Sheikh Mansur
Encyclopedia
Sheikh
al-Mansur ("The-Sustained") (1732–1794) was a Chechen leader who led the resistance
against Catherine the Great's imperialist
expansion into the Caucasus
during the late 18th century. He remains a legendary national hero
of the Chechen people.
of Aldy, near the Sunja River under the Elstanzhkoj teyp and given the name Ushurma. He became known as Sheikh Mansur.
Another, more controversial version of Mansur's origins revolves around the 1876 discovery by a professor in Turin, Italy, of a collection of letters allegedly written by Mansur to the professor's father. In them, Sheikh Mansur revealed that he was in reality an Italian called Giovanni Battista Boetti, born in Camino (Monferrato, Piedmont) on June 2, 1743. In the early 1770s, Boetti entered the Dominican Order and was sent as a missionary to Mosul, where his love affair with a daughter of the local pasha caused a scandal. The last traces of Boetti date to 1780, after which year he vanishes. The letters allege Boetti subsequently converted to Islam, traveled to the Caucasus, and (under the name of Mansur) became a leader of that region's fight for independence against Russia. Controversy has surrounded the "Boetti Letters" since their discovery, with some scholars holding them to be either an 18th century prank or 19th century forgeries.
. He proclaimed a holy war
, called Ghazawat (Jihad
), against the Russians to the north. Having been trained in Daghestan under the Naqshabandi school of Sufism, he returned to Chechnya. He ordered Chechen people to stop practicing many of their old pagan
traditions with the cult of the dead
, to stop smoking tobacco
, to replace the customary laws (adats) with Islamic law (shari'ah) and to attempt Islamic unity. This was not easy in a land where people had lived under ancient traditions, customs and religions. Islamic tradition in Chechnya, especially in the mountains, was not as strong as it was in Daghestan. But the holy war that he declared was an attempt at unity.
In 1785 Sheikh Mansur and his fighters destroyed Russian forces in the Battle of the Sunja River. Historical documents show that Russian Colonel Pieri and more than 600 Russian soldiers were killed in this battle. Sheikh Mansur rallied resistance fighters from Daghestan through Kabarda. Most of the forces were Daghestani and Chechen, numbering more than 12,000 by December 1785. However, Mansur suffered a defeat when he tried to enter Russian territory and failed to take over the fort of Kizlyar
. He subsequently failed to take Tatarup in Kabarda. After this, the Russians refortified their settlements, but Catherine the Great withdrew her forces from Georgia
to the Terek River line.
In 1786 Catherine the Great abandoned the new fort of Vladikavkaz
, and would not occupy it again until 1803.
From 1787-1791, during the Russian-Turkish War, Sheikh Mansur moved to the northwestern Caucasus region of Adygei, strengthening the Islamic traditions there. He led the Adygei and Nogai
peoples in assaults against the Russians, but they were defeated many times. In June 1791, Sheikh Mansur was captured at the Turkish fortress of Anapa
on the Black Sea
. He was brought to St. Petersburg and imprisoned for life.
In April, 1794 Sheikh Mansur died in Shlisselburg
.
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
al-Mansur ("The-Sustained") (1732–1794) was a Chechen leader who led the resistance
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
against Catherine the Great's imperialist
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
expansion into the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
during the late 18th century. He remains a legendary national hero
Folk hero
A folk hero is a type of hero, real, fictional, or mythological. The single salient characteristic which makes a character a folk hero is the imprinting of the name, personality and deeds of the character in the popular consciousness. This presence in the popular consciousness is evidenced by...
of the Chechen people.
Early life
He was born in the aulAul
An aul is a type of fortified village found throughout the Caucasus mountains, especially in Dagestan.The word itself is of Turkic origine and means simply village in many Turkic languages....
of Aldy, near the Sunja River under the Elstanzhkoj teyp and given the name Ushurma. He became known as Sheikh Mansur.
