Grand Prince of Kabardia
Title given to the noble ruling class in the Princedom of Kabardia
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The Grand Prince of Kabardia (Kabardian: Къэбэрдеим и пщышхуэ) was the title given to the Kabardian rulers. In Russian sources, it is referred to as the Kabardian governor. In the late 18th century, the term Pshi Thamada was used to denote the title by the Kabardians, which was mentioned in 16th-19th century Russian sources as the Grand Duke, or Grand Prince. All Kabardian princes and dynasties claim descent from Inal the Great.[1][2] The Grand Prince of Kabardia was elected by the votes of other princes and first-ranked nobles. This title could only be attained through election and could not be passed down unlawfully from father to son.[2] The Grand Prince of Kabardia was a nominal vassal of the Prince of Princes of Circassia.[3]
List of Grand Princes
List of early Grand Princes
The list of rulers for the period before Temruqo of Kabardia is derived from two primary historical traditions. The first is based on 17th-century Russian records, which documented the oral genealogies provided by Kabardian princes arriving in Moscow.[4] The second follows the 16th-century Arabic manuscript "al-Uqud al-Jawhariyya fi al-Mahasin al-Dawla al-Ashrafiyya al-Ghawriyya" (Precious Necklaces Concerning the Merits of the State of al-Ashraf al-Ghawri). This chronicle identifies Kabardia as a distinct political entity by the 1440s and provides an earlier written account of the princely genealogy than the later Russian sources. The chronicle specifically details the period from the mid to late 15th century and does not extend into later successions.[5] These two traditions offer different grand princes for the early Kabardian rulers.
List according to 17th-century Russian records (Oral tradition)
| Prince | Native name | Reign | Death date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Inal "the Blind"[4] |
Хъурыфэлъей и къуэ Инал Нэф | See Dating of Inal | See Dating of Inal | Legendary ancestor of the Circassian princes. |
| Tabuldu[4] | Инал и къуэ Тэбылду | XV. century | Unknown | Son of Inal |
| Yinarmas[4] | Тэбылду и къуэ Инэрмэс | First half of XVI. century | Unknown | Son of Tabuldu |
| Jankhot I[4] | Тэбылду и къуэ Жанхъуэт | First half of XVI. century | Unknown | Son of Tabuldu |
| Beslan "the Fat"[4] | Жанхъуэт и къуэ Беслъэн | First half of XVI. century | 1530s | Son of Jankhot |
| Yidar[4][6] | Инэрмэс и къуэ Айдар / Идар | First half of XVI. century | 1537/1538 | Son of Yinarmas |
| Qeytuqo[4] | Беслъэн и къуэ Къетыкъуэ | First half of XVI. century–1550s | Unknown | Son of Beslan |
List according to the 16th-century Arabic manuscript (Al-Uqud al-Jawhariyya)
| Prince | Native name | Reign | Death date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Inal "the Blind" |
Хъурыфэлъей и къуэ Инал Нэху | See Dating of Inal | See Dating of Inal | Legendary ancestor of the Circassian princes. |
| Tabuldu | Тэбылду | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Qirqilish | Къыркълыш | 1440s–1450s | 1450s | Descendant of Tabuldu. Brother of Minbolet and Jankhot. Ruled for 7 years. Killed during a hunting trip with his 70 noblemen. |
| Minbolet | Минболэт | 1450s–1460s | 1460s | Descendant of Tabuldu. Brother of Qirqilish and Jankhot. Chosen by the council of elders. Ruled for 16 years and 16 days. Converted to Islam in the 5th year of his reign, end of 1450s. |
| Jankhot I | Жанхъуэт | Unknown | Descendant of Tabuldu. Brother of Qirqilish and Minbolet. He seized the throne by force with the Tatar army, but lost his power when he failed in his rule. | |
| Qeban | Къыркълыш и къуэ Къэбан | Unknown | Sons of Qirqilish. They ruled Kabardia together. During a conflict between Yelberdiy and Minbolet's son Bora, Yelberdiy was killed, and Qaban died of grief. | |
