scholarly journals Bridging the Divide: Marriage Politics across the Caucasus

Electrum ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 221-244
Author(s):  
Lara Fabian
Keyword(s):  
Political Development ◽  
Hellenistic Period ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Political World ◽  
The North ◽  
Early Relationships ◽  
And Control

The early relationships between the polities of Armenia and K‘art‘li in the South Caucasus and their neighbours in the North Caucasus is a central, but underappreciated, factor in the development of the South Caucasus’ social and political world in the Hellenistic period. Typically, only military aspects of these interactions are considered (e.g., Alan raids and control thereof). Hazy evidence of cross-Caucasus marriage alliances preserved in both the Armenian and Georgian historiographic traditions, however, hints at a far wider sphere of interaction, despite the inherent challenges in gleaning historical reality from these medieval accounts. This paper contextualizes two stories of cross-Caucasus marriage related to foundational dynastic figures in the Armenian and Georgian traditions, Artašēs and P‘arnavaz respectively, within a wider body of evidence for and thought about North-South Caucasus interaction. Taken as a whole, this consideration argues that North-South relationships should be seen as integral to the political development of the South Caucasus.

scholarly journals ON THE QUESTION OF IRANIAN LEXICAL ELEMENTS IN THE LANGUAGES OF THE SOUTH CAUCASUS.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Э.Б. Сатцаев
Keyword(s):  
Political Communication ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Organic Part ◽  
The North ◽  
Persian Language

Кавказ является одной из сложных в этническом отношении областей в мире. Большинство национальных групп проживает на территории Северного Кавказа. Южный же Кавказ (Закавказье) не отличается разнообразием национального состава. Азербайджанцы, грузины, армяне, осетины, абхазы и талыши являются коренными народами Южного Кавказа и тысячелетиями живут на его территории. Язык азербайджанцев относится к тюркской группе алтайской семьи. Армянский язык составляет отдельную группу в индоевропейской семье. Грузинский язык входит в картвельскую семью. Осетины и талыши являются ирано-язычными народами. Язык абхазов относится к адыго-абхазской языковой семье. В результате длительного культурно-исторического и политического общения с иранскими народами в языки Южного Кавказа вошло большое число иранских элементов. В грузинском языке лексика иранского происхождения соотносится со всеми иранскими языковыми эпохами – древней, средней и новой. Она составляет органическую часть грузинского языка, входя в основное ядро его лексики. По причине значительной близости древнеиранских языков затруднительно установить, какой именно из них стал источником того или иного заимствования. В последние столетия грузинский вобрал в себя значительное количество слов из новоперсидского и осетинского языков. Армянский этнос тысячелетиями находился в тесном контакте с иранскими народами. Эти связи нашли свое отражение в армянском языке. Армянский, как и грузинский, заимствовал большое количество иранской лексики. Азербайджанский язык сформировался сравнительно недавно и испытал огромное влияние новоперсидского языка. Через посредство персидского языка в языки Южного Кавказа проникла также арабская лексика. Характер лексической смешанности языков Южного Кавказа значительно сложнее чисто количественных или только цифровых сопоставлений. Этот вопрос может быть решен путем конкретных исследований в различных областях словарного состава, прежде всего в историческом плане. The Caucasus is one of the most ethnically complex regions in the world. The majority of national groups live in the North Caucasus. The Southern Caucasus (Transcaucasia) does not differ in the diversity of its national composition. Azerbaijanis, Georgians, Armenians, Ossetians, Abkhazians and Talyshians are indigenous peoples of the South Caucasus and have lived on this territory for thousands of years. The Azerbaijanian language belongs to the Turkic group of the Altai family. Armenian language is a separate group in the Indo-European family. The Georgian language belongs to the Kartvelian family. Ossetians and Talyshians are Iranian-speaking peoples. The Abkhazian language belongs to the Adygo-Abkhazian language family. As a result of long-term cultural, historical and political communication with the Iranian peoples, a large number of Iranian elements have entered the languages of the South Caucasus. In the Georgian language, the vocabulary of Iranian origin corresponds to all the Iranian language epochs – ancient, middle and new. It forms an organic part of the Georgian language, forming the main core of its vocabulary. Due to the significant proximity of the ancient Iranian languages, it is difficult to determine which of them could have been the source of a particular loan. In recent centuries, Georgian has absorbed a significant number of words from the new Persian and Ossetian languages. The Armenian ethnic group has been in close contact with the Iranian peoples for thousands of years. These connections are reflected in the Armenian language. Armenian, like Georgian, borrowed a large amount of Iranian vocabulary. The Azerbaijanian language was formed relatively recently and was greatly influenced by the new Persian language. Through the medium of the Persian language, Arabic vocabulary also penetrated into the languages of the South Caucasus. The character of lexical mixing of the languages of the South Caucasus is much more complex than purely quantitative or only digital comparisons. This issue can be resolved through specific research in various areas of vocabulary, primarily in historical terms.

