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Lezgins

Lezgins or Leks (Lezgian: Лезгияр, Лекьер. IPA: lezgijar) are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group native predominantly to southern Dagestan, a republic of Russia, and northeastern Azerbaijan. The Lezgin are predominantly Sunni Muslims and speak the Lezgi language.

Lezgins
Лезгияр
Lezgins from a 1930 anti-Soviet uprising; raised index fingers symbolize Islamic monotheism.
Total population
c. 700,000 +
Regions with significant populations
 Russia 473,722[1]
 Azerbaijan350,000
Languages
Lezgin
Religion
Sunni Islam, minority Shia Islam[2][3][4]
Related ethnic groups
Other Northeast Caucasian peoples, especially Aghuls, Tsakhurs, Tabasarans and Rutuls

The land of the Lezgins has been subject to multiple invaders throughout history. Its isolated terrain and the strategic value outsiders have placed on the areas settled by Lezgins has contributed much to the Lezgin community ethos and helped shape its national character. Due to constant attacks from the invaders, the Lezgins have developed a national code, Lezgiwal. Lezgin society has traditionally been egalitarian and organized around many autonomous local clans, called syhils (сихилар).

Notable historical Lezgin leaders include Hadji-Dawud (1680 – 1735) and Sheikh Muhammad (1771–1838).

Etymology

The eagle being the Lezgin national animal, the term Lezgi is said to derive from Lek, the Lezgin word for eagle.[5] Others believe Lezgi to be derived from the ancient Legi and early medieval Lakzi.

Ancient Greek historians, including Herodotus, Strabo, and Pliny the Elder, referred to the Legoi (or Ancient Greek: Λῆχαι, romanizedLē̂chai)[6] people who inhabited Caucasian Albania.

Arab historians of the 9th and 10th centuries mentioned a kingdom called Lakz, in present-day southern Dagestan.[7] Al Masoudi referred to inhabitants of this area as Lakzams (Lezgins),[8] who defended Shirvan against invaders from the north.[9]

Prior to the Russian Revolution, "Lezgin" was a term applied to all ethnic groups inhabiting the present-day Russian Republic of Dagestan.[10] In the 19th century, the term was used more broadly for all ethnic groups speaking non-Nakh Northeast Caucasian languages, including Caucasian Avars, Laks, and many others (although the Vainakh peoples, who were Northeast Caucasian language speakers were referred to as "Circassians").

History

 
Map of Lezgistan, 1846

In the 4th century BC, the numerous tribes speaking Lezgic languages united in a union of 26 tribes, formed in the Eastern Caucasus state of Caucasian Albania, which itself was incorporated in the Persian Achaemenid Empire in 513 BC.[11][12] Under Persian and Parthian rule Caucasian Albania was divided into several areas — Lakzi, Shirvan, etc.

The Lezgic speaking tribes participated in the battle of Gaugamela under the Persian banner against the invading Alexander the Great.[11]

Under Parthian rule, Iranian political and cultural influence increased in the whole region of their Caucasian Albanian province, therefore including where the Lezgic speaking tribes lived.[13] Whatever the sporadic suzerainty of Rome of the region due to their wars with the Parthians, the country was now a part—together with Iberia (East Georgia) and (Caucasian) Albania, where other Arsacid branches reigned—of a pan-Arsacid family federation.[13] Culturally, the predominance of Hellenism, as under the Artaxiads, was now followed by again a predominance of "Iranianism", and, symptomatically, instead of Greek, as before, Parthian became the language of the educated of the region.[13] An incursion in this era was made by the Alans who between 134 and 136 attacked regions including where Lezgic tribes lived, but Vologases persuaded them to withdraw, probably by paying them.

In 252–253, rule over the Lezgic tribes changed from Parthian to Sassanid Persian. Caucasian Albania became a vassal state,[14] now of the Sassanids, but retained its monarchy; the Albanian king had no real power and most civil, religious, and military authority lay with the Sassanid marzban (military governor) of the territory.[15]

The Roman Empire obtained control over some of the southernmost Lezgin regions for a few years around 300 AD, but then the Sassanid Persians regained control and subsequently dominated the area for centuries until the Arab invasions.

 
Many Lezgins lived in the Persian-ruled Derbent khanate, which Russia occupied and dissolved in 1813.

Although Lezgins were first introduced to Islam perhaps as early as the 8th century, the Lezgins remained primarily animist until the 15th century, when Muslim influence became stronger, with Persian traders coming in from the south, and the Golden Horde increasingly pressing from the north. In the early 16th century, the Persian Safavids consolidated their control over large parts of Dagestan for centuries onwards. As a result of the Ottoman–Safavid War of 1578–1590, the Ottomans managed to wrest control of the region for a short period of time, until it was regained by the Safavids under king Abbas I (r. 1588–1629).

A notable Lezgin from the Safavid Iranian era was Fath-Ali Khan Daghestani, who served as Safavid grand vizier from 1716 to 1720, during the reign of king (shah) Sultan Husayn (1694–1722). By the early course of the 18th century, the Safavid Empire was in a state of heavy decline. In 1721, the Lezgins sacked and looted the city of Shamakhi, the provincial capital of Shirvan. The Lak Kazi Kumukh Khanate controlled a part of the Lezgins for a time in the 18th century after the disintegration of the Safavid Empire

In the first half of the 18th century, Persia was able to restore its full authority throughout the entire Caucasus under Nader Shah. After the death of Nader, the area divided into multiple khanates. Some Lezgins were part of the Kuba Khanate in what is now Azerbaijan, while others fell under the jurisdiction of the Derbent Khanate and Kura Khanate. The main part of Lezgins united in "free society" (Magalim) (Akhty para (now Akhtynsky District), Kure (now Kurakhsky District), Alty-para and Dokuz-para (now Dokuzparinsky District)). Some Lezgin clans were in the Rutul Federation.[16]

In 1813, as a result of the Treaty of Gulistan, the Russians gained control over southern Dagestan and most of what is the contemporary Azerbaijan Republic.[17] The 1828 Treaty of Turkmenchay indefinitely consolidated Russian control over Dagestan and other area's where the Lezgins lived and removed Iran from the military equation.[18][17] The Russian administration subsequently created the Kiurin Khanate, later to become the Kiurin district. Many Lezgins in Dagestan, however, participated in the Great Caucasian War that started roughly during the same time the Russo-Persian Wars of the 19th century were happening, and fought against the Russians alongside the Avar Imam Shamil, who for 25 years (1834–1859) defied Russian rule. It was not until after his defeat in 1859 that the Russians consolidated their rule over Dagestan and the Lezgins.

