Grebensky and Terek Cossacks in the North Caucasus. What did the Combs believe? Relocation to the right bank of the Terek

(second half of the 16th - beginning of the 18th centuries)
The establishment of close economic, political and cultural ties between the Russian people and the peoples of the North Caucasus occurred in the 16th century.

By the middle of the 16th century, the socio-economic and political situation in the North Caucasus was developing in favor of Russia. At a time when a centralized state was formed in Russia, which played a large role in international politics, in the North Caucasus there were separate feudal estates between which there were continuous wars. In addition, there was a constant threat of banditry attacks by the Crimean Khanate and Turkey. By the middle of the 16th century, the latter created strongholds on the narrow coast of the Black Sea, turned into powerful fortresses: Sukhum, Gagry, Sundzhuk and Temryuk, and began to hatch grandiose plans to capture the North Caucasus, Astrakhan and the Nagai steppes.

The peoples of the North Caucasus offered fierce, albeit unorganized, resistance to the Crimean and Turkish invaders. Realizing that they alone were unable to cope with the onslaught of the aggressor, they were forced to seek help and protection from Russia in order to save themselves. In 1552, a Kabardian embassy headed by Prince Maashchuk arrived in Moscow with a request for help in the fight against the Crimean Tatars and Turks. “The Russian government reacted positively to this request, especially since it corresponded to the plans of Ivan the Terrible’s policy in the North Caucasus and objectively met the interests of the state.” The next embassy from Kabarda in 1555 again turned to Moscow, “so that the sovereign ... would give them help in the Tursky cities and in Azov and in other cities and in the Crimean king, and they are the slaves of the king and the Grand Duke and with their children forever.”

To assist the Kabardians in 1556, detachments of Russian troops and Cossacks were sent under the command of clerk Rzhevsky and atamans Danila Chulkov and Ivan Maltsev. By joint actions they inflicted a number of defeats on the Crimean Tatars and Turks and captured two cities - Temryuk and Taman. The Kabardian people solemnly greeted the victors, who delivered them “from the claims and predation of foreigners.” These temporary military successes did not eliminate subsequent threats of new invasions from the Crimean-Turkish invaders. This situation required constant assistance and the presence of Russian troops in the North Caucasus. Therefore, in 1557, a new embassy arrived in Moscow from the influential Kabardian princes Temryuk and Tazryut. The historian of the Terek Cossacks V.A. Potto in his book speaks with admiration about the Kabardian prince Temryuk Idarov: “Warlike and enterprising, he was a true representative of the knightly people and in many ways resembled the Russian prince Svyatoslav. During his campaigns, he never had a tent, slept in the open air on felt, put a saddle under his head and ate horse meat, roasting it himself on coals. The prince never took advantage of an unexpected attack, but always declared war in advance, sending to warn the enemies about it.” This embassy managed to conclude a military-political alliance between the Moscow state and Kabarda. The ambassadors swore allegiance to Russia.

The military-political alliance of Russia with Kabarda had enormous progressive significance: firstly, it contributed to the further economic and cultural development of the Kabardian people, and, secondly, it saved Kabarda from the danger of being absorbed by Crimea or Turkey. In addition, this event laid the foundation for a lasting rapprochement between the Kabardian people and the Russians, strengthened mutual trust and friendship; princes and uzdeni came to Moscow from Kabarda, and many of them remained in the Russian capital forever. Thus, Temryuk’s son, Saltanuk, at his request, was baptized and remained at the court of Ivan the Terrible and then played a prominent role in the creation of the oprichnina.

On August 7, 1560, Ivan the Terrible’s first wife, Anastasia Romanova, died, and the following year, 1561, the tsar entered into a second marriage with the daughter of Prince Temryuk, the famous beauty Kuchenya. In Moscow she was baptized and became the Russian Tsarina Maria. In the history of Russian-Caucasian relations, such a dynastic marriage was of great importance; before Ivan the Terrible, dynastic marriages with the Caucasian peoples were not disdained. So in 1107, princes Vladimir Monomakh, David and Oleg, at a congress with two Polovtsian khans, married their daughters to their sons, and the eldest son of Vladimir Monomakh, Prince Yaropolk in 1116 married the daughter of the Ossetian influential prince Svarna, named after baptism Elena, prince Vsevold Yuryevich, Andrei Bogolyubsky’s brother, was also married to an Ossetian Maria, and Andrei’s son, Yuri, was the husband of the Georgian Queen Tamara.

Feeling the strong support of the Moscow government, Prince Temryuk made an attempt to create a single centralized state in the North Caucasus. In 1563, with the assistance and support of Russian troops and Cossack city officials, led by governor Pleshcheev, he managed to defeat his political opponents and occupy three cities: Mohan, Yengir and Kovan. “And those towns,” Voivode Pleshcheev reported to Moscow, “were Shepshukov princes, and the people of those cities finished off Temryuk the Prince, and Temryuk the Prince laid tribute on them.” Türkiye and Crimea took advantage of this to intensify military raids on Kabarda. To protect their Kabardian allies, at their request, in 1567, Prince Babichev and Pyotr Protasyev established “on the Terka River... a city” called Terka. In the “Book of the Big Drawing” it is placed on the left bank of the Terek opposite the confluence of the Sunzha into it and occupied a strategically advantageous place.

The construction of the Terek city strained Crimean-Russian and Turkish-Russian relations. The Crimean and Turkish ambassadors demanded to demolish the Terek city and expel the Cossacks from the Terek. In a letter of response, Tsar Ivan the Terrible wrote that “they ordered to build this city on the Terka River at the request of Prince Temryukov... and they ordered to take care of it from his illnesses.”

Despite the demands of Crimea and Turkey, the Russian government refused to demolish the Terek city and expel the Cossacks from the Terek. Turkey, while seeking concessions from the Moscow government, pursued purely aggressive goals - it was intensively preparing to seize the North Caucasus. Tsar Ivan the Terrible became aware of the preparations of Turkey and Crimea for the campaign and “to build a city on Terka this autumn.” The Astrakhan governor Lobanov also reported this to Moscow: “And the Turkish people,” the governor wrote, “had that idea for a long time... to build a city on Terka.”

In this state of affairs, all hopes of preventing Turkish aggression were pinned on the Terek Cossacks, with whom an agreement was reached in Moscow. “The measures taken stopped Turkish aggression in the North Caucasus, but at the insistence of Turkey, the Terek city had to be abandoned, transferring it under an unspoken agreement to the Terek Cossacks, who continued to fight in alliance with the mountaineers against the Crimean-Turkish invaders.

In 1577, the Crimean Khan Adil-Girey with a 25,000-strong detachment invaded Kabarda in order to “make sure that the sovereign’s Cossacks... learned that it would be great for them to overrun the Seuncha River from the Terek Cossacks.” But the Terek and Grebensky Cossacks inflicted a complete defeat on the Crimean Khan, defeating the invading detachment. It was this date that later became considered the official date of the founding of the Terek Cossack Army. Upon the return of the remnants of Adil-Girey’s defeated army to the Crimea, the Cherkassy governor Lukyan Novosiltsev “with God’s help and the sovereign’s honor, beat those people on their heads and drove them away with horses.” This event actually became the main reason for the destruction of the Terek city.

