the opportunity for
researching Daghestan’s socio-economical structure during this period by the help of the
Ottoman archives. Likewise, the letter sent in 1587 to vizier Cafer Pasha staying in
Derbent, it was told that secure environment had been sustained and already migrated
110-15 thousand people came back their homeland again and the borders were under control.
In the letter, production were increased by these developments and it was expected that 20
million golden liras would be sent to Istanbul in 1587, where only 8 millon and 700
hundred thousand golden liras were sent in the previous year (1587).
One of the most important political developments in this
period was Russian invasion of Khazan Khanates in October 1552 under the command of Ivan
IV (Terrible Ivan). Thus a new era started in Russian history. With Khazan invasion,
Russia reached to Caspian sea and Caucasia. They have also the opportunity to invade
Siberia and Turkistan. After invading Astrakhan Khanate in 1556 (which was the last part
of Altýnorda Empire) the Russians became a neighbor to Ottoman Empire. They also got the
control of Ýdil – Volga trade way together with routes to North Caucasia and the
Caspian Sea. For this reason, not only western countries like the British, but also the
Turkistan Khans were not worried about Russia’s move to the East and they made trade
agreements with Moscov. With the Russion diffusion, some Caucasian tribes, namely the
Christian tribes, turned their interests to Moscov.
18th century became the period in which Caucasia was invaded
by Russia. For this goal, Russians applied a long term plan and settle Kazaks in North
Caucasia by which they formed a Kazak Line in the Region. In this period, Russia made the
last trial before the Caucasian invasion.
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