Turkish northern Caucasus foreign policy impact Russian national security

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruslan Shangaraev ◽  
Aidamir Valiev
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Ottoman Empire ◽  
The United States ◽  
Northern Caucasus ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
The North

Turkey offers itself to be a regional leader for the Middle East, North Africa, partly for the Balkans and the Caucasus, while pursuing its own interests, not least economic ones. Turkey's foreign policy activation, and not only in the South, but also in the North Caucasus, is probably intended to create an additional platform for foreign policy bargaining with Moscow on issues of interest to Ankara. When analyzing the foreign policy of Turkey during the rule of the ruling Justice and Development Party, of course, you need to pay special attention to the foreign policy concept of neo-Ottomanism, the architect of which is Ahmet Davutoglu. The developed new approach "strategic depth" means that for Turkish diplomacy, Turkey's deep historical and cultural roots in the Balkans, the Middle East, the Greater Caucasus and Central Asia (former territories of the Ottoman Empire) are more important than the existing state borders. The pragmatism of Ankara's foreign policy is also manifested in a sober assessment of the popularity in the Caucasus of such ideas as Great Turan (a pan-Turkic project of a single state for all ethnic Turks) and neo-Ottomanism. For Caucasians, the times of the rule of the Ottoman Empire are the golden age of prosperity. Turanism is more aimed at awakening "kindred feelings" based on the common Turkic heritage. "They are implementing practical humanitarian projects, identifying leaders of public opinion who are ready to cooperate. Ankara is pursuing a policy of small steps in order to change the social and cultural image of the region in the long term. In general, Turkish leader is confident that due to historical reasons and the realities of modern politics The Caucasus is a zone of direct strategic interests of Turkey. Ankara, relying on the support of the United States and NATO, takes an active part in most regional political and economic projects, actively intervenes in the affairs of the Middle East, South Caucasus, Central Asian and North African regions, tries to strengthen its role beyond their borders, which often overlaps with the national interests of Russia.

The Caucasus in the History of Russia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor' Bocharnikov
Keyword(s):  
North Caucasus ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Caucasus Region ◽  
The North ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
History Of ◽  
Free Development ◽  
Modern Experience

The monograph defines the origins, essence and content of the Caucasian policy of Russia, its main stages, its significance for the development of Russian statehood and the peoples of the region. The monograph pays special attention to the Caucasian wars of Russia, the experience of suppressing anti-Russian and anti-Soviet armed demonstrations in the region. The historical and modern experience of the development of the Caucasus region shows that the weakening of Russia's position in the region naturally leads to an escalation of tension and conflict, aggravation of inter-ethnic contradictions, manifestations of extremism and other forms of destructive activities that threaten the life of citizens and peoples of the Caucasus. As a result, the strength of Russia's position in the Caucasus is a guarantee of the safe and free development of the peoples of the region. The author's conclusions and suggestions presented in the monograph can be used in the process of implementing a balanced and verified policy in order to ensure the national security and interests of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasus, building relations with neighboring states in the region, as well as other international actors positioning their involvement in the political processes of the South Caucasus. It is addressed to researchers, teachers, students, a wide range of readers.

