PROFILE - 'Caucasian Eagle' remembered some 150 years on

By Emin Ileri

ISTANBUL

Turkey on Monday observed the 148th anniversary of the passing of Sheikh Shamil, also known as the "Caucasian Eagle" owing to his fight against the Russian tsar.

Shamil, who was born in Russia's northern Caucasus Republic of Dagestan in 1797, was recognized as the political and religious leader of the Caucasian people.

Renowned Sufi scholar Khalid-i Baghdadi in Iraq taught him Islam, literature, history and science. He was later given the rank of caliph and he returned to the Caucasus.

There he led the fight to liberate Muslims from Imperial Russia.

In 1829, Mullah Muhammad, a close friend of Shamil, became the first imam of the Northern Caucasian Muslims’ resistance movement against Russians. Mullah Muhammad later facilitated a war against the invading Russians. Mullah Muhammad was killed on Oct. 20, 1832, while Shamil was severely wounded.

Hamzat Beg pursued the resistance movement as the second Imam after the death of Mullah Muhammad. When Hamzat Beg was assassinated on Sep. 19, 1834, Sheikh Shamil was elected the third imam by Avarian people in Caucasia.

Shamil established a regular army, fighting against Russians for more than 35 years. He made an agreement with Chechnya’s Tashov Haji and Kebed Muhammad to reinforce sovereignty in Dagestan and Chechnya.

Tsar Nicholas I ordered Gen. Neidhardt to dismantle Shamil’s army in December 1843. However, Shamil resisted against the Russian army and Neidhardt was suspended from his duty.

Becoming the leader of Dagestan and Chechnya, Shamil maintained peace and unity until the Crimea War in October 1853.

Shamil called Ottoman Sultan Abdulmejid for help in August 1853 against Russian invasion in southern Crimea. Shamil could not persuade Ottoman army for military action in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. However, he and his army stopped the Russian army from attacking Crimea from November to December 1853.

He surrendered to the Russian army on Sept. 6, 1859, after a long fight.

Shamil came to Istanbul to prepare for pilgrimage in 1869 with the approval of Russians. Ottoman Sultan Abdulmejid provided monetary aid and accommodation in the Dolmabahce Palace for Shamil. He went to Mecca for pilgrimage on Jan. 25, 1870, where he died on Feb 4, 1871.