In 1588, the Kabardian embassy headed by Manstruk and Kudenet again arrived in Moscow with a request to build a new

fortresses “for their defense from Turskovo and from Krymkovo, a city should be built on Terka.” As a result of these negotiations, Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich promised help on the Terka River at the mouth of the Tersky “...to build a city for his governors.” The construction of the new fortress was entrusted to boyar Mikhail Burtsev and cellar Protasyev; Prince Andrei Ivanovich Khvorostin was appointed governor. He arrived on Terek with the archers, and on November 22, 1588 he moved to the city, named, like the first, Terka.

After the completion of the construction of a new fortress on the banks of the Terek in 1588, and the arrival there of governor A.I. Khvorostin, a new stage begins in the relationship between the Russian Cossacks and the Kabardians. The stage of a special military partnership, welded together not only by weapons and joint military campaigns, but also by strong bonds of friendship.

In addition to the two thousand archers, whom Governor A.I. brought with him to Terka. Khvorostin, 800 city Cossacks were also relocated to the fortress. City Cossacks were required to perform guard duty directly in the fortress, and were mostly on foot. As V.A. Potto noted, “City Cossacks were simply hired people, a special type of light army, who were kept by governors in those border cities where the small number of streltsy orders did not constitute reliable security; The contingent for them was predominantly rootless people, “golutvennye”, who were hired for a certain period of time and, of course, where it was more profitable for them... Their combat organization was no different from the Streltsy.” Thus, the city foot Cossacks performed the same guard duty as the archers. “But the lack of cavalry was more than compensated for by the free Cossacks, distinguished by their horsemanship.” In addition to the Cossacks, the permanent garrison of the fortress also included immigrants from various mountain peoples who settled here in their settlements. Among the first to settle here were the Ingush from the Akko tribe, known in Russian documents as “Okochen”, and founded the “Okochenskaya Sloboda”. This settlement was founded by the influential Ingush prince Shikhmurza Okutsky, who, even during the life of Ivan the Terrible, maintained constant contact with the royal governors, Greben and Terek Cossacks and participated with them in campaigns against Turkey and Crimea and their allies - the mountain owners.

Another settlement - Cherkasy - which was inhabited by Kabardians, Kumyks, Tatars and representatives of other nationalities, was founded by Prince Sunchaley Yanglychev. Near the Cherkasskaya Sloboda, the Novokreschenskaya Sloboda arose, inhabited by baptized mountaineers who converted to Orthodoxy. The service was equal for everyone, but foreigners were used mainly for various dangerous reconnaissance in neighboring lands, from where, thanks to their knowledge of local languages ​​and ancient connections, they delivered valuable information.”

After the founding of the Terka fortress in the lower reaches of the Terek and the appearance of regular troops here, the Terek Cossacks had to make a choice: whether to look for new places to live away from the tsarist authorities or enter into an agreement with the Moscow government.

The Terek Cossacks chose the latter and thanks to this they were able to maintain their independence for a long time. Due to the nature of their service, they carried out various assignments: they held guard posts, sent out patrols, acted as guides, and went on campaigns with regular troops (they were paid a salary for the campaigns). But this was not the main argument for the Cossacks to go on a campaign together with the regular troops: “natural Russian prowess, and, perhaps, hopes for booty, were powerful engines that led the free Cossacks to the voivode’s tribe.”

Thus, by the end of the 16th century, Russia already had in the North Caucasus the Terka fortress, powerful for that time, under which there were two free Cossack troops, Terskoye and Grebenskoye. For the Cossacks, the proximity to the fortress was necessary, since it protected them and the royal governors did not particularly interfere with their free life; in turn, for the tsarist commanders, the Cossacks were a significant help in the event of attacks by the Crimean or Turkish invaders. From this it follows that the Cossacks needed the protection of the fortress, just as the fortress needed the protection of the Cossacks. V.A. Potto says this well: “... if there are no Cossacks along the Terek and on the Ridges, then the Terek city will be very crowded.”

Thus, due to constant interaction with regular troops, the Terek and Grebensky Cossacks become the main, most important support of Russia in the North Caucasus, thereby helping to strengthen its southern borders.

In addition to the free Terek and Grebensky Cossacks, the Terek governors are gradually beginning to attract into their service Kabardian feudal lords, supporters of Russia, and with their help they are becoming a firm foot in the North Caucasus.

In 1589, Russian ambassadors, with the help of free Terek and Grebensky Cossacks and Kabardian princes Sholok Tapsarokov and Alkas Zhamurzov, crossed the Caucasus ridge and arrived to the Kakheti Tsar Alexander. Before the return of the Russian embassy to Terki, Tsar Alexander, having heard a lot about the prowess of the free Cossacks, asked the Russian ambassador Zvenigorodsky to leave 25 Terek Cossacks in Kakheti to guard his reigning person. At the request of the Kakheti Tsar, 25 volunteer Cossacks were selected who wished to serve Tsar Alexander.

At this very time, relations between the Terek Voivodeship and Shamkhal Tarkovsky were deteriorating. Shamkhal “treacherously captured the Kabardian prince Mamstruk Temryukovich, a royal relative, and kept him in great oppression, trying to lure him away from the royal salary, but Mamstruk, to his honor, endured every need, but did not give up on the royal salary.”

The ambassador of the Russian Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, Zvenigorodsky, ordered the Turkic voivode Prince Solntsev-Zasekin with the voivodeship archers, as well as free Cossacks and Kabardians, to attack Shamkhaldom. As a result of this campaign, the Kabardian prince Mamstruk Temryukovich was freed from captivity.

In 1594, a large, united detachment, which included regular troops, as well as more than a thousand mounted Terek and Greben Cossacks, together with Kabardian governors, set out to conquer Shamkhal. Voivode Khvorostin was placed at the head of this united army. During this campaign, the capital of the Shamkhalate, the city of Tarki, was taken by a united detachment. However, Russia failed to establish a firm footing in Dagestan at this moment. After this campaign, several relatively calm years passed both for the residents of the city of Terka and for the free Terek and Greben Cossacks.

In 1598, the last representative of the Ruryukov dynasty, Fyodor Ivanovich, dies and Boris Godunov comes to power.

In 1604-1605, a new campaign was undertaken, led by governors Pleshcheev and Buturlin, against Shamkhal. This time the united detachment numbered more than ten thousand warriors, among whom were Terek and Greben Cossacks, as well as Kabardian cavalry led by Prince Sunchaley Kanklychevich. The troops moved to the Kumyk lands and stormed the administrative center, the capital of the Shamkhalate - Tarki. They captured the area of ​​Lake Tuzluk, and a fort was set up here. Due to a lack of food for the winter, part of the army was sent to Astrakhan. “The Pasha and with him the Turkish people and the Yenchenya” came from Shamkhal to the aid of Shamkhal; Governor Buturlin was forced to negotiate with Shamkhal and Pasha, “In order to release him to the Terek well.” Having concluded an agreement, the Russian united detachment left the city of Tarki on the same day. Across the Ozen River, Shamkhal and his allies, violating the truce, attacked the Russian army. Almost all Russian warriors were killed. According to N. Karamzin, “the good Russians unanimously doomed themselves to a glorious death, fought the evil and numerous enemy hand-to-hand, fearing not death, but captivity. Among the first to fall in front of his father’s eyes was the son of the chief commander, Buturlin; behind him is his father-parent; as well as the governor Pleshcheev with two sons, the governor Polev and everyone except the seriously wounded Prince Vladimir Bakhtiyarov and the other few taken by the enemy, but later released by the Sultan.” Only part of the mounted Terek and Grebensky Cossacks, and the Kabardians who managed to escape from the encirclement, escaped from this battle.