Culture

 
Lezgins in the 1860s

Lezgins culture is a unique blend of native customs (adats) and Islam like in other Northeast Caucasian people. Lezgins celebrate Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, some also celebrate Yaran Suvar, which is dating to pre-Islamic period.[19] There is a strong theme of representing the nation with its national animal, the Lek (eagle), it's connected with a strong value on the concept of freedom. A large majority of the nation's national heroes fought for independence (Hadj-Dawud, Abrek Kiri Buba, Muhammad Shtulwi etc.). Lezgins don't like coercion, their social structure being firmly based on equality and deference to individuality. Lezgin society is structured around djamaat (Lezgian: жамаат- unions of clans) and about 200-300 syhils (Lezgian: сихил - clan). Syhils descended from a common ancestor who lived a long time ago and each syhil has its own village and mountain. Syhils are further subdivided into miresar (patronymic families).[20]

Lezgiwal

Lezgiwal (Lezgian: Лезгивал) an unwritten code of honor for the Lezghins. Lezgival was not written, it was formed among the people as a set of ethical rules for Lezghins.[21] Covers all spheres of life of any member of society, starting from childhood. Lezgival is a Code of honor and conduct passed down from generation to generation by parents and society. It implies moral and ethical behaviour, generosity and the will to safeguard the honor of women. The legendary Abrek Kiri Buba before he was killed by the Russians said "Better a knife in the chest than honor in the dirt."[22][23]

Religion

 
Shaykh Muhammad and murids.

Lezgins like other Northeast Caucasian majority are Sunni Muslims, overwhelmingly adherents to the Shafi'i Madhhab, but some clans in village Miskindja are Jaʽfari Shia.[24] Most of the population follows either the Shafi'i or the Hanafi schools of jurisprudence, fiqh. The Shafi'i school of jurisprudence has a long tradition among the Lezgins and thus it remains the most practiced. Some adhere to the mystical Sufi tradition of muridism, while about half of Lezgins belong to Sufi brotherhoods, or tariqah. Muridism among Lezghins was founded by Shaikh Muhammad as a means of struggle against Russia, his most famous student is Imam Shamil. The main type of settlement in Lezghins - the village ("hur"). With regard to social groups Lezgin village, it is divided into quarters. Distributed large geographically related settlement (one quarter - one syhil). Each village had a mosque, rural area - Kim, a gathering of residents (male part) at the village assembly to address the most important issues of public life of the village.

Languages and literature

The Lezgian language belongs to the Lezgic branch of the Northeast Caucasian language family (with Aghul, Rutul, Tsakhur, Tabasaran, Budukh, Khinalug, Jek, Khaput, Kryts, and Udi). The Lezgin language has three closely related (mutually intelligible) dialects: Kurin (also referred to as Gunei or Kurakh), Akhti, and Kuba. The Kurin dialect is the most widespread of the three and is spoken throughout most of the Lezgin territories in Daghestan, including the town of Kurakh, which, historically, was the most important cultural, political, and economic center in the Lezgin territory in Daghestan and is the former seat of the khanate of Kurin. The Akhti dialect is spoken in southeastern Daghestan. The Kuba dialect, the most Turkicized of the three, is widespread among the Lezgins of northern Azerbaijan (named for the town of Kuba, the cultural and economical focus of the region).

Dances and music

Lezgin dance, including the Lezgin solo male and pair dance, are common among many peoples of the Caucasus. The dance uses a 2 image. The man moves in the way "eagle", alternates between a slow and rapid pace. The most spectacular movements are dance movements of men, when he is on his toes, throwing his hands in different directions. The woman moves in the form of "Swan", bewitching graceful posture and smooth hand movements. The woman increases the tempo of her dance after the man. Not surprisingly, the dance, common among all the Caucasian peoples, was named in accordance with the ancient totem of the Lezgins: the word "Lek" (Lezgian: лекь) means eagle.

 
An antique Lesghi rug, east Caucasus, c. 1880

Epic-historical songs about wars are popular among Lezghins, Best-known are the ballads "Shamil atana"(about Imam Shamil) and "Kiri Buba." (about a Lezgin abrek). In the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, Lezgin culture and literature underwent a culture significantly influence Azerbaijan. First Lezgin theater originated in 1906 in the village of Akhty. In 1935, based on the semi-professional team was created Lezgin State Music and Drama Theatre named after S. Stalsky. In 1998, the State Lezgin theater was opened in Azerbaijan, located in Qusar.

Demographics

Traditional homeland

 
Lezgistan from map of the Caucasus by Johann Gustav Gaerber (1728)

The Lezgins inhabit a compact territory that straddles the border area of southern Dagestan and northern Azerbaijan. It lies, for the most part, in the southeastern portion of Daghestan in (Akhtynsky District, Dokuzparinsky District, Suleyman-Stalsky District, Kurakhsky District, Magaramkentsky District, Khivsky District, Derbentsky District and Rutulsky District) and contiguous northeastern Azerbaijan (in Kuba, Qusar, Qakh, Khachmaz, Oguz, Qabala, Nukha, and Ismailli districts).

The Lezgin territories are divided into two physiographic zones: a region of high, rugged mountains and the piedmont (foothills). Most of the Lezgin territory is in the mountainous zone, where a number of peaks (like Baba Dagh) reach over 3,500 meters in elevation. There are deep and isolated canyons and gorges formed by the tributaries of the Samur and Gulgeri Chai rivers. In the mountainous zones the summers are very hot and dry, with drought conditions a constant threat. There are few trees in this region aside from those in the deep canyons and along the streams themselves. Drought-resistant shrubs and weeds dominate the natural flora. The winters here are frequently windy and brutally cold. In this zone the Lezgins engaged primarily in animal husbandry (mostly sheep and goats) and in craft industries.