Rational or reckless? Georgia's zugzwang in the Caucasus

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. Siroky ◽  
Valeriy Dzutsev
Keyword(s):  
Soft Power ◽  
Regional Strategy ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
The South ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
The North ◽  
The Cost ◽  
War Policy

Although the 2008 Russian-Georgian war was a military defeat for Georgia, it has only reinforced Georgia's westward trajectory. One noteworthy difference from Georgia's pre-war policy is a new regional strategy — the North Caucasus Initiative — that seeks to create a soft power alternative to Russia's military dominance in the region. We suggest that this approach is rational rather than reckless, as some critics have claimed. It represents a carefully calculated strategy that is already benefiting Georgia and from which all concerned parties, including Russia, stand to gain. If the South and North Caucasus were more open and less divided — a direction in which this new initiative appears to point — the Caucasus could become more prosperous and more stable. That would serve Russia's long-term interest by significantly reducing the cost of subsidies to sustain and stabilize the volatile region.

scholarly journals “A JOURNEY TO ARMENIA, TURKEY AND CILICIA” BY THE BISHOP VARDAN ODZNETSI AS AN IMPORTANT SOURCE ON THE HISTORY OF THE CAUCASUS OF THE XVIII–XIX CENTURIES

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-84
Author(s):  
Shakhban M. Khapizov ◽  
Hayk E. Hakobyan
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
The North ◽  
History Of ◽  
Military Campaigns ◽  
The Russian Empire ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
The Military

The paper analyses the content of some of the parts of the work of the Armenian author of the 19th century bishop Vardan Odznetsi, kept in Matenadaran – the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts of Armenia. The full text of the work has not yet been published. The text is unique, as it is one of the last sources, written in the style of the Armenian historical literature of the Middle Ages. In his work, Vardan Odznetsi tells in detail about the court of the Georgian king Heraclius II (1720–1798). It also provides information about the Talysh Khan Mustafa and the Avar Nutsal Ummah Khan, known in historiography under the distorted name of Omar Khan. Thus, the chronicle of Odznetsi covers the history of not only Transcaucasia, but also the North Caucasus. In addition, the author describes in sufficient detail the events of the Crimean War (1853–1856). The information, provided by Vardan Odznetsi, is quite important in the context of studies devoted to the anti-Ottoman and anti-Iranian wars of the peoples of the Caucasus. In his work, a special attention is drawn to the scrupulous description of the invasion of Tbilisi in the summer of 1795 by the Iranian shah Aga-Muhammad Khan Kajar. With deep regret he tells about the destruction of the city, believing that this is the fault of the Georgian king, who showed political shortsightedness. In the 1790s Avar nutsal Ummah Khan (1761-1801) started to play an important role in the military-political events taking place in the South Caucasus, which is also mentioned in the work under review. He describes the relations of Umma Khan and his son-in-law Ibrahim-khan of Karabakh, their joint military campaigns on adjacent lands. At the same time, the work under study is an important source describing the transition of the kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, and subsequently the entire Caucasus, under the protection of the Russian Empire. A study of this manuscript will serve as a more detailed source-study of the history of the Caucasus of the 18th – 19th centuries.

scholarly journals Ethnopolitical Processes in the Caucasus: Identity Conflict and Political Activity of Youth

2021 ◽  
pp. 112-125
Author(s):  
Aleksej Erohin ◽  
◽  
Sergej Vorobev ◽  
Evgenii Avdeev ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Identity ◽  
Young People ◽  
Political Activity ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Caucasus Region ◽  
The North ◽  
North And South