This defeat coincided with the beginning of the “Troubles” that came after the sudden death of Boris Godunov in 1605, and did not resonate in Moscow, because Russia was losing its strength in the civil war every day. False Dmitry I ascended the Russian throne. The cities of Russia began to swear allegiance to the new tsar one after another. “And Astrakhan and Terki, in theft, kissed the cross when the thief was defrocked.” From Terka to Moscow, Voivode P. Golovin sends an embassy headed by Prince Sunchaley of Cherkassy. In Moscow, False Dmitry I kindly received the embassy. “He promised to keep them in his Tsar’s closeness beyond the former, if only they would henceforth serve and guide His Tsar’s Majesty.”

The Terek and Greben Cossacks did not support False Dmitry I, because by that time they had their own impostor, Peter, who called himself the son of Fyodor Ivanovich. Despite the entreaties of the Terek governor P. Golovin, the Cossacks left the borders unprotected, and in the number of four thousand people began their advance by sea from the island of Chechen to Astrakhan. Having bypassed Astrakhan, they turned to the Don, where they joined the troops of Ivan Bolotnikov near the city of Tula in 1608. On June 5, 1607, in the Kashira area near Moscow, Bolotnikov’s troops were defeated by Shuisky. The city of Tula was quickly taken by Shuisky’s troops, and “Tsarevich Peter”, the Terek Cossack Ileiko Korovin, was hanged at the Danilov Monastery. All these events tragically affected the Terek and Grebensky Cossacks, their total number decreased sharply. In the lists of the city of Terka, for example, it is said: “Yes, 220 people live on Terka as free atamans and Cossacks.”

In the Terek city, it was decided not to swear allegiance to the new impostor False Dmitry II and, just in case, to strengthen the city’s garrison. In this “voivode Golovin found support in the person of the influential Prince Sunchaley of Cherkassy,” who, in all other respects, turned out to be a talented organizer and military leader. The energetic measures to strengthen the Terek Voivodeship taken by Voivode Golovin and the Kabardian Prince Sunchaley of Cherkassy were of great importance for the Moscow state, weakened by the civil war and the Swedish-Polish intervention. It strengthened Russia’s international position and, above all, its authority among states such as Persia, Turkey, Crimea and Georgia.

Having recovered from the civil war and foreign intervention, Russia has set itself the task of strengthening North Caucasian ties. So, for example: the Terek city was significantly strengthened, artillery was installed and additional military reinforcements were sent from Astrakhan. According to the estimate list of 1631, the Terek garrison included: children of boyars (service nobles) - 48 people, centurions of archers - 12, mounted archers - 351, foot archers in two orders - 660, translators - 1, interpreters - 5, gunners - 24, blacksmiths - 21 and Astrakhan yearlings with a head and five centurions - 500 people. In addition to the regular troops, 310 Okoch people were assigned to the city, as well as Cherkasy and Novokreschensk freedoms and free Terek and Grebensky Cossacks.

The Terek River, as it were, became the official Russian border, along the left bank of which the settlements of the Terek Cossacks and a number of fortified Cossack towns stretched, and the city of Terka became the main strategic point of this line, closing it at the mouth of the Terek.

Since 1633, the southern borders of the Russian state constantly began to be subject to raids by the Little Nogai Horde, which by that time was a vassal of the Crimean Khanate. In 1636, the Moscow government organized a military campaign against its restless neighbor. The united army led by Prince S. Volkonsky, which included 200 archers, serving nobles, Kabardian cavalry, “Okochentsy” and, of course, free Cossacks of the Terek and Grebensky troops, “who have horses and who want them,” set out on a campaign.

Khan of the Lesser Nogai Horde Kazy-Murza sent 20 thousand cavalry against Volkonsky’s troops. The Don Cossacks were supposed to come to the aid of Volkonsky’s troops, but they did not arrive at the appointed place on time.

The governor - Prince Volkonsky did not wait for the Don Cossacks, but attacked the 20 thousandth army and completely defeated it, then ruined the Nogai uluses and left for Astrakhan.

The defeat of the Little Nogai Horde alarmed the Crimean Khanate, and Crimea began to prepare for a campaign against Russia. But the campaign took place only in 1645, when the huge army of the Crimean Khan undertook a siege of the Cossack city on the Don - Cherkassk. Reinforcements from Russia arrived to help the Don people: Prince S. Pozharsky arrived from Astrakhan with the archers, “he was joined by 1,200 Terek and Greben Cossacks and Kabardians, led by the military ataman Prince Mutsal Sunchaleevich. During the ensuing battle, the Crimean army was defeated, and more than 7 thousand Crimeans were captured.

After these events, neither Turkey nor Crimea dared to launch large-scale military aggression in the North Caucasus. For Russia, new prospects were opening up for stronger relations between the Russian people and the peoples of the North Caucasus.

In 1651, a fort was built on the Sunzha River. In addition to the archers, its permanent garrison included Kabardians, Okokhentsy and Grebensky Cossacks. The Sunzhensky fort was of great strategic importance. The foundation of the Sunzhensky fort caused alarm among Shamkhal Tarkovsky and in Persia. Shamkhal Tarkovsky gathered a huge army and besieged the fort. The garrison of the fort was reinforced by Kabardian militias who arrived here along with Prince Mutsal of Cherkassy. After several weeks of the siege, Shamkhal lifted the siege and attacked the unprotected Greben villages, where he carried out a complete defeat: killing many people and capturing huge booty.

For the heroic defense of the Sunzhensky fort on July 28, 1653, the tsar sent the Cossacks a letter with gifts. This was the first tsar's certificate issued to combs for military service.

All these events dramatically affected the population in Terki, and therefore 1,400 peasants were sent here from Ukraine. Those who arrived were given certain benefits. “With such measures they thought to chain these first representatives of the government, otherwise forced colonization in the Caucasus to their new harsh land in order to keep them from escaping.”

Russia increasingly strengthened its southern borders and gathered troops there, preparing for resistance from both the Shamkhal and Persia.

In 1656, the free Cossacks of the Don and Terek were called to war with Sweden. The Grebens and Terets took part in the capture of a number of fortresses in Livonia: these were Daniburg and Kokenhaus, and then Riga. In these battles, perhaps for the first time, the power and potential capabilities of the Cossack cavalry were revealed.

