INSTITUTION OF DEPARTURE FOR SERVICE AND MERCENARY PRACTICES AS A PART OF THE MILITARY CULTURE OF CIRCASSIANS

The article examines the traditional institutions of military culture of the Circassians – military departure and departure for service. Departure for service was part of the universal system of replenishment of the ruling class of the feudal powers of Europe and Asia, into which the Circassian aristocracy had long been deeply integrated. This was favored by a well-deserved reputation in the military sphere, a highly effective and perfect system of military education, as well as the cultivation of the knightly idea and its components such as loyalty to the suzerain, nobility, aristocratic etiquette "uerk khabze". Departure for service was a purely feudal institution, with the appropriate completion within the framework of vassal-suzerain contractual relations. Departure for service was characteristic of the upper strata of the Circassian aristocracy; for all other classes of Circassian society, military otkhodnik (mercenary) was characteristic. The latter did not imply the conclusion of contractual relations, the establishment of vassal-suzerain relations and correspondingly – incorporation into the ruling class of the host countries. Departure for service and mercenary practices were among the basic and most characteristic institutions of the military culture of the Circassians. For a long time these institutions have played a significant role in the life of Circassian society, and their study has not only scientific and educational, but also practical value. The study of the institutions of military culture can contribute to the understanding of the historical-political and socio-economic processes that took place in the Central and Northwestern Caucasus during the Late Medieval and Early Modern Times.

1. Abkhaziya i abkhazy srednevekovykh gruzinskikh povestvovatel'nykh istochnikov [Abkhazia and Abkhazians of medieval Georgian narrative sources]. – Tbilisi: «Metsniereba», 1988. – 180 p. (In Russian)

2. Adygebze psal"al"e. Slovar' kabardino-cherkesskogo yazyka [Dictionary of the Kabardino-Circassian language]. – M.: «Digora», 1999. – 852 p. (In Russian; In Kabardian; In Circassian)

3. Adygskaya (cherkesskaya) entsiklopediya / Glav. red. M.A. Kumakhov [Adyghe (Circassian) encyclopedia. Ed. by M.A. Kumakhov]. – M.: Fond im. B. Kh. Akbasheva, 2006. – 1247 p. (In Russian)

4. BARANOVSKY B. Kavkaz i Pol'sha v XVII [Caucasus and Poland in the XVII]. IN: Rossiya, Pol'sha i Prichernomor'e v XV–XVIII vv. [Russia, Poland and the Black Sea region in the XV–XVIII centuries]. – M.: Nauka, 1979. – P. 24–262. (In Russian)

5. BELOKUROV S.A. Snosheniya Rossii s Kavkazom. Materialy, izvlechennye iz Moskovskogo Glavnogo arkhiva Ministerstva inostrannykh del [Relations between Russia and the Caucasus. Materials extracted from the Moscow Main Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs]. – M.: Tip. Universitetskaya, 1888. – Iss. 1. – Book 3. – Part 1. – 584 p. (In Russian)

6. ÇELEBI E. Kniga puteshestviya. Krym i sopredel'nye oblasti. Izvlecheniya iz sochineniya turetskogo puteshestvennika XVII v. / Per. E.V. Bakhrevskogo [Travel book. Crimea and adjacent regions. Extracts from the work of a Turkish traveler of the 17th century / Translated by E.V. Bakhrevsky]. – Simferopol': «Dolya», 2008. – 272 p. (In Russian)

7. ÇELEBI E. Kniga puteshestviya. Vyp. 2: Zemli Severnogo Kavkaza, Povolzh'ya i Don'ya / Pred. A.P. Grigor'eva; Prim. i komm. A.P. Grigor'eva i A.D. Zheltyakova [Travel book. Issue 2: Lands of the North Caucasus, the Volga and Don regions / Foreword by A.P. Grigoriev, A.D. Notes and comments by A.P. Grigoriev and A.D. Zheltyakov]. – M.: Nauka, 1979. – 287 p. (In Russian)