Another, more controversial version of Mansur's origins revolves around the 1876 discovery by a professor in Turin, Italy, of a collection of letters allegedly written by Mansur to the professor's father. In them, Sheikh Mansur revealed that he was in reality an Italian called Giovanni Battista Boetti, born in Camino (Monferrato, Piedmont) on June 2, 1743. In the early 1770s, Boetti entered the Dominican Order and was sent as a missionary to Mosul, where his love affair with a daughter of the local pasha caused a scandal. The last traces of Boetti date to 1780, after which year he vanishes. The letters allege Boetti subsequently converted to Islam, traveled to the Caucasus, and (under the name of Mansur) became a leader of that region's fight for independence against Russia. Controversy has surrounded the "Boetti Letters" since their discovery, with some scholars holding them to be either an 18th century prank or 19th century forgeries.
Chechen leader
In 1784 Sheikh Mansur, now an Imam, became upset with the Russian encroachment in the North CaucasusNorth Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas and within European Russia. The term is also used as a synonym for the North Caucasus economic region of Russia....
. He proclaimed a holy war
Religious war
A religious war; Latin: bellum sacrum; is a war caused by, or justified by, religious differences. It can involve one state with an established religion against another state with a different religion or a different sect within the same religion, or a religiously motivated group attempting to...
, called Ghazawat (Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
), against the Russians to the north. Having been trained in Daghestan under the Naqshabandi school of Sufism, he returned to Chechnya. He ordered Chechen people to stop practicing many of their old pagan
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...
traditions with the cult of the dead
Cult of the Dead
Cult of the Dead is a 2008 album by thrash metal/death metal band Legion of the Damned. In common with previous albums, the lyrics heavily reference the dark side of the occult. The special edition comes with an item unique in metal merchandising , being a cheese block, emblazoned with their logo....
, to stop smoking tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, to replace the customary laws (adats) with Islamic law (shari'ah) and to attempt Islamic unity. This was not easy in a land where people had lived under ancient traditions, customs and religions. Islamic tradition in Chechnya, especially in the mountains, was not as strong as it was in Daghestan. But the holy war that he declared was an attempt at unity.
In 1785 Sheikh Mansur and his fighters destroyed Russian forces in the Battle of the Sunja River. Historical documents show that Russian Colonel Pieri and more than 600 Russian soldiers were killed in this battle. Sheikh Mansur rallied resistance fighters from Daghestan through Kabarda. Most of the forces were Daghestani and Chechen, numbering more than 12,000 by December 1785. However, Mansur suffered a defeat when he tried to enter Russian territory and failed to take over the fort of Kizlyar
Kizlyar
Kizlyar is a town in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located in the delta of the Terek River northwest of Makhachkala. Population: 30,000 ....
. He subsequently failed to take Tatarup in Kabarda. After this, the Russians refortified their settlements, but Catherine the Great withdrew her forces from Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
to the Terek River line.
In 1786 Catherine the Great abandoned the new fort of Vladikavkaz
Vladikavkaz
-Notable structures:In Vladikavkaz, there is a guyed TV mast, tall, built in 1961, which has six crossbars with gangways in two levels running from the mast structure to the guys.-Twin towns/sister cities:...
, and would not occupy it again until 1803.
From 1787-1791, during the Russian-Turkish War, Sheikh Mansur moved to the northwestern Caucasus region of Adygei, strengthening the Islamic traditions there. He led the Adygei and Nogai
Nogais
The Nogai people are a Turkic ethnic group in Southern Russia: northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well as in Karachay-Cherkessia and the Astrakhan Oblast; undefined number live in Chechnya...
peoples in assaults against the Russians, but they were defeated many times. In June 1791, Sheikh Mansur was captured at the Turkish fortress of Anapa
Anapa
Anapa is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the northern coast of the Black Sea near the Sea of Azov. It was originally a seaport for the Natkhuay tribe of the Adyghe people. Population: The town boasts a number of sanatoria and hotels...
on the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. He was brought to St. Petersburg and imprisoned for life.
In April, 1794 Sheikh Mansur died in Shlisselburg
Shlisselburg
Shlisselburg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated at the head of the Neva River on Lake Ladoga, east of St. Petersburg. From 1944 to 1992, it was known as Petrokrepost...
.