The Battle of Endirey was a significant conflict between the Russian Empire and the Chechens and Kumyks of Endirey that occured because of North Caucasian raids on Russian settlements and their refusal to pledge allegiance to Tsar Peter the Great.
Despite the rebels' initial success in resisting the Russian forces, a separate Russian detachment ultimately breached Endirey and destroyed the town.
| Battle of Endirey | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of 1722 Insurgency in Chechnya and 1722–1723 Russo-Persian War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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Endirey Khanate Chechen militias |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Aidemir Bardykhanov Chopan-Shavkal of Endirey |
 Andrei Veterani Colonel Naumov  Elmurza Cherkassky Mutsal Cherkassky Aslambek Kommetov | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
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Kumyks and Chechens from Endirey Militias from Chechnya |
3 Dragoon Regiments Kabardian detachments Don Cossacks | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 5,000 – 6,000 |
Total: 2,400 or 6,400
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Heavy |
Total: 286 (Heavy) | ||||||
Upon receiving news of the battle's outcome, Tsar Peter the Great famously remarked, «If these people knew the art of war, there would be no nation in the world that could defeat them.»
Background
editIn 1718, Kabardian and Cossack forces led by Ataman Krasnoshchekov invaded Chechnya and destroyed several villages. In response, Aidemir and Chopan-Shavkal invaded Cossack villages and in 1721, launched a major attack on the Terki fortress. As a result, Tsar Peter I decided to sent a force to crush the rebellion.
Prelude
editThe people of Endirey began preparing for an invasion. Women, children and the elderly were sent to the mountains, while the men remained behind and began fortifying the town. Defensive ditches and other defensive measures were taken.
Meanwhile, the Russian plan was to capture Endirey, crush the rebellion and ensure safe Landing of Russian troops on the Agrakhan Peninsula.
Battle
editVeterani's force advanced to Endirey on the Aktash River, where they encountered a strong ambush conducted by the rebels who had strategically occupied the river heights. The rebel force, numbering between 5,000 and 6,000 fighters, was led by Princes Aidemir Bardykhanov and Chopan-Shavkal. The ambush caught the Russian soldiers off guard, resulting in heavy casualties, particularly among the cavalry (Dragoons), and forced a Russian retreat.
Veterani, unsure of his next move, held a defensive position. The rebels' were in a better strategic position, as they had occupied the River heights and used the forest as their cover.
In response, Colonel Naumov was sent to attack Endirey directly. Leaving a small force to hold back the rebels, Naumov led a larger contingent around the rebel position, successfully breached Endireyan defenses, and, without much resistance, captured the town on July 26th. Endirey was subsequently destroyed, burned to the ground, and reduced to ashes. Alot of booty was seized during the operation. Following the capture of Endirey, Naumov launched an attack on the rebel fighters, resulting in many being killed, captured, or wounded.
Aftermath
editCasualties
editThe losses of the rebels is unknown, but the Russian losses are stated in a report from Veterani to Peter the Great. 89 Russian soldiers were killed, including 1 lieutenant colonel, 2 captains, 2 ensigns, 4 Non-commissioned officers, 2 Drummers and the rest were corporals and Dragoons. Kalmyk captain Karajan was also killed.
The Kazan Regiment suffered the most losses, with 73 soldiers killed, after which comes the Novgorod Regiment, with 13 killed and lastly, the Astrakhan Regiment, with 3 killed.
In total, 197 soldiers were wounded, out of whom 115 were severely wounded and 82 lightly wounded.
Chopan–Shavkal of Endirey, often referred as Musal Chopalov (or Chapalov), was the ruler of the Endirey Khanate in the first half of the 18th century. He is mainly for his anti-Russian orientation and participated in many anti-Russian raids, uprisings and movements, most notably the storming of Terki in 1708, the attack on Terki 1721, and, his most famous battle, the Battle of Endirey in 1722.
Reign
editChopan-Shavkal was active supporter of Murat Kuchukov. When Murat gathered his forces for an assault on the Terki Fortress, Chopan-Shavkal, together with other Kumyk rulers, Soltan–Makhmud of Aksai and Saltan–Bek of Braguny, he gathered 400 cavalry and an unknown amount of infantry. He played a crucial in the following storming of Terki, where his force alone captured 2 cannons, while Murat and the remaining fighters captured 8.
He initially planned leave after successful storming, because the remaining Russian troops had fortified themselves in the Citadel and capturing the citadel would be near impossible. However, the Circassian Luzan and Aukh Chechens assured them the garrison had little food reserves left and would surrender within a week. Chopan-Shavkal held a council with the Kumyks, in which it was decided to launch a strong attack on the citadel from all sides and besiege it.
Nevertheless, after the arrival Russian–Kalmyk reinforcements, the rebels were defeated and pushed out of the city, and their leader, Murat Kuchukov, was captured and executed.
Raids on Russian and Cossack settlements and the 2nd Attack on Terki
editIn 1718, Cossack and Kabardian troops under the command of Ataman Krasnoshchekov invaded Chechnya and burnt and plundered several villages. This led to the unification of Chechnya and Kumykia in a war against the Russian Empire.
In response, Chopan–Shavkal and Aidemir Bardykhanov led a campaign into Cossack villages and raided several villages and Russian Terek fortifications.
In February of 1721, Chopan-Shavkal, together with Aidemir Bardykhanov, leading an army of 4,600 soldiers, launched a major attack on the Terki fortress but were repelled with heavy losses.[1]
These conflicts were the cause for the two major Russian invasions in the following year.
Because of the recent conflicts between the Chechens and Kumyks with the Cossacks and Russians, Russian Tsar Peter the Great sent an army of 2,000 (according to some sources, 6,000) and 400 Cossacks under the command of Andrei Veterani to the Endirey Khanate in order to crush the North Caucasians and ensure safe landing of Russian troops on the Agrakhan Peninsula. However, while advancing on Endirey, near the Aktash River, Veterani's force was ambushed by 5,000 to 6,000 Chechen and Kumyk fighters led by Aidemir and Chopan-Shavkal. The North Caucasians, having occupied the River heights and using the forest as their cover, inflicted heavy casualties on the Russian troops, forcing them to retreat back. However, a seperate Russian force led by Colonel Naumov took his force and broke through Endireyan defences, destroying and burning the town, after which he attacked the rebels, who then retreated.
Chopan-Shavkal's later life is unknown.
Chronology
editList of important events in Chopan-Shavkal's life:
- End of 1707 to beginning of 1708: Murat's movement gain popularity in the North Caucasus.
- 12 February 1708: Storming of the Terki Fortress: Rebels, including Chopan-Shavkal and his detachment, led by Murat Kuchukov, successfully storm the Terki Fortress.
- 26 February 1708: Russian reinforcements defeat the rebels and push them out of the city. Murat is captured and executed.
- 1718: Cossack and Kabardian troops raid Chechen villages.
- 1719: Chopan-Shavkal and Aidemir Bardykhanov invade Cossack villages and Russian Terek fortifications in retrobution.
- February 1721: Attack on Terki: Chopan-Shavkal and Aidemir Bardykhanov attack the Terki Fortress but are repelled.
- 23 July 1722: Russian troops invade the Endirey Khanate but are ambushed by Chechen-Kumyk fighters led by Chopan-Shavkal and Aidemir Bardykhanov.
- 26 July 1722: Colonel Naumov captures Endirey and destroyes the town, after which he attacks the rebels, forcing them to retreat.