8. ÇELEBI E. Kniga puteshestviya. Vyp. 3: Zemli Zakavkaz'ya i sopredel'nykh oblastei Maloi Azii i Irana / Sostavitel' i otvetstvennyi redaktor A.D. Zheltyakov [Travel book. Issue 3: Lands of Transcaucasia and adjacent regions of Asia Minor and Iran / Compiled and edited by A.D. Zheltyakov]. – M.: «Nauka», 1983. – 376 p. (In Russian)

9. Cherkeshenka: sbornik / Eds. Sukunov Kh.Kh., Sukunova I.Kh. [Cherkeshenka: collection]. – Maikop: Respublikanskoe izdatel'sko-poligraficheskoe ob"edinenie «Adygeya» komiteta po pechati i informatsii, 1992. – 305 p. (In Russian)

10. DZAMIKHOV K.F. Adygi: vekhi istorii [Adyghes: milestones of history]. – Nalchik: El'brus, 2008. – 811 p. (In Russian)

11. GOGITIDZE M.D. Cherkesskie voennye deyateli [Circassian military leaders]. – Tbilisi: Izdatel'stvo «Meridiani», 2013. – 356 p. (In Russian)

12. GUBOGLU M. Turetskii istochnik 1740 g. o Valakhii, Moldavii i Ukraine [Turkish source of 1740 about Wallachia, Moldavia and Ukraine]. IN: Vostochnye istochniki po istorii narodov yugo-vostochnoi i tsentral'noi Evropy [Eastern sources on the history of the peoples of southeastern and central Europe]. – M.: Institut Vostokovedeniya, 1964. – T. 1. – P. 131–161. (In Russian)

13. GUGOV R.Kh. Kabarda i Balkariya v XVIII v. i ikh vzaimootnosheniya s Rossiei [Kabarda and Balkaria in the 18th century and their relationship with Russia]. – Nalchik: Izdatel'skii tsentr «EL''-FA», 1999. – 685 p. (In Russian)

14. Istoriya mnogovekovogo sodruzhestva. K 450-letiyu soyuza i edineniya narodov Kabardino-Balkarii s Rossiei [The history of the centuries-old unity. To the 450th anniversary of the union and unity of the peoples of Kabardino-Balkaria with Russia]. – Nalchik: Izdatel'stvo M. i V. Kotlyarovykh, 2007. – 719 p. (In Russian)

15. Kabardino-russkie otnosheniya v XVI–XVIII vv.: Dokumenty i materialy v 2-kh tomakh [Kabardino-Russian relations in the XVI–XVIII centuries: Documents and materials in 2 volumes]. – M.: Izdatel'stvo Akademii nauk SSSR, 1957. – Vol. 1. – 478 p. (In Russian)

16. KANTEMIR D.K. Istoriya rosta i upadka Ottomanskoi imperii [History of the rise and decline of the Ottoman Empire]. IN: Severnyi Kavkaz v evropeiskoi literature XIII–XVII vekov. Sbornik materialov [North Caucasus in European literature of the XIII–XVII centuries. Collection of materials]. – Nalchik: GP «Respublikanskii poligrafkombinat im. Revolyutsii 1905 g.»; Izdatel'skii tsentr «El'-Fa», 2006. – P. 98–104. (In Russian)

17. KAZAKOV A.V. Adygi (cherkesy) na rossiiskoi voennoi sluzhbe. Voevody i ofitsery. Seredina XVI – nachalo XX v. Biograficheskii spravochnik [Adygs (Circassians) in the Russian military service. Governors and officers. Mid 16th – early 20th century Biographical reference book]. – Nalchik: GP KBR «Respublikanskii poligrafkombinat im. Revolyutsii 1905 g.»; Izdatel'skii tsentr «El'-Fa», 2006. – 406 p. (In Russian)

18. KAZAKOV A.V. Cherkesy na rossiiskoi gosudarstvennoi i voennoi sluzhbe [Circassians in the Russian state and military service]. – Nalchik.: «El'brus», 2017. – 707 p. (In Russian)

19. KHAN GIREI. Cherkesskie predaniya [Circassian legends]. IN: KHAN GIREI. Izbrannye proizvedeniya / Podgotovka teksta i vstupitel'naya stat'ya R.Kh. Khashkhozhevoi [Selected works / Preparation of the text and introductory article by R.Kh. Khashkhozheva]. – Nalchik: «El'brus», 1974. – P. 55–171. (In Russian)