Introduction. The article presents the results of the research, which helped to determine the assessments and perceptions of young people in the Caucasus region about the state, nature and direction of the development of ethnopolitical processes, to identify common and special in the views of youth in the North and South Caucasus. Methods and Materials. Sociological research within the framework of the scientific project “Ethno-Political Processes in the Caucasus in the Assessments and Perceptions of Modern Youth” was carried out by the authors of the article in 2019 using the online survey method. 2,000 respondents were interviewed, namely students of leading universities of the region (1,000 respondents were interviewed in the North Caucasus and 1,000 respondents in the South Caucasus), the age of the respondents being 18-24 years old. The role of state authorities in the formation of civic and national identity among youth of the North Caucasus was revealed as a result of the content analysis of regional programs and other information materials in 2018. Analysis. It was found that the spectrum of the main ethnopolitical issues of concern to young people in the Caucasus region is largely identical for both the North and South Caucasus. It was revealed that civic, national, and religious identities are of priority and equal importance for the vast majority of youth. Civic and national identity for the absolute majority of Caucasian respondents is associated with the preservation of national culture and history, pride of their country and its achievements, protection of the Fatherland, and the guarantee of human rights and freedoms. Regional identity is a priority for the overwhelming majority of young people in the Caucasus. It can be assumed that risks of conflict between civil, national, and confessional identities persist among young people in the region. Youth in the Caucasus have a high level of political activity and consider their active participation in the political life of the region necessary. At the same time, they are more inclined towards a constructive solution to socio-political problems, volunteering, as well as dialogue and cooperation with state authorities. The main actors forming political views, according to the majority of respondents, are the environment in which they communicate, close relatives, as well as the blogosphere and social networks. The role of state administration in the formation of civil and national identity among young people in the North Caucasus is analyzed. The conclusion is that it is necessary to strengthen work in the region to develop public initiatives among youth, to involve them in socially significant activities, to activate their creative potential, and to develop their participation in various civil society institutions, especially volunteer organizations. Results. The conclusion is made about the need for a wide integration of young people of the region into the all-Russian socio-cultural space, the implementation of equal partnership between youth, civil society institutions and state authorities, greater involvement of young people in activities that contribute to the economic, socio-political and cultural development of the region. Key words: youth, ethnopolitical processes, Caucasus, political activity, civic identity, national identity.

About military-political history of Vainakh people in Ancient Times and Middle Ages

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (04) ◽  
pp. 32-69
Author(s):  
Ярослав Валентинович Пилипчук ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Political History ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Xviii Century ◽  
Xvii Century ◽  
The North ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ancient Times

