Malkh
Encyclopedia
The Malkh were an ancient nation, living in the Western/Central North Caucasus. They are usually regarded as the Westernmost Nakh people , and there name has a Nakh root (Malkh, the sun, attached to the main God, Deela's name as well, see Vainakh mythology
). Their name may have actually been something closer to "Melkhi", but the common (via Chechen perhaps) rendering is "Malkh". The name Malkh, however, may instead be related to the root for "Nakh" (people or nation), as in many Northeast Caucasian languages, it assumes a form beginning with an M instead of N. Little is known about them due to a loss of historical writings.
). The Malkh state had a king, who called himself an "emperor" .
In By the 5th century BCE, the Nakh nations of the North Caucasus (Malkhs in the West, Dzurdzuks
in the East, as well as other Nakh tribes such as the Gligvs, "Kists", Khamekits, and Sadiks, though the boundaries between many of these peoples was fuzzy and unsure ) were turning to larger states for assistance against the northern nomadic invaders. While the Dvals and Dzurdzuks allied themselves to Colchis
and Iberia
, the Malkh became strong allies of the Greek Bosporan Kingdom
. In 480, Adermalkh, king of the Malkh, married a daughter of the Bosporan king.
either by Scythian peoples, Circassian/Circassian-like
peoples or later Turkic peoples
. Most Malkh lands are inhabited now by Turkic peoples (Karachay and Balkars
, the latter which call themselves, notably, "Malkhars"), and to a lesser extent Circassic peoples (Abazins and Circassians, though most of these are now gone as a result of the Circassian Genocide). More recently, Cossacks and Russians have set up their (foreign) presences on former Malkh lands.
of the Chechens, which was founded by Malkh who left their homeland and integrated into the teip system, and were eventually assimilated (mostly) to Chechen culture, eventually becoming Chechens. This slow process of "teip assimilation" has happened with many peoples who fled and settled in Chechen lands, with over 20 of the 90 clans having a foreign origin. There is a Jewish clan (originally Mountain Jews, though they are now mostly completely Chechenized), two Russian clans, a Volga German clan (from the days when Germans lived with Chechens in Siberian exile), a Polish clan (made of Poles fleeing Russian oppression), a Ukrainian clan, many Turkic clans, etc. Through the Malkhi teip, the name, and to a lesser extent, the vague memory, of the Malkh is preserved, even though as a nation Malkhia is dead.
The tuxum (or tribal alliance) of the Myalxi may also derive its name from the Malkhi. The similarity of its name to the Mulkoi (especially when dialectal differences are factored in) led many, including Anatol Lieven
to confuse the two. The dialect spoken by the Myalxi is highly conservative, and highly divergent from "Standard Chechen", and there are a small group of people who actually consider it separate (Malkhi Chechen is also called the "Galanch'ozh dialect"), though the prevailing opinion (including that among the Myalxi themselves) is that it is a Chechen dialect. Myalxi, or Galanch'ozh, is often considered a transitional dialect between Chechen and Ingush, though it displays distinct features of its own.
Vainakh mythology
The Vainakh people of the North Caucasus include the modern Chechens and Ingush, who are today predominantly Muslim in religion. Nevertheless, their folklore has preserved a substantial amount of information about their pre-Islamic pagan beliefs...
). Their name may have actually been something closer to "Melkhi", but the common (via Chechen perhaps) rendering is "Malkh". The name Malkh, however, may instead be related to the root for "Nakh" (people or nation), as in many Northeast Caucasian languages, it assumes a form beginning with an M instead of N. Little is known about them due to a loss of historical writings.
Statehood
Unlike the Dzurdzuks, the Malkh seem to have to set up a monarchy (possibly after the escalation of the threat of the Scythians and SarmatiansSarmatians
The Iron Age Sarmatians were an Iranian people in Classical Antiquity, flourishing from about the 5th century BC to the 4th century AD....
). The Malkh state had a king, who called himself an "emperor" .