20. KHOTKO S.Kh. Cherkesiya. Genezis, etnopoliticheskie svyazi so stranami Vostochnoi Evropy i Blizhnego vostoka (XIII–XVI vv.) [Circassia. Genesis, ethnopolitical ties with the countries of Eastern Europe and the Middle East (XIII–XVI centuries]. – Maikop: Adygeiskoe respublikanskoe knizhnoe izdatel'stvo, 2017. – 543 p. (In Russian)

21. KHOTKO S.Kh. Genezis cherkesskikh elit v sultanate mamlyukov i osmanskoi imperii [The genesis of the Circassian elites in the Mamluk sultanate and the Ottoman Empire]. – Maikop: «Meoty», 1999. – 279 p. (In Russian)

22. KOZHEV Z.A. Ocherki voenno-politicheskoi istorii Cherkesii XV–XVI vv. [Essays on the military and political history of Circassia in the 15th – 16th centuries]. – Nalchik: KBNTs RAN, 2019. – 142 p. (In Russian)

23. KRUSHINSKY M. Cherkesskie knyaz'ya v Pol'she [Circassian princes in Poland]. IN: Genealogiya Severnogo Kavkaza. – 2002. – No. 3. – P. 149–151. (In Russian)

24. KUSHEVA E.N. Narody Severnogo Kavkaza i ikh svyazi s Rossiei. Vtoraya polovina XVI – 30-e gody XVII veka [The peoples of the North Caucasus and their ties with Russia. Second half of the 16th – 30s of the 17th century]. – M.: Izdatel'stvo Akademii nauk SSSR, 1963. – 371 p. (In Russian)

25. KUSHKHABIEV A.V. Cherkesskaya diaspora v arabskikh stranakh (XIX–XX vv.) [Circassian Diaspora in Arab Countries (XIX–XX centuries)]. – Nalchik: IIFE KBNTs RAN, 1997. – 226 p. (In Russian)

26. KUSHKHABIEV A.V. Cherkesy v Sirii [Circassians in Syria]. – Nalchik: Izdanie respublikanskogo fonda «Vozrozhdenie», 1993. – 168 p. (In Russian)

27. LEMERCIER-QUELQUEJAY, CHANTAL. Sotsial'naya, politicheskaya i religioznaya struktura Severnogo Kavkaza v XVI v. [Social, political and religious structure of the North Caucasus in the 16th century]. IN: Vostochnaya Evropa srednevekov'ya i rannego novogo vremeni glazami frantsuzskikh issledovatelei [Eastern Europe of the Middle Ages and the early modern period through the eyes of French researchers]. – Kazan': Institut istorii AN RT, 2009. – P. 272–294. (In Russian)

28. LIVEN A. Chechnya: tragediya rossiiskoi moshchi. Pervaya chechenskaya voina [Chechnya: the tragedy of Russian power. First Chechen war]. – M.: Universitet Dmitriya Pozharskogo; Russkii fond sodeistviya obrazovaniyu i nauke, 2019. – XVI. – 560 p. (In Russian)

29. MAKSIDOV A.A. Adygi i narody Prichernomor'ya [Adygs and the peoples of the Black Sea region]. – Nalchik: «El'brus», 2003. – 119 p. (In Russian)

30. NA IGI KBNTs RAN – Nauchnyi arkhiv Instituta gumanitarnykh issledovanii Kabardino-Balkarskogo nauchnogo tsentra RAN [Scientific archive of the Institute for Humanitarian Research of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences]. (In Russian)

31. NALOEVA E.D. Genealogiya kabardinskikh knyazei kak istoricheskii istochnik [Genealogy of Kabardian princes as a historical source]. IN: NALOEVA E.D. Kabarda v pervoi polovine XVIII veka: genezis adygskogo feodal'nogo sotsiuma i problemy sotsial'no-politicheskoi istorii / sost. A.S. Mirzoev [Kabarda in the first half of the 18th century: the genesis of the Adyghe feudal society and problems of socio-political history. Compiled by A.S. Mirzoev]. – Nalchik: OOO «Pechatnyi dvor», 2015. – P. 150–162. (An application to the book – An album of 14 genealogical maps is) (In Russian)