In the extreme east of the Lezgin territory, where the mountains give way to the narrow coastal plain of the Caspian Sea, and to the far south, in Azerbaijan, are the foothills. This region has relatively mild, very dry winters and hot, dry summers. Trees are few here also. In this region animal husbandry and artisanry were supplemented by some agriculture (along the alluvial deposits near the rivers).

Lezgins live mainly in Azerbaijan and Russia (Dagestan). The total population is believed to be around 700,000, with 474,000 living in Russia. In Azerbaijan, the government census counts 180,300.[25] However, Lezgin national organizations mention 600,000 to 900,000, the disparity being that many Lezgins claim Azeri nationality to escape job and education discrimination in Azerbaijan.[26] Despite the assimilationist policy of the Azeri government, the Lezgin population is undoubtedly greater than it appears.[27]

As Svante Cornell adds;

Whereas officially the number of Lezgins registered as such in Azerbaijan is around 180,000, the Lezgins claim that the number of Lezgins registered as Azerbaijan is many times higher than this figure, some accounts showing over 700,000 Lezgins in Azerbaijan. These figures are denied by the Azerbaijani government, but in private many Azeris acknowledge the fact that the Lezgins—and for that matter the Talysh or the Kurdish—population is far higher than the official figures.[28]

Lezgins also live in Central Asia,[29] mainly due to Stalin's deportation policies.

Azerbaijan

Lezgins are, "generally speaking", well integrated into the society of Azerbaijan. Mixed marriages are furthermore common. Lastly, Lezgins in Azerbaijan have a better level of education compared to their kin in Dagestan.[28]

In 1992 a Lezgin organization named Sadval was established to promote Lezgin rights. Sadval campaigned for the redrawing of the Russian–Azerbaijani border to allow for the creation of a single Lezgin state encompassing areas in Russia and Azerbaijan where Lezgins were compactly settled. In Azerbaijan, a more moderate organization called Samur was formed, advocating more cultural autonomy for Lezgins in Azerbaijan.

Lezgins traditionally suffered from unemployment and a shortage of land. A major consequence of the outbreak of the war in Chechnya in 1994 was the closure of the border between Russia and Azerbaijan: as a result, the Lezgins were for the first time in their history separated by an international border restricting their movement.

The high tide of Lezgin mobilization in Azerbaijan appeared to have passed towards the end of the 1990s. Sadval was banned by the Azerbaijani authorities after official allegations that it was involved in a bombing of the Baku underground. The end of the Karabakh war, and Lezgin resistance to forced conscription, deprived the movement of a key issue on which to mobilize. In 1998 Sadval split into ‘moderate’ and ‘radical’ wings, following which it appeared to lose much of its popularity on both sides of the Russian–Azerbaijani border.

However, Azerbaijani–Lezgin relations continued to be complicated by claims that Islamic fundamentalism enjoyed disproportionate popularity among Lezgins. In July 2000 Azerbaijani security forces arrested members of Lezgin and Avar ethnicity of a group named the Warriors of Islam, which allegedly was planning an insurgency against the Azerbaijani state.

Lezgins expressed concern over underrepresentation in the Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Meclis) after a shift away from proportional representation in the parliamentary elections of November 2005. Lezgins had been represented by two members of parliament in the previous parliament, but are now represented by only one.

Lezgins state that they face discrimination and that they feel forced to assimilate into Azeri identity to avoid economic and education discrimination. Therefore, the real number of Lezgins may be significantly higher than presented in censuses.

Lezgin is taught as a foreign language in areas where many Lezgins are settled, but teaching resources are scarce. Lezgin textbooks come from Russia and are not adapted to local conditions. Although Lezgin newspapers are available, Lezgins have also expressed concern over the disappearance of their rich oral tradition. The only Lezgin television broadcasting available in Azerbaijan is that received over the border from Russia.

In March 2006 Azerbaijani media reported that Sadval had formed an 'underground' terrorist unit carrying out operations in Dagestan. Security forces across the border in Dagestan in Russia, responded skeptically to these reports.

Dagestan

According to reports Lezgins in Dagestan suffer disproportionately from unemployment, with unemployment rates in Lezgin-populated areas of southern Dagestan twice the republic average of 32 percent. This may be one contributory factor to renewed calls from within the Sadval movement in January 2006 for a redrawing of the Russian-Azerbaijani border to incorporate Lezgin-populated areas of southern Dagestan within Azerbaijan.

In March 1999 another organization, the Federal Lezgin National Cultural Autonomy, was established as an extraterritorial movement advocating cultural autonomy for Lezgins.

Genetics

Modern-day Lezgins speak Northeast Caucasian languages that have been spoken in the region before the introduction of Indo-European languages. They are closely related, both culturally and linguistically, to the Aghuls of southern Dagestan and, somewhat more distantly, to the Tsakhurs, Rutuls, and Tabasarans (the northern neighbors of the Lezgins). Also related, albeit more distantly, are the numerically small Jek, Kryts, Laks, Shahdagh, Budukh, and Khinalug peoples of northern Azerbaijan. These groups, together with the Lezgins, form the Samur branch of the indigenous Lezgic peoples.