In the spring of 1667, the Terek governor heard a rumor that on the Don, the Cossack Stepan Timofeevich Razin had raised a large mass of Cossacks, carried them up the Volga, committing robberies and pogroms. According to available documents of that time, it is known that Razin knew well the ataman of the Terek and Greben Cossacks, Kasbulat Cherkassky, who became the ataman after the death of his father Mutsal in 1661.

In 1668, Stepan Razin approached the mouth of the Terek and turned to Kasbulat of Cherkassy to join his uprising against the Moscow government. Cherkassky refused and convinced the Terets and Grebens not to join the ranks of Razin. With deep sympathy for Kasbulat, the historian of the Terek Cossacks V.A. Potto writes in his book: “Both the Terek and Greben army, restrained by the smart policy of Prince Kasbulat, were calm in appearance.” Moreover, in November 1671, Kasbulat Cherkassky, at the head of a detachment of Terek and Greben Cossacks and Kabardians, took part in the liberation of Astrakhan from the Razins (by this time Razin had already been executed on June 6, 1671).

Thus, the cavalry from Terki played a decisive role in the defeat of the remnants of Razin’s troops.

From 1677 to 1682, Russia repelled the raids of Crimea and Turkey on its territories. For example, in 1677, the Crimean Khan, with the support of Turkey and Poland, moved his troops to Chigirik. “Kasbulat with his bridles, Terek and Greben Cossacks was called from the Terek to help the Russian army. Kasbulat’s detachment, together with Russian troops, defeated the Tatars and Turks near Chigirik, the enemy retreated and then left altogether.” Kasbulat's combined detachment was an important striking force in the defeat of the Crimean-Turkish army near Chigirik. Kasbulat's merit in this battle is noted by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in a letter issued to the prince.

Subsequently, the military partnership between the Cossacks and Kabardians was celebrated both under the walls of Azov in 1695 and in the Battle of Poltava on June 27, 1709, when the Kabardians and Cossacks together gained glory and forged strong friendship among themselves.

Then there was the Prut campaign of Peter I, which was unsuccessful for Russia, after which Russia ceded Azov to Turkey and temporarily abandoned attempts to seize the Northern Black Sea region. These failures did not weaken Russia's interest in the North Caucasus: the tsarist government

continues to closely monitor events in the Caucasus. Peter I sent a letter to the Kabardian owners and the entire Kabardian people, urging them to accept Russian citizenship and promised to protect them from external enemies. “And if you are our subject,” the letter said, “then we will not only demand no taxes from you, but we will also determine your salary depending on the weather... and we will direct you to help... the Don, Yaik and Greben Cossacks.” . Astrakhan governor Artemy Volynsky, during his stay in the North Caucasus, led some of the Kabardians to swear an oath of allegiance to Russia and took amakats from them. To protect the Kabardians, Volynsky proposed building a fortress on the Terek between Kabarda and the Greben Cossacks in a place called Beshtamak, “at the mouths of the rivers Terek, Cherek, Baksan, Balka and the small river Baksany.”

Peter I, continuing his policy of expanding trade, economic and cultural ties with other nations, concluded a trade agreement with Persia in 1720, but soon Peter heard a rumor about the defeat of the Persian Shah Hussein in the battle with the Afghans, and fearing Turkey’s invasion of the Caucasus, he gives the order to march. In July 1722, Russian regular troops, reinforced by Don Cossacks, set out from Astrakhan by land and sea to the south, along the way they were joined by Terek and Greben Cossacks, as well as Kabardian militias. In August, the united army of Peter I captured Derbent without a fight. This completed the trip. Thanks to this campaign, as well as an agreement with Iran (September 1723), Russia extended its influence to Dagestan, Shirvan, Mazandaran, Gilan and Astrabat.

Thus, thanks to the military and diplomatic successes of the Russian state, as well as significant assistance from the Kabardians and Cossacks, Russia opened up new prospects for establishing stronger relations between the Russian people and the peoples of the Caucasus, which contributed to a more active settlement of the vast Cis-Caucasian steppes by Russian Cossacks and settlers.

Candidate of Historical Sciences Eduard Burda

Cossacks from the time of the Azov siege. Artist V.V. Kalininsky, 2007

Arrived in Moscow to confess

Grebensk Cossacks - descended (according to researchers, based on information from the “Book of the Big Drawing” and “The Tale of the Grebensk Icon,” the authorship of which is attributed to Metropolitan Stefan of Ryazan) from the Don Cossacks who lived in the 16th century. between pp. Donets and Kalitva, near the Grebensky Mountains. In 1582 there were 300 Cossacks. led by ataman Andrey passed through the river. Manych, Kuma and Terek in the gorge of the Caucasus Mountains and settled in the village. Ridges, on the bank of a mountain river. Aktasha. In 1623, the Grebensky Cossacks, as part of the Kabardian embassy, ​​arrived in Moscow to confess (possibly regarding their participation in attacks on the southern borders of the Moscow state). In 1631 they abandoned joint actions with the tsarist army against the Nogais, but already in 1633 they participated in the campaign of the governors of princes Turenin and Volkonsky to Kazyev ulus, in Modzhary. In 1651 they helped build a fort on the river. Sunzha, and 2 years later he was declared “the royal favor for the siege seat” in this fort during the attack of the Kumyks. In 1685, due to constant attacks by Chechens and other highlanders, they were forced to move closer to the Terek and lived there in 2 tracts: Pavlov and Koshlakovsky. When the number of Grebensky Cossacks increased due to those who arrived from the Don and Kuma, they built 2 more villages: Kazhorovtsy, in Bolshaya Kabarda, and Tatar-Tupa, in Malaya Kabarda. Later, 2 villages were added to them: Novogladky and Chervleny. A small number of G. participated (1677) in the battles with the Turks and Tatars near Chigirin, as well as in the Crimean campaigns (1687 and 1689).

Vladimir Boguslavsky

Material from the book: "Slavic Encyclopedia. XVII century". M., OLMA-PRESS. 2004.

Lev Gumilyov on the origin of the Greben Cossacks:

“But the level of the Caspian Sea in the 10th century stood at approximately the same level as in the 20th century. Only in the 13th-14th centuries did it rise to minus 18 m, but this rise in level had nothing to do with Khazaria, since it "there was neither the Khazar Khaganate nor the Khazar ethnic group. The first fell in the 10th century under the blow of the Russian prince Svyatoslav, the second split into Christian (Terek Cossacks) and Muslim (Astrakhan Tatars) parts. The descendants of the Khazars remained, but the ethnic system disappeared."