32. NALOEVA E.D. O generale El'murze Cherkasskom [About General Elmurz Cherkassky]. IN: NALOEVA E.D. Kabarda v pervoi polovine XVIII veka: genezis adygskogo feodal'nogo sotsiuma i problemy sotsial'no-politicheskoi istorii / sost. A.S. Mirzoev [Kabarda in the first half of the 18th century: the genesis of the Adyghe feudal society and problems of socio-political history. Compiled by A.S. Mirzoev]. – Nalchik: OOO «Pechatnyi dvor», 2015. – P. 199–202. (In Russian)

33. Narodnye pesni i instrumental'nye naigryshi adygov: v 3-kh t. T. 3. Ch. II / Pod red. E.V. Gippiusa; Sost. V.H. Baragunov, Z.P. Kardangushev [Folk songs and instrumental tunes of the Circassians. Ed. by E.V. Gippius; Compilled by V.H. Baragunov, Z.P. Kardangushev]. – M.: Vsesoyuznoe izdatel'stvo «Sovetskii kompozitor», 1986. – 487 s. (In Russian; In Kabardian; In Circassian)

34. OZOVA F.A. Institut amanatstva v cherkessko-rossiiskikh otnosheniyakh: 1552–1829 gg. [Institute of amanity in Circassian-Russian relations: 1552–1829]. – SPb: Nestor-Istoriya, 2020. – 632 p. (In Russian)

35. RGVIA – Rossiiskii gosudarstvennyi voenno-istoricheskii arkhiv [Russian State Military Historical Archive]. (In Russian)

36. SHEUDZHEN E., KHOTKO S. Istoriya adygov (cherkesov): voenno-antropologicheskii podkhod [The history of the Circassians: a military-anthropological approach]. – Maikop: OOO «Poligraf-YuG», 2019. – 392 p. (In Russian)

37. SMIRNOV V.D. Krymskoe khanstvo pod verkhovenstvom Otomanskoi Porty: v 2-kh t. T. 1 / otv. red. S.F. Oreshkova [Crimean Khanate under the rule of the Ottoman Port: in 2 vols. Vol. 1. Ed. by S.F. Oreshkova]. – M.: Rubezhi XXI, 2005. – 541 p. (In Russian)

38. SOKUROV V. Cherkesskii kondot'er Ivana Groznogo. Knyaz' Makhoshoko Kanokov [Circassian Condottier Ivan the Terrible. Prince Mahoshoko Kanokov]. IN: Rodina. – 2011. – No. 11. – P. 55–58. (In Russian)

39. SOKUROV V.N. Fenomen politicheskogo otchuzhdeniya v istoricheskikh sud'bakh cherkesskogo naroda / Çerkes Halkının Tarihinde Politik Yabancılaşma Fenomeni [The Phenomenon of Political Alienation in the Historical Fates of the Circassian People]. IN: Kafkasya Calışmaları – Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi [Journal of Caucasian Studies (JOCAS)]. – 2017. – March. – Vol. 2. – No. 4. – P. 161–192. (In Russian)

40. SOKUROV V.N. Institut vyezda na sluzhbu u cherkesov [Institute of departure for the service of the Circassians]. IN: El'brus. – 1999. – No. 1. – P. 97–135. (In Russian)

41. Turetskie anekdoty. Iz tridtsatiletnikh vospominanii Mikhaila Chaikovskogo (Sadyk-Pashi) [Turkish anecdotes. From the thirty-year memories of Mikhail Tchaikovsky (Sadyk-Pasha)]. – M.: Universitetskaya tipografiya (M.Katkov). 1883. – 420 p. (In Russian)

42. VAGNER M. Kavkaz i zemlya kazakov v gody s 1843 do 1846 [Caucasus and the land of the Cossacks in the years from 1843 to 1846]. IN: Adygi, balkartsy i karachaevtsy v izvestiyakh evropeiskikh avtorov XIII–XIX vv. / Sost., red. perevodov, vved. i vstup. st. k tekstam V.K. Gardanova [Adyghes, Balkars and Karachays in the reports of European authors of the 13th – 19th centuries. Edited by V.K. Gardanov]. – Nalchik: El'brus, 1974. – P. 629–631. (In Russian)