This paper is dedicated to the reconstruction of ethnic and political history of the Nakhs in the Ancient Times, Middle Ages and Early Modern Times. Several Nakh tribes were known mainly to Georgians and Armenians. Nakhs were the main population of Georgia until the 4th century BC. The formation of the Iberian kingdom (Kartli) was closely connected with the interaction of the Kartvelian peoples with the nakhs of the South Caucasus, which appeared in Georgian sources under the name Durdzuks. The Nakhs were confronted with Scythians, Sarmatians, Alans n the North Caucasus. Therefore, Nakhs were better known in the South Caucasus. The most notable of the Durdzuk cluster was the tribe of the Tsanars. During the VIII-IX centuries Tsanars actively resisted the Arabs. The Tsanar chorebishop was one of the titles of the king of Kakheti and they actively participated in the Kakheti wars with the Abkhaz, Kartli, and Tao-Klardzhet kings. The final Kartvelization of the tsanars dates back to the XI century. Tushins, Pshavs, Khevsurs were kartvelized in the end of the XII century. Only the Batsbians retained the Nakh identity. Ethnonym Dzurzuk from the XIII century ceased to denote the Nakh population of the South Caucasus, which began to be designated by Kistins and Batsbians. Durdzuks from the XIII century these are the nakhs of the North Caucasus. The North Caucasian nakhs were ruled by the Alan kings in the XI-XIII centuries. Mongol invasion in XIII century weakened the power of the Alans over the North Caucasus. The territory of Chechnya united the Nakh state of Simsim in the middle of the XIV century, which at the end of the XIV century attacked by the Chagatays of Timur. Establish Georgian power over the highlanders in the middle of the fourteenth century. And in the 30s. XVII century Georgian kings Giorgi V and Teymuraz tried. Their real power was only over Georgian highlanders (Pshavs, Khevsurs, Tushins) and Batsbians. Kabardinians made a big campaign against the Nakhs in the middle of the XVI century. Temruk Idarov during the campaign of 1563 used the help of Nogays and Russians. Kabardinians entered the Sunzha region and drove the Ingush into the mountains. In the mountains was the possession of the Ingush Lars. The first of the Chechens to contact the Russians were the rulers of Aukh (Okoks of Russian sources). Some part of the Okoks in the XVII century evicted from Aukh on a plane to the area of Terek and Sunzha. The population of the Chechen possession obeyed the princes Turlovs from Gumbet. The people of Nokhch-Mokkh often opposed the Russians in the XVII century. There are some reasons to believe that they depended on the Kumyk rulers of the Andirean beilik. Avars and Kumyks also contributed to the penetration of Islam to the Chechens. Shibutians (Shatoys) and Chantiyans actively contacted Russians. Russian influence until the middle of the XVIII century it was rather nominal and was manifested in the presence of Cossacks and Streltsy on the Terek and Sunzha and in the exchange of embassies with Georgia. Not a single regional state such as the Safavid state or the Crimean Khanate has succeeded in establishing its power in the Central Caucasus. Chechens used vassality from the Russians as a counterweight to the influence of the Crimean Khanate and the Afshar state in the first half of the XVIII century, but this did not interfere with their situational alliances with the Kumyks and Crimean Tatars against the Russians. Chechens actively supported Islamic fanatics. Strengthening Russian power in the North Caucasus in the second half of the XVIII century led to the fact that the Ingush took Russian citizenship. There have been social changes in Chechnya. Societies drove out their princes. In this situation, the Chechens and other peoples of the Caucasus made an attempt to unite Sheikh Mansur. An attempt to unite Chechnya was also undertaken in the XIX century by Beibulat Taimiev. Key words: Vainakhs, Durdzuki, Chechens, Ingushes, Chechen domain, Georgia, Minor Kabarda, free societies

scholarly journals Policy of Postponed Sovetization: Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and Georgia in 1920–1921

2021 ◽  
pp. 119-132
Author(s):  
Karine Ambartsumyan ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Short Review ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Historical Sources ◽  
Socialist Republic ◽  
International Context ◽  
The North ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Federative Socialist Republic

Introduction. The author presents a brief description of the situation in the South Caucasus after the establishment of the Soviet power in Azerbaijan. A brief characteristic of the international context influencing decisionmaking in relation to Georgia and Armenia is given. The author makes a short review of historiography. Methods and materials. A list of historical sources is presented. The materials of the Archive of foreign policy of the Russian Federation and the Russian state archive of social and political history, private documents and the description of Menshevik Georgia in 1920 by Soviet scientist and publicist N.L. Meshcheryakov are the base of the research. Analysis. Based on these sources, the author explores the Soviet-Georgian relations, which are considered as interstate, since Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic legally accepted the independence of the Georgian state. A comparison of the positions of the representatives of the Caucasus Bureau and the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs revealed the difference in approaches to politics in Georgia. Moscow was against forced Sovietization and considered the Georgian Republic as a temporary buffer between Russia, on the one hand, and the forces of the Entente and Kemalist Turkey, on the other. The main directions of the Soviet-Georgian interaction were analyzed. The author, giving examples from documents, proves that Georgia was used as a center for strengthening control over Azerbaijan, consolidating success in the North Caucasus and pursuing a policy of reintegrating the South Caucasus into the Russian statehood. One of the clauses of the SovietGeorgian treaty signed in May 1920 was the creation of an associated commission. The article considers the features of its work and shows its inefficiency using the documents. Results. The author draws the conclusion that achieving independence in a wide international context was impossible for Georgia at that date. The RSFSR policy during 1920–1921 can be called the course of postponed Sovietization. It became an independent stage in the reintegration of the South Caucasus.