| Yelberdiy | Къыркълыш и къуэ Елбэрдий | |||
| Bora | Минболэт и къуэ Борэ | 1470s | Unknown | Minbolet's son. Bora was the grand prince during the period when Qansuh al-Ghawri's family migrated to Egypt (approximately 1470s). |
| Qeytuqo | Къетыкъуэ | Unknown | 1480s | Killed in a conflict with his rival and cousin, Jilakhstan. |
| Jilakhstan | Минболэт и Жылахъстэн | Unknown | 1491 | Minbolet's son. He engaged in a years-long power struggle with his rival Qeytuqo, eventually eliminating Qeytuqo and seizing control of the entire country. During the power struggle, he received support from the Yaqub Aq Qoyunlu and Farruh Yasar, and accepted Islam in Shirvan. |
| Mirza | Жылахъстэн и къуэ Мырзэ | Unknown | Son of Jilakhstan. After his father's death, he ruled Kabardia by dividing it with his uncle Talostan, as decided by the council of elders. He was killed by Talostan. | |
| Talostan | Талъостэн | End of 15th century | Unknown | Brother of Qeytuqo, uncle of Mirza. He refused to share power and killed Mirza. By the last period of the 15th century, he became the sole ruler of Kabardia. |
List of Grand Princes (Historical Period)
| Prince | Native name | Reign | Death date | Description | Dynasty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Temruqo "the Brave"[4][6] |
Айдар и къуэ Темырыкъу | 1550s–1571 | 1571 | Son of Yidar | Yidar |
.jpg) Qambolet[6] |
Айдар и къуэ Къамболэт | 1571–1589[7] | 1589[8] | The youngest son of Yidar. | Yidar |
| Aslanbech I | Къетыкъуэ и къуэ Аслъэнбэч | 1589 | 1589 | Son of Qeytuqo | |
| Jansokh[6] | Къетыкъуэ и къуэ Жансэхъу | 1589–c. 1590s[8] | Between 1592–1596[9] | The youngest son of Qeytuqo. | |
| Sholokh "the Mighty" | Тепсэрыкъу и къуэ Щолэхъу | 1609–1616 | 1616 | The younger brother of Beslan, grandson of Prince Talostan |  Talostan |
| Qudenet | Къамболэт и къуэ Къудэнет | 1616–1624 | 1624 | Son of Qambolet | Yidar |
 Alejuqo |
Щоджэныкъуэ и къуэ Алыджыкъуэ | 1624–1654 | 1654 | Grandson of Pshiapshoqo. | Shojenuqo |
| Hatokhshoqo I | Къазый и къуэ ХьэтIохъущокъуэ | 1654–1672 | 1672 | Son of Qaziy, who was killed in 1615, grandson of Pshiapshoqo. Founder of the Hatokhshoqo dynasty. |  Hatokhshoqo |
| Misost I | Къазый и къуэ Мысост | 1672–1695 | 1695 | Founder of the Misost dynasty. |  Misost |
 Kurghoqo |
ХьэтIохъущокъуэ Къазый и къуэ Кургъокъуэ | 1695–1709/10 | 1709/1710 | Hatokhshoqo | |
.jpg) Hatokhshoqo II |
Мысост и къуэ ХьэтIохъущокъуэ | 1709/10— 1721 | 1721 | Son of Qaziy Misost. | Misost |
| Yislambech | Мысост и къуэ Ислъамбэч | 1721–1732 | 1732 | Misost | |
| Tatarkhan "the Golden" | Бэчмырзэ и къуэ Тэтэрхъан | 1732–1737 | 1737 | The oldest son of Bechmirza Jembulat, Founder of the Bechmirza dynasty. |  Bechmirza |
| Aslanbech II "the Red-mustached" | Къетыкъуэ и къуэ Аслъэнбэч | 1737–1746 | 1746 | The oldest son of Qeytuqo Jembulat. |  Qeytuqo |
| Batoqo | Бэчмырзэ и къуэ Бэтокъуэ | 1746–1749 | 1752 | The fourth son of Bechmirza. | Qeytuqo |
| Jembulat | Къетыкъуэ и къуэ Джамболат | 1749–1753[10] | Unknown | Son of Qeytuqo Jambot | Qeytuqo |
| Bemat | ХьэтIохъущокъуэ Кургъокъуэ и къуэ Бэмат (Мухьэмэд) | 1752–1762 | 1762 | The oldest son of Kurghoqo. | Hatokhshoqo |
| Qasey | ХьэтIохъущокъуэ и къуэ Къасей | 1762–1773 | 1773 | Misost | |
| Jankhot II | Тэтэрхъан и къуэ Жанхъуэт | 1773–1785 | 1785 | Bechmirza | |
| Misost II "the Great" | ХьэтIохъущокъуэ Бэмат и къуэ Мысост | 1785–1788 | 1788 | Hatokhshoqo | |
| Hatokhshoqo III | Хьэмырзэ и къуэ ХьэтIохъущокъуэ | 1788–1806 | 1806 | In the 1793–1809 conflict | Qeytuqo |
.jpg) Hatokhshoqo IV |
ХьэтIохъущокъуэ и къуэ ХьэтIохъущокъуэ | 1809 | 1809 | Son of Misost Bematuqo | Hatokhshoqo |
.jpg) Kushuk |
Жанхъуэт и къуэ Кушыку | 1809–1822 | 1758–1830 | Bechmirza |