In By the 5th century BCE, the Nakh nations of the North Caucasus (Malkhs in the West, Dzurdzuks
History of Chechnya
The History of Chechnya refers to the history of Chechens, Chechnya, and the land of Ichkeria.Chechen society has traditionally been organized around many autonomous local clans, called taips...
in the East, as well as other Nakh tribes such as the Gligvs, "Kists", Khamekits, and Sadiks, though the boundaries between many of these peoples was fuzzy and unsure ) were turning to larger states for assistance against the northern nomadic invaders. While the Dvals and Dzurdzuks allied themselves to Colchis
Colchis
In ancient geography, Colchis or Kolkhis was an ancient Georgian state kingdom and region in Western Georgia, which played an important role in the ethnic and cultural formation of the Georgian nation.The Kingdom of Colchis contributed significantly to the development of medieval Georgian...
and Iberia
Iberia
The name Iberia refers to three historical regions of the old world:* Iberian Peninsula, in Southwest Europe, location of modern-day Portugal and Spain** Prehistoric Iberia...
, the Malkh became strong allies of the Greek Bosporan Kingdom
Bosporan Kingdom
The Bosporan Kingdom or the Kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosporus was an ancient state, located in eastern Crimea and the Taman Peninsula on the shores of the Cimmerian Bosporus...
. In 480, Adermalkh, king of the Malkh, married a daughter of the Bosporan king.
Fate
The Malkh are now extinct, defeated and wiped out and/or assimilatedCultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
either by Scythian peoples, Circassian/Circassian-like
Abazins
The Abazins are a people who live mostly in Karachay-Cherkessia and Adygea of Russia.An Abazin diaspora exists in Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Egypt , and other Islamic countries, most of which are descendants of refugees from the Caucasian War...
peoples or later Turkic peoples
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
. Most Malkh lands are inhabited now by Turkic peoples (Karachay and Balkars
Balkars
The Balkars are a Turkic people of the Caucasus region, one of the titular populations of Kabardino-Balkaria. They are possibly Bulgars or are descended from them...
, the latter which call themselves, notably, "Malkhars"), and to a lesser extent Circassic peoples (Abazins and Circassians, though most of these are now gone as a result of the Circassian Genocide). More recently, Cossacks and Russians have set up their (foreign) presences on former Malkh lands.
Legacy
The name of the Malkhi survived as the Mulki teipTeip
Teip is a Chechen and Ingush tribal organization or clan, self-identified through descent from a common ancestor and geographic location. There are about 130-233 teips...
of the Chechens, which was founded by Malkh who left their homeland and integrated into the teip system, and were eventually assimilated (mostly) to Chechen culture, eventually becoming Chechens. This slow process of "teip assimilation" has happened with many peoples who fled and settled in Chechen lands, with over 20 of the 90 clans having a foreign origin. There is a Jewish clan (originally Mountain Jews, though they are now mostly completely Chechenized), two Russian clans, a Volga German clan (from the days when Germans lived with Chechens in Siberian exile), a Polish clan (made of Poles fleeing Russian oppression), a Ukrainian clan, many Turkic clans, etc. Through the Malkhi teip, the name, and to a lesser extent, the vague memory, of the Malkh is preserved, even though as a nation Malkhia is dead.
The tuxum (or tribal alliance) of the Myalxi may also derive its name from the Malkhi. The similarity of its name to the Mulkoi (especially when dialectal differences are factored in) led many, including Anatol Lieven
Anatol Lieven
Peter Paul Anatol Lieven is a British author, journalist, and policy analyst. He is presently a Senior Researcher at the New America Foundation, where he focuses on US global strategy and the War on Terrorism, Associated Scholar of the Transnational Crisis Project, Chair of International...
to confuse the two. The dialect spoken by the Myalxi is highly conservative, and highly divergent from "Standard Chechen", and there are a small group of people who actually consider it separate (Malkhi Chechen is also called the "Galanch'ozh dialect"), though the prevailing opinion (including that among the Myalxi themselves) is that it is a Chechen dialect. Myalxi, or Galanch'ozh, is often considered a transitional dialect between Chechen and Ingush, though it displays distinct features of its own.