scholarly journals CHRONOLOGY OF WESTERN ASIAN AND TRANSCAUCASIAN ARTIFACTS SIMILAR TO THE FORE-CAUCASUS BRONZE ADORNMENTS OF THE FIRST HALF OF III MILLENNIUM BC

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
А.А. Ковалев
Keyword(s):  
Precious Metals ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
East European ◽  
The North ◽  
Western Asia ◽  
The Absolute

В статье приведены данные об абсолютной хронологии комплексов Передней Азии и Закавказья, содержащих аналогии предкавказским бронзовым «украшениям» перв. пол. III тыс. до н. э. Наиболее ранние из них относятся к концу раннего – началу среднего Урука: это золотые кольцевидные и дисковидные медаль­оны без орнамента. Возможно, традиция изготовления этих ритуальных по своей сути предметов могла опосредованно повлиять на формирование традиции изготовления предкавказских кольцевидных и дисковидных медальонов. В комплексах позднего куро-аракса (около 2800–2600 гг. до н. э.) в Закавказье зафиксировано появление простейших стерженьковых подвесок, что может быть объяснено влиянием северных культур, где эти подвески получили широкое распространение с рубежа IV–III тыс. до н. э. О влиянии со стороны Предкавказья говорят и находки в закавказских комплексах второй трети III тыс. до н. э. ряда уникальных предметов «степных» форм (медальоны, костяные молоточковидные булавки, выпуклые пунсонные бляхи и т. п.). С середины III тыс. в Передней Азии распространяются подобия молоточковидных булавок, стерженьковых (грибовидных) подвесок, медальонов, пунсонных блях. В царских могилах Ура и других комплексах периода РДIII, а также Аккада найдены крупные медальоны из драгоценных металлов. Эти медальоны, как и другие престижные предметы, начинают украшать имитацией перевитого шнура. Мотив шнура в тот же период характеризует беденскую культуру в Закавказье. Все это свидетельствует об усилении северного влияния, возможно, вплоть до проникновения в Переднюю Азию групп населения из Предкавказья. The article presents data on the absolute chronology of the closed complexes and sites of Western Asia and the South Caucasus containing artifacts similar to North-Caucasian bronze adornments attributed to the East-European Steppe Middle Bronze period (first half of III mill. BC). The earliest analogies belong to the final Late – beginning of the Middle Uruk: gold ring-shaped and discoid tanged medallions without ornamentation. Possibly, the tradition of making these items could indirectly influence the formation of the tradition of manufacturing the Fore-Caucasian ring-shaped and discoid tanged medallions. Excavations of late Kura-Araxes (2800–2600 BC) sites in the Transcaucasia show the appearance of the simplest mushroom-shape pendants, which indicates a northern impact. Also about the influence from the North-Caucasus speak evidence in the Transcaucasian complexes of the second third of the 3rd mill. BC a number of unique artifacts of «steppe» forms (medallions, bone hammer-shaped pins, bulging punching badges, etc.). Beginning in the middle of III mill. BC, artifacts similar of hammer-shaped pins, rod-shaped (mushroom-shaped) pendants, tanged medallions, punching badges spread in the Western Asia. Large tanged medallions made from precious metals were found in Royal graves of Ur and other complexes belonged to the EDIII and Akkad periods. These medallions and other prestigious jewelery objects were beginning to be decorated with imitation of twisted «cord». The motif of the cord in the same period characterizes the Bedeni culture in the South Caucasus. This shows an increase in northern influence, perhaps even to the penetration of groups of people from North Caucasus into Western Asia.

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