Principality of Besleney
Principality of Besleney | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Late 1530s–1860 | |||||||||
The tamga of the Qanoqo princely dynasty which ruled Besleney
| |||||||||
The Principality of Besleney in the first quarter of the 19th century Principality of Besleney
Tributary Abazin communities | |||||||||
| Status | Principality | ||||||||
| Common languages | Besleney dialect of Eastern Circassian | ||||||||
| Religion | Khabzeism & Eastern Orthodoxy (c. 16th century) Sunni Islam (Hanafi) (c. 16th century – 1860) | ||||||||
| Pshi (Prince) | |||||||||
• Late 1530s | Qanoqo (First) | ||||||||
• ? – 1860 | Adilgeri (Last) | ||||||||
| Governor | |||||||||
• Early 1850s | Jambot Sholokh | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Separation from Kabardia | Late 1530s | ||||||||
• Conversion to Islam; nominal loyalty to Ottoman Caliphate | 16th century | ||||||||
• Autonomous under the Caucasian Imamate | 1843 – 1844 1849 – 1857 | ||||||||
• Part of Russian sphere | August 1859 | ||||||||
• Destroyed in the Russo-Circassian War | 1860 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
The Principality of Besleney was a historical principality and a province of Circassia. It occupied a strategic position in the upper reaches of the Kuban River and served as a distinct political entity from the late 1530s until the end of the Russo-Circassian War in 1860s. For much of its history, Besleney was an ally of the Crimean Khanate, and the two states had royal marriage ties.
The principality was inhabited by the Besleney Circassians, and was ruled by the Qanoqo (Kanoko) princely dynasty.