Battle of Khankala (1735)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
changes End of Crimean claims over Chechnya
| Battle of Khankala | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Ottoman–Persian War (1730–1735) | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Chechens |
Crimean Khanate Kuban Nogais | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Aidemir Bardykhanov | Qaplan I Giray | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| ~2,000 | ~80,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown | ~10,000 killed | ||||||||
The Battle of Khankala was fought on 6 September 1735 in the Khankala Gorge in present-day Chechnya between Chechen militias and the invading forces of the Crimean Khanate. The battle ended in a decisive Chechen victory and marked the permanent end of Crimean ambitions in Chechnya.
Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Chechen forces, led by Prince Aidemir Bardykhanov of Chechen-Aul, successfully ambushed and destroyed two large Crimean detachments using terrain, weather, and guerrilla tactics. As a result, the Crimean Khan Qaplan I Giray was forced to abandon his campaign.
During the Ottoman–Persian War (1730–1735), the Ottoman Sultan ordered the Crimean Khan Qaplan I Giray to march toward Persia through the North Caucasus. On 15 May 1735, Qaplan set out with an army of approximately 60,000 men. In the northwestern Caucasus, he was joined by an additional 20,000 troops from Trans-Kuban Nogai princes. The total invading force therefore reached nearly 80,000 men.[1][2]
The campaign aimed to subjugate the peoples of the North Caucasus and impose heavy taxation. Previous Crimean expeditions had already devastated large areas of the region, as well as territories in Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. The Chechens, who were also ordered to pay tribute, refused these demands. In response, Qaplan announced his intention to punish the Chechen population militarily.[1]
By early autumn 1735, after passing through Kabardian lands and advancing along the Sunzha River, the Crimean army reached northern Chechnya.[1]
Prelude
In response to the impending invasion, Chechen leaders mobilized militias from Chechen-Aul, Aldy, Gekhi, Starye Atagi, and other lowland settlements, as well as mountain communities. However, the total number of fighters did not exceed 2,000 men.[1]
The Chechen forces assembled in the Khankala Gorge, southeast of modern Grozny. The narrow, densely forested terrain was ideal for ambushes. Logging was forbidden in the gorge, leaving the forest nearly impassable for large cavalry formations.[1]
Qaplan attempted to incite internal conflict by appealing to his former ally, Prince Aidemir Bardykhanov, ruler of the Chechen plain. However, Aidemir refused to submit, instead organizing resistance and sabotaging the Crimean army by stealing horses and disrupting supply lines.[1]
On 6 September 1735, Qaplan issued an ultimatum demanding annual tribute and the delivery of five women to his harem. The Chechens replied: “Everything for the Khan—only after all of us are dead.”[1]