Lezgins are believed to descend partly from people who inhabited the region of southern Dagestan in the Bronze Age. However, there is some DNA evidence of significant admixture during the last 4,000 years with a Central Asian population, as shown by genetic links to populations throughout Europe and Asia, with notable similarities to the Burusho people of Pakistan.[30]

Notable Lezgins

The most prominent figures in Lezgin history were Gazi Muhammad Xuluxwi, Sheikh Muhammad Kurawi Abrek Alikhan Hiliwi, Hadji-Dawud and Suleyman Stal

The most celebrated poet writing in the Lezgi language was Suleyman Stalwi

  • Hadji Dawud (1735—1736) was a Lezgin military commander and Islamic religious leader who was influential in the resistance against Safavids imperialist expansion into the Caucasus during the late 17th century. Hadji Dawud is considered the first leader of the resistance in Caucasus against Persian imperialism. He remains a hero of the Lezgin and Dagestan peoples in general, and their struggle for independence
  • Suleyman Kerimov is a billionaire businessman, philanthropist and politician.
  • Nazim Huseynov judoka who won the Men's - 60 kg in the 1992 Summer Olympics, competing for the Unified Team.
  • Ruslan Gurbanov - footballer.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Национальный состав населения Российской Федерации согласно переписи аселения 2010 года". gks.ru. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  2. ^ Koter, Marek; Heffner, Krystian; Sobczyński, Marek (2003). The Role of Ethnic Minorities in Border Regions: Forms of their composition, problems of development and political rights. ISBN 9788371261749. Retrieved 18 December 2014. Although the Lezgin are Sunni Muslims, there is a strong Shiite minority.
  3. ^ Friedrich, Paul (1994). Encyclopedia of World Cultures: Russia and Eurasia, China. G.K. Hall. p. 243. ISBN 978-0816118106. Given the strong Azerbaijani influence on them, however, there is a sizable Shiite minority among the Lezgins
  4. ^ Cole, Jeffrey E. (2016). Ethnic Groups of Europe: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 237. ISBN 978-1598843033. The Lezgins are Muslims; the great majority are Sunni of the Shafi'i rite, with small numbers of Lezgins living near or inside Azerbaijan being Shiite.
  5. ^ Гаджиев, Владилен Гадисович (1979). Сочинение И. Гербера "Описание стран и народов между Астраханью и рекою Курой находящихся" как исторический источник по истории народов Кавказа (in Russian). Наука.
  6. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lesghians" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 489.
  7. ^ Haspelmath, Martin (1993). A grammar of Lezgin. Walter de Gruyter. p. 17. ISBN 3-11-013735-6.
  8. ^ Yakut, IV, 364. According to al-Masoudi (Murudzh, II, 5)
  9. ^ VFMinorsky. History of Shirvan. M. 1963
  10. ^ Olson, James Stuart; Pappas, Nicholas Charles (1994). An Ethnohistorical dictionary of the Russian and Soviet empires. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 438. ISBN 0-313-27497-5.
  11. ^ a b Chaumont, M. L. Albania 2007-03-10 at the Wayback Machine.Encyclopaedia Iranica.
  12. ^ Bruno Jacobs, "ACHAEMENID RULE IN Caucasus" in Encyclopædia Iranica. January 9, 2006. Excerpt: "Achaemenid rule in the Caucasus region was established, at the latest, in the course of the Scythian campaign of Darius I in 513–512 BC. The Persian domination of the cis-Caucasian area (the northern side of the range) was brief, and archeological findings indicate that the Great Caucasus formed the northern border of the empire during most, if not all, of the Achaemenid period after Darius"
  13. ^ a b c Toumanoff, Cyril. The Arsacids. Encyclopædia Iranica. excerpt:"Whatever the sporadic suzerainty of Rome, the country was now a part—together with Iberia (East Georgia) and (Caucasian) Albania, where other Arsacid branched reigned—of a pan-Arsacid family federation. Culturally, the predominance of Hellenism, as under the Artaxiads, was now followed by a predominance of "Iranianism," and, symptomatically, instead of Greek, as before, Parthian became the language of the educated"
  14. ^ Yarshater, p. 141.
  15. ^ Nevertheless, "despite being one of the chief vassals of Sasanian Shahanshah, the Albanian king had only a semblance of authority, and the Sassanid marzban (military governor) held most civil, religious, and military authority.
  16. ^ Friedrich, Paul; Levinson, David; Diamond, Norma (1991). Encyclopedia of World Cultures: Russia and Eurasia, China. Vol. 6. G.K. Hall. pp. (241–243, 318)/527. ISBN 0816118108.
  17. ^ a b Dowling, Timothy C. (2 December 2014). Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond ... ISBN 9781598849486. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  18. ^ Aksan, Virginia. (2014). Ottoman Wars, 1700–1870: An Empire Besieged page 463. Routledge. ISBN 978-1317884033
  19. ^ "Покачёвские лезгины отметили "Яран сувар"". Лезги Газет (in Russian). 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
  20. ^ Халилрин Шамил (2020-04-20). "Лезгивал". АЛАМ (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-06-13.
  21. ^ Халилрин Шамил (2020-04-20). народа как свод этических правил лезгин.gival/ "Лезгивал". АЛАМ (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-06-13. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  22. ^ Тишков, Валерий Александрович (2007). Российский Кавказ: книга для политиков (in Russian). Росинформагротех. pp. 138, 384. ISBN 978-5-201-00806-2.
  23. ^ Vestnik Evrazii (in Russian). Izd-vo "DI-DIK". 2000. p. 36.
  24. ^ Hahn, Gordon M. (2007). Russia's Islamic Threat. Yale University Press. pp. 100, 217. ISBN 978-0300120776.
  25. ^ The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Population by ethnic groups 2012-01-03 at the Wayback Machine
  26. ^ Minahan, p. 1084. "Lezgin national organizations estimate the actual Lezgin population in Azerbaijan at between 600,000 and 900,000, much higher than the official estimates. The disparity arises from the number of ethnic Lezgins registered as ethnic Azeris during the soviet period and continue to claim Azeri nationality to escape job and education discrimination in Azerbaijan."
  27. ^ Robert Bruce Ware, Enver Kisriew, E.F. Kisriew, "Dagestan: Russian hegemony and Islamic resistance in the North Caucasus" ,M.E. Sharpe, 2009
  28. ^ a b Cornell, Svante (2005). Small Nations and Great Powers: A Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict in the Caucasus. Routledge. p. 259. ISBN 978-1135796693.
  29. ^ Yo'av Karny,"Highlanders: A Journey to the Caucasus in Quest of Memory",Macmillan, 2001. pp 112:"The last 1989 all Soviet census recorded 204,400 Lezgins in Daghestan and 171,395 Lezgins in Azerbaijan. Both figures reflected a relative, almost identical decline (5 percent) in Lezgin numbers in both "homelands". Roughly 65,000 Lezgins were counted in other parts of the Soviet Union, mostly Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan"
  30. ^ "Tracing Ancestry, Researchers Produce a Genetic Atlas of Human Mixing Events". New York Times. 2014-02-14. Retrieved 2021-12-12.