Lev Gumilev, “Ancient Rus' and the Great Steppe” Publishing house Iris Press, Rolf, Moscow, 2002. Part 1, Chapter 1. Paragraph 2, p. 30 Paragraph 5 (Between the mountains and the sea), p. 40. The electronic version of the quotation is given at website

Grebensky Cossacks

GREBENSKIY COSSACKS , the oldest Cossack that arose in the Caucasus. community Back in 1555, when Kabard. The princes sent an embassy to Moscow to challenge Ivan the Terrible to accept them into Russia. citizenship, with this embassy the atamans of the G. Cossacks who lived on the river also came to Moscow. Sunzhe. According to legend, the tsar graciously received the Cossacks and granted them the free river “Terek Gorynich”. But the opinions of researchers about the origin of G. kaz. diverge. Some (Mr. Popko) consider them to come from Ryazan. principality, upon the annexation of this principality to Moscow (1520). This opinion also coincides with the view of Moscow. government, cut in 1593, to complaints from the Crimea. and tour. authorities on hostility. the actions of the Cossacks who settled near the Terek, ordered to answer, “that the Kabardian and mountain Cherkassy princes were from ancient times our slaves of the Rezan borders and ran away from us from Rezan and moved into the mountains, and beat our father with their foreheads.” At the same time, the very name “Grebensky” is interpreted as a synonym for “mountain”, since the Cossacks settled on the ridges, i.e. in elevated places, in the foothills of the Caucasus. According to other, more fundamental, opinions (Tatishchev, Karamzin, Solovyov, Bronevsky, Krasnov, Bentkovsky, etc.), G. Kaz. descended from the Donskys who lived in the 16th century. between pp. Donets and Kalitva, near the Grebensky Mountains. Researchers and historians who adhere to this view rely on, ch. arr., based on the testimony of the book “Big Drawing” and on the legend about the Grebenskaya Icon of the Mother of God on Lubyanka in Moscow, according to which V.K. Dmitry Donskoy after the Battle of Kulikovo accepted this image as a gift from the Cossacks who lived in the upper reaches of the Don in the mountains . V.K. always favored the combs of Sirotin and these Cossacks for their bravery. Subsequently (1582) Ataman Andrei Shadra from 300 Don. The Cossacks, having crossed Manych, Kuma and Terek, settled in the Caucasus gorges. mountains on ber. horn R. Aktash and, probably, merged with the Cossacks who had previously settled on the Sunzha. In 1559 Tsar. troops for the first time b. sent to the Caucasus from Astrakhan to help the Kabardians. to the princes in their fight against the Dagest. ruler Shamkhal Tarkovsky. In 1563 Tsar. troops, under the beginning Pleshcheeva, again b. sent to the Caucasus to protect the father-in-law of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, Prince. Temryukha. G. Kaz. took part in both campaigns. In 1568 again b. equipped ex-tsiya, under the beginning. Babichev and Protasyev, and in the possessions of Temryuk b. a fortified town was built, removed in 1571 at the insistence of the Turks. In 1577, Novosiltsev, sent to the Terek, at the request of the Kabardians. princes, completed the fortification at the mouth of the Sunzha. the town of Terku and, with the Cossacks settled here, brought success. attack on Crimea. Tatar The present seniority dates back to this time. Terek army and the Kizlyar-Grebensky regiment of this army. In 1588 a new one was erected. town in the lower reaches of the river. Terek, 15 ver. from the sea; Unlike the first one, called Ust-Suyunchi, it began to be called Ust-Terki. During the 17th century. G. Kaz. continuously fought against Shamkhal Tarkovsky, Nogai. and Crimea. Tatars, or independently, or under the beginning. Moscow voivode Then they took part in Azov. the campaign of Peter V. In 1711, when Tsar Peter was moving towards the Prut, gr. Apraksin made a campaign from Terkov against Kuban. Tatars and severely defeated them with the help of Kabardians and G. Cossacks. At the same time, he persuaded the latter to switch to the left. ber. Terek and form a line with their towns, the edge would serve as a connection between the lower. Kabarda and mountains Terkom. In 1712, Kaz. They moved to the indicated places and placed them on the left. ber. Terek 5 towns: Chervlenny main, Shchedrinsky, Novogladkovsky, Starogladkovsky, Kurdyukovsky. T. arr., founder of the Caucasus. lines must be considered gr. Apraksina. Zemel. possession of the Cossacks on the lev. ber. extended over 80 ver. in length and at 10-20 ver. in width. They were engaged in arable farming, livestock farming, horse farming, winemaking (exclusively red - chikhir, up to 216 tons annually), smoked more than 200 tons of vodka. in the city, Rybn. fishing on the Terek and the seashore, hunting and silk, to which the government provided support. Since the relocation of G. Kaz. to lev. ber. Action begins on the Terek River. their service under Russian. banners, marked by a row of brilliance. feats in the fight against the neighboring mountaineers, and against each other. theaters of war. G. Kaz. They put at least 1 thousand hours into service, half of which consisted of bread. and money. salary and went on campaigns at the request of the government, and the other remained to guard homes and served “from the water and from the grass,” i.e. without breech contents. G. Kaz. They haven’t settled in yet and haven’t settled into a new job. places, when Peter decreeed 14 March. 1716 ordered them to join the 6 thousand. detachment, under the beginning book A. Bekovich-Cherkassky. And they took part in the Khiva campaign, putting up up to 500 hours, of which all but 2 hours died. This is unfortunate. During the campaign, the army lost more than 1/3 of all Cossacks. After such a loss, G. Kaz. could never recover from their numbers. relationships. Arriving in the Caucasus in 1722, Peter personally examined Terki, Tersk ordered. The Cossacks should leave this city and push the border. line to the south, on the river. Sulak, what does it have to do with the place where the Agrakhan branch separates from Sulak, b. arranged new the Holy Cross, in which and b. Mr. Terkov was transferred, forming Agrakhan. Cossack army (see this word ). In 1724, troops from the Don were strengthened. 500 families were resettled. V pers. (1722-23) and v. tour. (1736) wars of G. Kaz. gave only a small number of people. In 1721, Kaz. commanded b. be in military service. collegium, with the closest subordination to astras. to the governor. With the construction of the city of Kizlyar (1735) the city of Kaz. b. subordinated to Kizlyar. to dant, but internal their control and structure remained the same; the army was controlled by a “troop circle”, which chose the troops. ataman and other positions. persons In 1746 to G. Kaz. b. the Terek family army was annexed (Don Cossacks, who arrived to reinforce the Agrakhan troops, then transferred to the Terek and settled in 3 cities neighboring the city of the Kazakh); This connection did not last long, because the troops. the circle was constantly agitated by discord, especially when dividing money. and bread. salaries. In 1755, both troops b. isolated until the era of their absorption, along with others, by the Caucasus. lin. Kaz. army In 1770, to strengthen this outskirts, b. 517 Cossack. family from Volga Cossack. troops, to-rya and b. settled by lev. ber. Terek in 5 villages between the settlements of G. Kaz. and Mozdokom for 80 years. With the establishment in 1788 of the Caucasus. governorship of G. Kaz., like everything else, b. subordinate to the governor. During this era, G. Kaz especially distinguished themselves. 26 st. 1788 on the river. Kill when gen. Tekelli dealt cruelly. the lesion is connected. the forces of the Circassians and Turks, led by Pasha Adji Mustafa. In 1791, Kaz. took part in the taking of the property of Anapa. By the beginning of the reign of Alexander I, Kaz. exhibited 466 served. Cossacks with 34 officers. In 1819, Gen. Ermolov canceled the choice. positions and appointed a regular office “for troop management and command.” troops with the rank of "troop commander". It was a regiment. Evstafiy Pantel. Efimovich. At this time, the G. Kazakhs, without ceasing to be called an army, received regiments. device (5 cells - 700 hours). After Efimovich, the com-ry troops were constantly appointed from the regulars. units, and from there they began to be assigned to the formations. troops. composition of the cavalry officers. In 1826-29 G. Kaz. took part in the pers. and tour. wars, and in 1831 and in the pacification of the Polish. rebellion, sending hundreds to join the consortium. lin. Cossack regiments Paskevich, highly appreciating fighting. quality Caucasus. Cossacks, asked for permission in 1831 for one master-liner. Cossack n. (1 piece of., 10 ob.