Imam Shamil

The North Caucasians formed a government of their own, called the Caucasian Imamate.

Chechens and Circassians formed the backbone of the Caucasian army, and this newly founded state reached its peak during the rule of Imam Shamil.

But the country was only united in their fight against the Russian Empire.

Other than that, Chechens, Avars, Balkans did not get along.

In fact, the leader of the country, Imam Shamil, argued that the Chechens should be wiped out because he found them to be too stubborn.

Eventually, the Russian Empire won, but maintaining control over the Caucasus turned out to be a different story.

Despite the surrender of Imam Shamil, the Chechens and Circassians continued resisting the Russian state, and therefore Russia's position was not secure, so the Russian Empire decided to ethnically cleanse the region.

About 400,000 Kerkussians were killed.

And it was not just Kenesary.

Imam Shamil, the legendary leader of twenty-five years of Caucasian resistance against Russia, received identical treatment.

The great Soviet encyclopedia itself reversed its earlier praise of his movement.

What one edition had called a struggle for national liberation, the next edition relabeled as a fight for freedom for wolves, for freedom for backwardness, oppression, darkness.