Bibliography

  • Minahan, J. (2002) Encyclopaedia of stateless nations: L-R, Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780313321115.
  • Yarshater, E. (1983) The Cambridge history of Iran, Volume One, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. ISBN 0-521-20092-X.

lezgins, leks, lezgian, Лезгияр, Лекьер, lezgijar, northeast, caucasian, ethnic, group, native, predominantly, southern, dagestan, republic, russia, northeastern, azerbaijan, lezgin, predominantly, sunni, muslims, speak, lezgi, language, Лезгияр, from, 1930, a. Lezgins or Leks Lezgian Lezgiyar Leker IPA lezgijar are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group native predominantly to southern Dagestan a republic of Russia and northeastern Azerbaijan The Lezgin are predominantly Sunni Muslims and speak the Lezgi language LezginsLezgiyarLezgins from a 1930 anti Soviet uprising raised index fingers symbolize Islamic monotheism Total populationc 700 000 Regions with significant populations Russia Dagestan 385 240 1 473 722 1 Azerbaijan350 000LanguagesLezginReligionSunni Islam minority Shia Islam 2 3 4 Related ethnic groupsOther Northeast Caucasian peoples especially Aghuls Tsakhurs Tabasarans and RutulsThe land of the Lezgins has been subject to multiple invaders throughout history Its isolated terrain and the strategic value outsiders have placed on the areas settled by Lezgins has contributed much to the Lezgin community ethos and helped shape its national character Due to constant attacks from the invaders the Lezgins have developed a national code Lezgiwal Lezgin society has traditionally been egalitarian and organized around many autonomous local clans called syhils sihilar Notable historical Lezgin leaders include Hadji Dawud 1680 1735 and Sheikh Muhammad 1771 1838 Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Culture 3 1 Lezgiwal 3 2 Religion 3 3 Languages and literature 3 4 Dances and music 4 Demographics 4 1 Traditional homeland 4 2 Azerbaijan 4 3 Dagestan 5 Genetics 6 Notable Lezgins 7 See also 8 References 9 BibliographyEtymology EditThe eagle being the Lezgin national animal the term Lezgi is said to derive from Lek the Lezgin word for eagle 5 Others believe Lezgi to be derived from the ancient Legi and early medieval Lakzi Ancient Greek historians including Herodotus Strabo and Pliny the Elder referred to the Legoi or Ancient Greek Lῆxai romanized Le chai 6 people who inhabited Caucasian Albania Arab historians of the 9th and 10th centuries mentioned a kingdom called Lakz in present day southern Dagestan 7 Al Masoudi referred to inhabitants of this area as Lakzams Lezgins 8 who defended Shirvan against invaders from the north 9 Prior to the Russian Revolution Lezgin was a term applied to all ethnic groups inhabiting the present day Russian Republic of Dagestan 10 In the 19th century the term was used more broadly for all ethnic groups speaking non Nakh Northeast Caucasian languages including Caucasian Avars Laks and many others although the Vainakh peoples who were Northeast Caucasian language speakers were referred to as Circassians History Edit Map of Lezgistan 1846 In the 4th century BC the numerous tribes speaking Lezgic languages united in a union of 26 tribes formed in the Eastern Caucasus state of Caucasian Albania which itself was incorporated in the Persian Achaemenid Empire in 513 BC 11 12 Under Persian and Parthian rule Caucasian Albania was divided into several areas Lakzi Shirvan etc The Lezgic speaking tribes participated in the battle of Gaugamela under the Persian banner against the invading Alexander the Great 11 Under Parthian rule Iranian political and cultural influence increased in the whole region of their Caucasian Albanian province therefore including where the Lezgic speaking tribes lived 13 Whatever the sporadic suzerainty of Rome of the region due to their wars with the Parthians the country was now a part together with Iberia East Georgia and Caucasian Albania where other Arsacid branches reigned of a pan Arsacid family federation 13 Culturally the predominance of Hellenism as under the Artaxiads was now followed by again a predominance of Iranianism and symptomatically instead of Greek as before Parthian became the language of the educated of the region 13 An incursion in this era was made by the Alans who between 134 and 136 attacked regions including where Lezgic tribes lived but Vologases persuaded them to withdraw probably by paying them In 252 253 rule over the Lezgic tribes changed from Parthian to Sassanid Persian Caucasian Albania became a vassal state 14 now of the Sassanids but retained its monarchy the Albanian king had no real power and most civil religious and military authority lay with the Sassanid marzban military governor of the territory 15 The Roman Empire obtained control over some of the southernmost Lezgin regions for a few years around 300 AD but then the Sassanid Persians regained control and subsequently dominated the area for centuries until the Arab invasions Many Lezgins lived in the Persian ruled Derbent khanate which Russia occupied and dissolved in 1813 Although Lezgins were first introduced to Islam perhaps as early as the 8th century the Lezgins remained primarily animist until the 15th century when Muslim influence became stronger with Persian traders coming in from the south and the Golden Horde increasingly pressing from the north In the early 16th century the Persian Safavids consolidated their control over large parts of Dagestan for centuries onwards As a result of the Ottoman Safavid War of 1578 1590 the Ottomans managed to wrest control of the region for a short period of time until it was regained by the Safavids under king Abbas I r 1588 1629 A notable Lezgin from the Safavid Iranian era was Fath Ali Khan Daghestani who served as Safavid grand vizier from 1716 to 1720 during the reign of king shah Sultan Husayn 1694 1722 By the early course of the 18th century the Safavid Empire was in a state of heavy decline In 1721 the Lezgins sacked and looted the city of Shamakhi the provincial capital of Shirvan The Lak Kazi Kumukh Khanate controlled a part of the Lezgins for a time in the 18th century after the disintegration of the Safavid EmpireIn the first half of the 18th century Persia was able to restore its full authority throughout the entire Caucasus under Nader Shah After the death of Nader the area divided into multiple khanates Some Lezgins were part of the Kuba Khanate in what is now Azerbaijan while others fell under the jurisdiction of the Derbent Khanate and Kura Khanate The main part of Lezgins united in free society Magalim Akhty para now Akhtynsky District Kure now Kurakhsky District