-off., 15 order. and 200 Cossacks) to be constantly in service in action. armies. From the same regiment in 1832 b. a convoy was formed at Imp. Nicholas I (1 centurion, 1 cornet, 4th officer and 24 Cossacks). In the same year, the entire department. regiments and troops settled in the Caucasus. line, received the common name Caucasus. lin. Cossack troops. In 1845 G. army b. renamed into G. regiment (6 hundred), which, in accordance with the regulations on the Caucasus. lin. troops, became part of the 8th brigade along with the Mozdok and Kizlyar settlements. and consisted of 20 of. and 861 Cossacks. In 1846, Kaz. They especially distinguished themselves under the leadership of their regiment commander. Suslov near Amir-Adzhi-Yurt. On May 23 of this year, Shamil set out from the villages. Shawls on Michik. Having learned about this, the commanding lion. flank Caucasus. gene lines Freytag ordered Comm. G. P. subpl. Suslova gathered as many Cossacks as possible to Amir-Adzhi-Yurt. Suslov, having arrived there, found out that he had not returned back. Counting on the imminent arrival of reinforcements, Suslov crossed to the right on May 24. ber. Terek and at the head of 87 hours with 7 of. gave chase. Soon the enemy appeared near Amir-Adzhi-Yurt. posts, and behind them there are many. crowds of cavalry. Seeing the Cossacks, they rushed towards the nothing with a whoop. a handful of combs. The Cossacks dismounted and instantly b. surrounded by 1,500 mountaineers. The famous “Suslov Affair” took place, the fame of which subsequently spread far beyond the Caucasus. Having fought, and partly slaughtered their horses and positioned themselves behind this living rubble, the Cossacks held on tightly. Embittered by such insolence of the Cossacks who did not think about surrendering, the Chechens repeated their furious attacks many times, but all their efforts were in vain, and they failed to crash into the midst of the heroes who rallied together, shoulder to shoulder. Soon all the officers, with the exception of Suslov, and more. part of the Cossacks b. wounded. The cartridges were running out; the situation was becoming critical, but the thought of surrender did not even occur to anyone; suddenly, from the direction of Amir-Adzhi-Yurt, a small group of Cossacks appeared, rushing at full speed to their rescue; it was a choir. Grunyashin with 25 Cossacks. From the Kurinsky Ukrainian side, 60 Donets appeared and behind them 3 infantry. companies. Seeing this, the Chechens stopped their attacks and retreated. Grebentsov ub. 4, 43 injured; horses killed: all officers and 77 Cossacks. and wounds. 5, at what, in each. ub. horses turned out to be Wednesday. 8 bullets each. In 1870 Kizlyarsky and G. pp. b. consolidated into one Kizlyaro-G., which also had a regiment of the 2nd and 3rd stages. During the last Russian-tur. wars of G. Kaz. put up 3 points: 1st Kizlyaro-G., in service and in peace. time, remained in the North. Caucasus, participating in pacifying the uprising in Chechnya and Dagestan and guarding the villages. 2nd Kizlyaro-G. P.(2nd stage) after 10 days. The mobilization set out for Alexandropol and, joining the 2nd consolidation. Cav. d-zii Caucasus. k-sa, opened the military. actions of removing borders. tour. posts Then the regiment took part in the pursuit tour. column retreating to the Saganlug Pass, fought on May 13 near Magaradzhik, on May 17 near the village. Begli-Akhmet, June 3 - near Aravartan, and on the 13th - in the Battle of Zivin. In general offensive in St. To the Aladzhinsky heights, the regiment formed part of a detour. columns g.-m. Shelkovnikova and 19 st. was in action near Kizil-Gul, and on the 20th he found himself in the rear of the tour. armies on the Aladzhin Heights. In the battle for these heights on October 2 and 3, which ended in capture. parts of the army of Mukhtar Pasha, 3 hundred regiments were on the detour. column g.-l. Lazarev, 2nd hundred, together with the 3rd Esq. Nizhegorsk drag p., under room Major Witte, b. aimed at rectification to villages. Haji Khalil. Returning, the detachment came across those going on a hike. about 6 camps. infantry, cut through them, but, encountering a further impassable ravine, he was forced to. turn back and cut a path for yourself a second time with sabers, which means carrying. losses in men and horses; in this matter b. ub. chorus Ushinkin. During the night the assault on Kars means. part of the g-zone had the intention of breaking through to Erzurum, but stumbled upon it near the villages. Bozgala on the 2nd Kizlyaro-G. n. and some friend. units, laid down their arms and surrendered. After the capture of Kars, the regiment was part of Saganlugsk. detachment and was at the blockade and surrender of Erzurum. 3rd Kizlyaro-G. Cossack P.(3rd stage) b. formed during the war and left in the region, and participated in hundreds of different activities. detachments during the pacification of the uprising and occupied the cordon. line. At the end of the war b. disbanded Banners And etc..insignia, granted to the former G. army and regiment: 1) 103 banners and standards of the former. times, are kept in the church of Art. Nikolaevskaya; 2) 2 banners made of silk. pink matter, with the image of the coat of arms of Novgorod. lips., stored there; 3) banner, with black. biceps an eagle, with the inscription: “For fidelity”, in the same place; 4) banner of roses. silk. materials with the letters "P. I", ibid.; 5) the banner is made of green. silk. matter, ibid.; 6) silver. gilded. ladle with superscription: “By the grace of God, We, Elizabeth the First, Empress and Autocrat of All Russia, etc., etc., etc., granted this ladle to the troops of Grebensk Ataman Lukyan Borisov for his faithful services in 1748, January 1st day,” there same; 7) a mace granted to one of the troops. atamanov for the military. merit, the order is kept in the house. ataman; 8) banner made of silk. matter blue. colors, with ash. nadp.: “For the Turkish War and for the affairs that took place against the highlanders in 1828 and 1829,” kept in the church of Art. Nikolaevskaya; 9) Georg. silk banner matter blue. colors with inscription: "For military exploits against the highlanders", shaft with silver. spear, with Georg. with a cross in the middle and George. lanyard, are stored there. Besides this: 1st Kizlyaro-G. Cossack P. has: 1) Georg. standard with Alexander. ribbon with caption: “For military exploits against the rebellious highlanders” and “1577-1877”; 2) signs on hats: 1st fifty of the 1st hundred with the overlay: “For the cause of July 24, 1854,” and the 2nd fifty: “For the cause of August 30, 1855”; 3) Georg. silver trumpets in the 4th hundred with the above: “For distinction in the Khiva campaign of 1873”; 4) insignia on hats, with the caption: “For the pacification of the mountain tribes of the Terek region in 1877.” 2 and 3 hundreds; 5) insignia on hats with the addition to the existing ones. 1st fifty of the 1st hundred: "and for the pacification of the mountain tribes of the Terek region and Dagestan in 1877." and the 2nd fifty of the same hundred - the same. 2nd Kizlyaro-G. P. has: 1) Georg. The standard is the same as in the 1st regiment, is located in the church of St. Grozny; 2) Georg. silver pipes with an overlay: “For the capture of Kars on November 6, 1877,” are kept in the house of the order. ataman; 3) insignia on hats with the caption: “For distinction in the Turkish War of 1877-1878.” 3rd Kizlyaro-G. P. has: 1) Georg. standard with superscription: "For distinction in the Turkish War and for the deeds that took place against the highlanders in 1828 and 1829, and for the capture of Andia and Dargo in 1845." and under the eagle: "1577-1877"; 2) insignia on the hats of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd hundreds with the caption: “For the pacification of the mountain tribes of the Terek region in 1877.” In 1885 Kizlyaro-G. Cossack P. took part in the campaign to Afghanistan. border. (R Zhevusskiy, Tertsy, Vladikavkaz, 1888; Popko, Tersk. Cossacks from the old town. times, vol. I, Grebensky army, St. Petersburg, 1886; Bentkovsky, Grebentsy, Moscow, 1889; Butkov, Materials for new history of the Caucasus; N. Krasnov, Histor. essays by Don, Novocherkassk, 1882; his, Tersk. Cossacks, Novocherkassk, 1882; S. Bronevsky, Newest geographical and history news about the Caucasus, Moscow, 1823; V. Bronevsky, History of Donsk. troops, description of the Don land and trips to the Caucasus, St. Petersburg, 1834; "Russian Speech" 1881, death; N. Savelyev, Tercentenary of the Don Army, St. Petersburg, 1870; Debu, Description Caucasus. lines; “The Book of the Big Drawing”, corrected in 1627, St. Petersburg, 1838; D. I. Ilovaisky, Histor. Ryazan. Principality, Moscow, 1884; Khoroshkhin, Cossack troops. Experience as a senior statistician. descriptions, St. Petersburg, 1881; K. K. Abaza, Cossacks, St. Petersburg, 1890; Caucasus. calendar 1852 and 1853, chronology; Ponomareva, Materials for the history of Tersk. Cossack troops, "Military Sat." 1881).