Alty para and Dokuz para now Dokuzparinsky District Some Lezgin clans were in the Rutul Federation 16 In 1813 as a result of the Treaty of Gulistan the Russians gained control over southern Dagestan and most of what is the contemporary Azerbaijan Republic 17 The 1828 Treaty of Turkmenchay indefinitely consolidated Russian control over Dagestan and other area s where the Lezgins lived and removed Iran from the military equation 18 17 The Russian administration subsequently created the Kiurin Khanate later to become the Kiurin district Many Lezgins in Dagestan however participated in the Great Caucasian War that started roughly during the same time the Russo Persian Wars of the 19th century were happening and fought against the Russians alongside the Avar Imam Shamil who for 25 years 1834 1859 defied Russian rule It was not until after his defeat in 1859 that the Russians consolidated their rule over Dagestan and the Lezgins Culture Edit Lezgins in the 1860s Lezgins culture is a unique blend of native customs adats and Islam like in other Northeast Caucasian people Lezgins celebrate Ramadan and Eid al Fitr some also celebrate Yaran Suvar which is dating to pre Islamic period 19 There is a strong theme of representing the nation with its national animal the Lek eagle it s connected with a strong value on the concept of freedom A large majority of the nation s national heroes fought for independence Hadj Dawud Abrek Kiri Buba Muhammad Shtulwi etc Lezgins don t like coercion their social structure being firmly based on equality and deference to individuality Lezgin society is structured around djamaat Lezgian zhamaat unions of clans and about 200 300 syhils Lezgian sihil clan Syhils descended from a common ancestor who lived a long time ago and each syhil has its own village and mountain Syhils are further subdivided into miresar patronymic families 20 Lezgiwal Edit Lezgiwal Lezgian Lezgival an unwritten code of honor for the Lezghins Lezgival was not written it was formed among the people as a set of ethical rules for Lezghins 21 Covers all spheres of life of any member of society starting from childhood Lezgival is a Code of honor and conduct passed down from generation to generation by parents and society It implies moral and ethical behaviour generosity and the will to safeguard the honor of women The legendary Abrek Kiri Buba before he was killed by the Russians said Better a knife in the chest than honor in the dirt 22 23 Religion Edit Shaykh Muhammad and murids Lezgins like other Northeast Caucasian majority are Sunni Muslims overwhelmingly adherents to the Shafi i Madhhab but some clans in village Miskindja are Jaʽfari Shia 24 Most of the population follows either the Shafi i or the Hanafi schools of jurisprudence fiqh The Shafi i school of jurisprudence has a long tradition among the Lezgins and thus it remains the most practiced Some adhere to the mystical Sufi tradition of muridism while about half of Lezgins belong to Sufi brotherhoods or tariqah Muridism among Lezghins was founded by Shaikh Muhammad as a means of struggle against Russia his most famous student is Imam Shamil The main type of settlement in Lezghins the village hur With regard to social groups Lezgin village it is divided into quarters Distributed large geographically related settlement one quarter one syhil Each village had a mosque rural area Kim a gathering of residents male part at the village assembly to address the most important issues of public life of the village Languages and literature Edit Main article Lezgin language The Lezgian language belongs to the Lezgic branch of the Northeast Caucasian language family with Aghul Rutul Tsakhur Tabasaran Budukh Khinalug Jek Khaput Kryts and Udi The Lezgin language has three closely related mutually intelligible dialects Kurin also referred to as Gunei or Kurakh Akhti and Kuba The Kurin dialect is the most widespread of the three and is spoken throughout most of the Lezgin territories in Daghestan including the town of Kurakh which historically was the most important cultural political and economic center in the Lezgin territory in Daghestan and is the former seat of the khanate of Kurin The Akhti dialect is spoken in southeastern Daghestan The Kuba dialect the most Turkicized of the three is widespread among the Lezgins of northern Azerbaijan named for the town of Kuba the cultural and economical focus of the region Dances and music Edit Main article LezginkaLezgin dance including the Lezgin solo male and pair dance are common among many peoples of the Caucasus The dance uses a 2 image The man moves in the way eagle alternates between a slow and rapid pace The most spectacular movements are dance movements of men when he is on his toes throwing his hands in different directions The woman moves in the form of Swan bewitching graceful posture and smooth hand movements The woman increases the tempo of her dance after the man Not surprisingly the dance common among all the Caucasian peoples was named in accordance with the ancient totem of the Lezgins the word Lek Lezgian lek means eagle An antique Lesghi rug east Caucasus c 1880Epic historical songs about wars are popular among Lezghins Best known are the ballads Shamil atana about Imam Shamil and Kiri Buba about a Lezgin abrek In the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth Lezgin culture and literature underwent a culture significantly influence Azerbaijan First Lezgin theater originated in 1906 in the village of Akhty In 1935 based on the semi professional team was created Lezgin State Music and Drama Theatre named after S Stalsky In 1998 the State Lezgin theater was opened in Azerbaijan located in Qusar Demographics EditTraditional homeland Edit Lezgistan from map of the Caucasus by Johann Gustav Gaerber 1728 The Lezgins inhabit a compact territory that straddles the border area of southern Dagestan and northern Azerbaijan It lies for the most part in the southeastern portion of Daghestan in Akhtynsky District Dokuzparinsky District Suleyman Stalsky District Kurakhsky District Magaramkentsky District Khivsky District Derbentsky District and Rutulsky District and contiguous northeastern Azerbaijan in Kuba Qusar Qakh Khachmaz Oguz Qabala Nukha and Ismailli districts The Lezgin territories are divided into two physiographic zones a region of high rugged mountains and the piedmont foothills Most of the Lezgin territory is in the mountainous zone where a number of peaks like Baba Dagh reach over 3 500 meters in elevation There are deep and isolated canyons and gorges formed by the tributaries of the Samur and Gulgeri Chai rivers In the mountainous zones the summers are very hot and dry with drought conditions a constant threat There are few trees in this region aside from those in the deep canyons and along the streams themselves Drought resistant shrubs and weeds dominate the natural flora The winters here are frequently windy and brutally cold In this zone the Lezgins engaged primarily in animal husbandry mostly sheep and goats and in craft industries In the extreme east of the Lezgin territory where the mountains give way to the narrow coastal plain of the Caspian Sea and to the far south in Azerbaijan are the foothills This region has relatively mild very dry winters and hot dry summers Trees are few here also In this region animal husbandry and artisanry were supplemented by some agriculture along the alluvial deposits near the rivers Lezgins live mainly in Azerbaijan and Russia Dagestan The total population is believed to be around 700 000 with 474 000 living in Russia In Azerbaijan the government census counts 180 300 25 However Lezgin national organizations mention 600 000 to 900 000 the disparity being that many Lezgins claim Azeri nationality to escape job and education discrimination in Azerbaijan 26 Despite the assimilationist policy of the Azeri government the Lezgin population is undoubtedly greater than it appears 27 As Svante Cornell adds Whereas officially the number of Lezgins registered as such in Azerbaijan is around 180 000 the Lezgins claim that the number of Lezgins registered as Azerbaijan is many times higher than this figure some accounts showing over 700 000 Lezgins in Azerbaijan These figures are denied by the Azerbaijani government but in private many Azeris acknowledge the fact that the Lezgins and for that matter the Talysh or the Kurdish population is far higher than the official figures 28 Lezgins also live in Central Asia 29 mainly due to Stalin s deportation policies Azerbaijan Edit This section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Lezgins are generally speaking well integrated into the society of Azerbaijan Mixed marriages are furthermore common Lastly Lezgins in Azerbaijan have a better level of education compared to their kin in Dagestan 28 In 1992 a Lezgin organization named Sadval was established to promote Lezgin rights Sadval campaigned for the redrawing of the Russian Azerbaijani border to allow for the creation of a single Lezgin state encompassing areas in Russia and Azerbaijan where Lezgins were compactly settled In Azerbaijan a more moderate organization called Samur was formed advocating more cultural autonomy for Lezgins in Azerbaijan Lezgins traditionally suffered from unemployment and a shortage of land A major consequence of the outbreak of the war in Chechnya in 1994 was the closure of the border between Russia and Azerbaijan as a result the Lezgins were for the first time in their history separated by an international border restricting their movement The high tide of Lezgin mobilization in Azerbaijan appeared to have passed towards the end of the 1990s Sadval was banned by the Azerbaijani authorities after official allegations that it was involved in a bombing of the Baku underground The end of the Karabakh war and Lezgin resistance to forced conscription deprived the movement of a key issue on which to mobilize In 1998 Sadval split into moderate and radical wings following which it appeared to lose much of its popularity on both sides of the Russian Azerbaijani border However Azerbaijani Lezgin relations continued to be complicated by claims that Islamic fundamentalism enjoyed disproportionate popularity among Lezgins In July 2000 Azerbaijani security forces arrested members of Lezgin and Avar ethnicity of a group named the Warriors of Islam which allegedly was planning an insurgency against the Azerbaijani state Lezgins expressed concern over underrepresentation in the Azerbaijani Parliament Milli Meclis after a shift away from proportional representation in the parliamentary elections of November 2005 Lezgins had been represented by two members of parliament in the previous parliament but are now represented by only one Lezgins state that they face discrimination and that they feel forced to assimilate into Azeri identity to avoid economic and education discrimination Therefore the real number of Lezgins may be significantly higher than presented in censuses Lezgin is taught as a foreign language in areas where many Lezgins are settled but teaching resources are scarce Lezgin textbooks come from Russia and are not adapted to local conditions Although Lezgin newspapers are available Lezgins have also expressed concern over the disappearance of their rich oral tradition The only Lezgin television broadcasting available in Azerbaijan is that received over the border from Russia In March 2006 Azerbaijani media reported that Sadval had formed an underground terrorist unit carrying out operations in Dagestan Security forces across the border in Dagestan in Russia responded skeptically to these reports Dagestan Edit This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed September 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message According to reports Lezgins in Dagestan suffer disproportionately from unemployment with unemployment rates in Lezgin populated areas of southern Dagestan twice the republic average of 32 percent This may be one contributory factor to renewed calls from within the Sadval movement in January 2006 for a redrawing of the Russian Azerbaijani border to incorporate Lezgin populated areas of southern Dagestan within Azerbaijan In March 1999 another organization the Federal Lezgin National Cultural Autonomy was established as an extraterritorial movement advocating cultural autonomy for Lezgins Genetics EditModern day Lezgins speak Northeast Caucasian languages that have been spoken in the region before the introduction of Indo European languages They are closely related both culturally and linguistically to the Aghuls of southern Dagestan and somewhat more distantly to the Tsakhurs Rutuls and Tabasarans the northern neighbors of the Lezgins Also related albeit more distantly are the numerically small Jek Kryts Laks Shahdagh Budukh and Khinalug peoples of northern Azerbaijan These groups together with the Lezgins form the Samur branch of the indigenous Lezgic peoples Lezgins are believed to descend partly from people who inhabited the region of southern Dagestan in the Bronze Age However there is some DNA evidence of significant admixture during the last 4 000 years with a Central Asian population as shown by genetic links to populations throughout Europe and Asia with notable similarities to the Burusho people of Pakistan 30 Notable Lezgins EditThe most