Military encyclopedia. - St. Petersburg: T-vo I.D. Sytin. Ed. V.F. Novitsky and others.. 1911-1915 .

See what “Grebensky Cossacks” are in other dictionaries:

GREBENSKIY COSSACKS- descendants of fugitive peasants and Don Cossacks who moved in the 16th century. to the North Caucasus (on the Sunzha and Aktash rivers). From the beginning 18th century separate irregular army (later regiment). In 1832 they became part of the Caucasian linear Cossack army, in 1860 Terek... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Greben Cossacks- descendants of fugitive peasants and Don Cossacks who moved in the 16th century. to the North Caucasus (at pp. Sunzha and Aktash). From the beginning of the 18th century. separate irregular army (later regiment). In 1832 they became part of the Caucasian linear Cossack army, in 1860 ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

GREBENSKIY COSSACKS- descendants of runaway peasants who settled in the 1st half. 16th century on the river Sunzha, and the Cossacks who moved from the Don in 1582 to the Grebni tract (on the Aktash River), the oldest part of the Terek Cossacks. Rus. The government supplied them with weapons and supplies and used them for... ... Soviet historical encyclopedia

GREBENSKIY COSSACKS- in modern language “Mountain Cossacks”, the name remained until recently for those Cossacks who in the 16th century. came to the Lower Terek from the ridge mountains. In the middle of the 18th century. Russian general A.I. Rigelman wrote down from their words that before the resettlement they lived... ... Cossack dictionary-reference book

Grebensky Cossacks- descendants of runaway peasants who settled in the 1st half of the 16th century. on the river Sunzha, and the Cossacks who moved from the Don in 1582 to the Grebni tract (on the Aktash River), part of the Terek Cossacks. The Russian government supplied them with weapons and ammunition and... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Grebentsy, or Greben Cossacks- According to historians, relying mainly on the evidence of the book of the Big Drawing and the legend of the Grebenskaya Icon, attributed to the Ryazan Metropolitan Stefan, G. descended from the Don Cossacks who lived in the 16th century between pp. Donets and... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

The Terek Cossacks are united in their plurality: Grebentsy, Lower Tertsy, Agrakhants, Tertsy-Semeytsy, Kizlyartsy, Volgtsy, Mozdoktsy, Highlanders, Vladikavkaztsy, Sunzhentsy.

Origin of the Terek Cossacks

Cossack mountaineers are an almost extinct ethnic group. According to one version, the Terek Cossack Army officially announced its existence in 1415. The Terek Cossacks were replenished by the influx of representatives of local peoples: Ossetians, Chechens, Ingush, Kabardians and others.

There are conflicting opinions about their origin. Some consider them to be the descendants of the Volga Cossacks, as well as the Novgorodians and Ryazans, others – the ancestors of these Volga Cossacks, who originally lived in the Caucasus since the time of Mstislav the Udal (XI century). All Caucasians were then called Cherkasy, therefore this name extended to the Cossacks (Grebensky, Azov, Dnieper). If Mstislav had transferred his North Caucasian (former) principality to a successor, then we would have received a fourth Rus' - Cherkassy, ​​which, incidentally, happened, in the form of the Cossacks, but without their state.

The Cossacks first appeared in the North Caucasus in 1578-1579, when, at the request of Turkey, the Russian fortress on the Sunzha River was demolished. To monitor the situation in the region, the authorities sent Cossack detachments from the Volga here. The Moscow tsars at that time recognized these lands as “the patrimony of the Kabardian princes.” Therefore, the Russian Cossack detachment existed here for many years without direct support from the metropolis. According to documents from the 16th century, the Cossacks were taken under the protection of the Chechen ruler Shikh-Murza Okutsky- a loyal ally of Moscow. They were in temporary service, so they lived without a household and without families. The number of Cossacks at that time in the North Caucasus, according to military registers, ranged from 300 to 500 people.

According to researchers, based on information from the “Book of the Big Drawing” and “The Tale of the Grebensk Icon,” whose authorship is attributed to Metropolitan Stefan of Ryazan, the Greben Cossacks descended from the Don Cossacks who lived in the 16th century. between pp. Donets and Kalitva, near the Grebensky Mountains. In 1582 there were 300 Cossacks. led by ataman Andrey passed through the river. Manych, Kuma and Terek in the gorge of the Caucasus Mountains and settled in the village. Ridges, on the bank of a mountain river. Aktasha. In 1623, the Grebensky Cossacks, as part of the Kabardian embassy, ​​arrived in Moscow to confess (possibly regarding their participation in attacks on the southern borders of the Moscow state). In 1631 they abandoned joint actions with the tsarist army against the Nogais, but already in 1633 they participated in the campaign of the governors of princes Turenin and Volkonsky to Kazyev ulus, in Modzhary. In 1651 they helped build a fort on the river. Sunzha, and 2 years later he was declared “the royal favor for the siege seat” in this fort during the attack of the Kumyks.