prominent figures in Lezgin history were Gazi Muhammad Xuluxwi Sheikh Muhammad Kurawi Abrek Alikhan Hiliwi Hadji Dawud and Suleyman StalThe most celebrated poet writing in the Lezgi language was Suleyman Stalwi Hadji Dawud 1735 1736 was a Lezgin military commander and Islamic religious leader who was influential in the resistance against Safavids imperialist expansion into the Caucasus during the late 17th century Hadji Dawud is considered the first leader of the resistance in Caucasus against Persian imperialism He remains a hero of the Lezgin and Dagestan peoples in general and their struggle for independence Suleyman Kerimov is a billionaire businessman philanthropist and politician Nazim Huseynov judoka who won the Men s 60 kg in the 1992 Summer Olympics competing for the Unified Team Ruslan Gurbanov footballer See also EditNader s Dagestan campaign Lezginka Lezgian language Lezgistan North Caucasian people Northeast Caucasian peopleReferences Edit a b Nacionalnyj sostav naseleniya Rossijskoj Federacii soglasno perepisi aseleniya 2010 goda gks ru Retrieved 2011 02 04 Koter Marek Heffner Krystian Sobczynski Marek 2003 The Role of Ethnic Minorities in Border Regions Forms of their composition problems of development and political rights ISBN 9788371261749 Retrieved 18 December 2014 Although the Lezgin are Sunni Muslims there is a strong Shiite minority Friedrich Paul 1994 Encyclopedia of World Cultures Russia and Eurasia China G K Hall p 243 ISBN 978 0816118106 Given the strong Azerbaijani influence on them however there is a sizable Shiite minority among the Lezgins Cole Jeffrey E 2016 Ethnic Groups of Europe An Encyclopedia An Encyclopedia ABC CLIO p 237 ISBN 978 1598843033 The Lezgins are Muslims the great majority are Sunni of the Shafi i rite with small numbers of Lezgins living near or inside Azerbaijan being Shiite Gadzhiev Vladilen Gadisovich 1979 Sochinenie I Gerbera Opisanie stran i narodov mezhdu Astrahanyu i rekoyu Kuroj nahodyashihsya kak istoricheskij istochnik po istorii narodov Kavkaza in Russian Nauka Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Lesghians Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 16 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 489 Haspelmath Martin 1993 A grammar of Lezgin Walter de Gruyter p 17 ISBN 3 11 013735 6 Yakut IV 364 According to al Masoudi Murudzh II 5 VFMinorsky History of Shirvan M 1963 Olson James Stuart Pappas Nicholas Charles 1994 An Ethnohistorical dictionary of the Russian and Soviet empires Greenwood Publishing Group p 438 ISBN 0 313 27497 5 a b Chaumont M L Albania Archived 2007 03 10 at the Wayback Machine Encyclopaedia Iranica Bruno Jacobs ACHAEMENID RULE IN Caucasus in Encyclopaedia Iranica January 9 2006 Excerpt Achaemenid rule in the Caucasus region was established at the latest in the course of the Scythian campaign of Darius I in 513 512 BC The Persian domination of the cis Caucasian area the northern side of the range was brief and archeological findings indicate that the Great Caucasus formed the northern border of the empire during most if not all of the Achaemenid period after Darius a b c Toumanoff Cyril The Arsacids Encyclopaedia Iranica excerpt Whatever the sporadic suzerainty of Rome the country was now a part together with Iberia East Georgia and Caucasian Albania where other Arsacid branched reigned of a pan Arsacid family federation Culturally the predominance of Hellenism as under the Artaxiads was now followed by a predominance of Iranianism and symptomatically instead of Greek as before Parthian became the language of the educated Yarshater p 141 Nevertheless despite being one of the chief vassals of Sasanian Shahanshah the Albanian king had only a semblance of authority and the Sassanid marzban military governor held most civil religious and military authority Friedrich Paul Levinson David Diamond Norma 1991 Encyclopedia of World Cultures Russia and Eurasia China Vol 6 G K Hall pp 241 243 318 527 ISBN 0816118108 a b Dowling Timothy C 2 December 2014 Russia at War From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan Chechnya and Beyond ISBN 9781598849486 Retrieved 22 December 2014 Aksan Virginia 2014 Ottoman Wars 1700 1870 An Empire Besieged page 463 Routledge ISBN 978 1317884033 Pokachyovskie lezginy otmetili Yaran suvar Lezgi Gazet in Russian 2019 03 23 Retrieved 2021 06 15 Halilrin Shamil 2020 04 20 Lezgival ALAM in Russian Retrieved 2021 06 13 Halilrin Shamil 2020 04 20 naroda kak svod eticheskih pravil lezgin gival Lezgival ALAM in Russian Retrieved 2021 06 13 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Check url value help Tishkov Valerij Aleksandrovich 2007 Rossijskij Kavkaz kniga dlya politikov in Russian Rosinformagroteh pp 138 384 ISBN 978 5 201 00806 2 Vestnik Evrazii in Russian Izd vo DI DIK 2000 p 36 Hahn Gordon M 2007 Russia s Islamic Threat Yale University Press pp 100 217 ISBN 978 0300120776 The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan Population by ethnic groups Archived 2012 01 03 at the Wayback Machine Minahan p 1084 Lezgin national organizations estimate the actual Lezgin population in Azerbaijan at between 600 000 and 900 000 much higher than the official estimates The disparity arises from the number of ethnic Lezgins registered as ethnic Azeris during the soviet period and continue to claim Azeri nationality to escape job and education discrimination in Azerbaijan Robert Bruce Ware Enver Kisriew E F Kisriew Dagestan Russian hegemony and Islamic resistance in the North Caucasus M E Sharpe 2009 a b Cornell Svante 2005 Small Nations and Great Powers A Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict in the Caucasus Routledge p 259 ISBN 978 1135796693 Yo av Karny Highlanders A Journey to the Caucasus in Quest of Memory Macmillan 2001 pp 112 The last 1989 all Soviet census recorded 204 400 Lezgins in Daghestan and 171 395 Lezgins in Azerbaijan Both figures reflected a relative almost identical decline 5 percent in Lezgin numbers in both homelands Roughly 65 000 Lezgins were counted in other parts of the Soviet Union mostly Russia Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan Tracing Ancestry Researchers Produce a Genetic Atlas of Human Mixing Events New York Times 2014 02 14 Retrieved 2021 12 12 Bibliography EditMinahan J 2002 Encyclopaedia of stateless nations L R Greenwood Publishing Group ISBN 9780313321115 Yarshater E 1983 The Cambridge history of Iran Volume One Cambridge University Press Cambridge ISBN 0 521 20092 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lezgins amp oldid 1151851354, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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