Relocation to the right bank of the Terek

Around 1685, under pressure from frequently attacking mountain peoples (Chechens and others), the Grebens had to leave the foothills and settle closer to the Terek - on its right bank. The “Chronicle of the Guards Cossack Units” reports another date for the resettlement of the Grebentsy to the right bank of the Terek - 1680. Also in the “Chronicles...” there is an addition that the Combs moved to the right bank of the Terek in the area where the Sunzha flows into it. Here, the Cossacks lived in the Pavlov and Koshlakovsky tracts. The number of combs gradually increased due to the Cossacks arriving from the Don and Kuma rivers; two fortified towns were built in Kabarda (Old Russian Cherkassy land): Kazharovtsy in Big Kabarda and Tatar-Tup in Little Kabarda. Later, two more settlements arose: Novogladky and Chervleny.

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1686-1700, the Greben Cossacks were again involved in the Russian army: the Greben Cossacks took part in the invasion of the territory of the Crimean Khanate - the so-called Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689, as well as in the Azov campaigns of Peter I in 1695 and 1696 .

Relocation to the left bank of the Terek

In 1711, the Grebens took part in the campaign of Count F. M. Apraksin against the Little Nogai Horde. The count set out for Kuban from the Terek city and, with the help of the Kabardians and Greben Cossacks, “heavily crushed” the small Nogais. At the same time, he persuaded the Greben residents to move from the right bank of the Terek to the left and form a line with their towns, which “would serve as a connection between the lower. Kabarda and mountains Terkom". In 1712, the Greben Cossacks moved to the left bank of the Terek, where they founded five fortified towns.

In the army of Imperial Russia

After the resettlement of the Grebensky people from the right bank of the Terek to the left, the Grebensky Cossack army was formed from them. Joining the irregular forces of the Russian Empire occurred either in 1711 or 1712. In 1716-1717, the Greben Cossacks took part in the Khiva campaign - a military expedition of the Russian army to the Khiva Khanate under the command of Prince A. Bekovich-Cherkassky.

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descendants of fugitive peasants and Don Cossacks who resettled in the 16th century. to the North Caucasus (at pp. Sunzha and Aktash). From the beginning of the 18th century. separate irregular army, later regiment. In 1832 the Caucasian linear Cossack army became part of the army, and in 1860 - the Terek Cossack army.

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GREBENSKIY COSSACKS

in modern language "Mountain Cossacks", the name remained until recently for those Cossacks who in the 16th century. came to the Lower Terek from the ridge mountains. In the middle of the 18th century. Russian general A.I. Rigelman wrote down from their words that before the resettlement they lived, “according to the announcement of the Greben guards, beyond Tersk in the present-day Kabarda itself and in part of the Kumyk possession, in Grebny, in the Gologo Grebny tract, in the Pavlov gorge and in the gorge Koshlakovsky and at Pimenov Oak"; the other part of them “in Cherkassy were, according to the announcement of the people there, and the Yamel residence was two villages, namely, one in large Kabarda at the mouth of the Gaza River, which flows into the Uryuf River, and it flows into the Terek on its left side, and were called Kazarovtsy; the other - in Malaya Kabarda, in the Tatar Tupov gorge itself, which is a tract located near the Terek River and below, which flows into it, the Aks River on its left side" (A. Rigelman, Chronicle of M. Russia). Polish monk Matvey Miechowski at the beginning of the 16th century. wrote about the mountainous places of the S. Caucasus, which “the Russians call Pyatigorsk Cherkassy after the people, that is, approximately, Cherkassy of the Five Mountains. Among these same mountains live the Khazar tribes, who, according to (...) the Moravian legend, were converted to faith of Christ by the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius." About the same Kazars in the lengthy Russian Chetya Menaia it is said that they “were a Scythian people of the Slavic language, and their country was near Lake Maeotic.” In one of the early publications of the Russian Imperial Academy of Sciences, “A Brief Description of All Cases Concerning Azov,” which was translated from the German language of the Academy of Sciences by Adjunct I. K. Taubert and which was published in its third edition in 1782, it speaks of Mstislav the Brave and Caucasian Cossacks: “In 1021 he conquered the neighboring Cossacks, who had spread to the Caucasus Mountains, and sent them in 1023 together with the Kozars against his brother.” The chroniclers of these Cossacks usually call them Kasogs, but in some (Nikanorovskaya and Vologda-Permskaya), their name is indeed very close to ours: “And Mstislav went from Kozary and from Kazyag to the Grand Duke Yaroslav.” Before this time (10th century), Persian geography (Gudud al Alem) points to the Azov region, i.e., in the future possessions of Mstislav the Brave, the Land of Kasak. About the same mountain Cossacks or Pyatigorsk Cherkassy, ​​a contemporary of Matvey Mekhovsky, Sigismund Herberstein, wrote: “The Russians claim that they are Christians, that they live independently according to their own laws, and perform church services in the Slavic language, which, in fact, they use mainly way in life." We are obviously talking about the Grebensky and Azov Cossacks, although some of the latter had already migrated to Severshchina by 1503. The Donets had a legend, recorded by the same Rigelman (The Story of the Don Cossacks), “as if they came from some free people, and more from the Circassians and urban peoples.” The early historian Boltin recalled the Pyatigorsk Cossacks or Cherkasy from 1282. In 1380, after the battle on the Kulikovo Field, the Cossacks presented the Moscow Prince Dmitry Donskoy with an icon they had brought from the mountains (the Grebenskaya Mother of God). All this evidence gives grounds for the assertion that G.K.-Kazarovtsy were in the North. Caucasus and already during the Khazar Empire; that at one time they, together with the Azov Cossacks and Pyatigorsk Herberstein, were in an alliance of mountain tribes that occupied Chsrkasia, and there they adopted not only many features of a special mountain culture, but also the common mountain territorial name Cherkasy; that G.K. once belonged to the inhabitants of the Land of Kasak and remained there during the existence of the Tomatorkan State; that after its fall they went to the mountains and there they survived centuries of domination of the Golden Horde; that in certain eras the Caucasus Mountains served as a refuge for almost all Cossack tribes.

When the Turks and Mohammedanism spread throughout the Caucasus, G.K. left the mountains to the plain beyond the lower Terek and to the western bank of Akhtuba (Volga delta), where they are indicated in 1702 on the Delisle map. In 1732, G.K. from Akhtuba were enlisted in the service of the Tsaritsyn Line of the Volga Kazakh. Troops. In 1770, 517 families moved from here to the left bank of the Terek, which formed the first cadres of the Gorsko-Mozdok regiment. The rest, together with the Astrakhan Kaz. The army served on the Azov-Mozdok Line until 1786, after which they moved to the Terek and laid the foundation for the First Volga Kaz. shelf.

The indigenous Terek Grebentsi began serving Ivan the Terrible in 1577. The seniority of the Kizlyar-Grebensky regiment in the Russian army was considered from this year. At the same time, the king recognized their right to the banks of the Terek River. From 1860 G.K. began to be listed as part of the Terek Cossack Army.

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