Isa of Ghendargen (Chechen: Гендаргнойн Ӏийса, romanized: Ghendargnoyn Isa; 1795 – 1845) was a Chechen General during the Caucasian War, who commanded the Eastern and Central Fronts of Caucasian Imamate. He is also one of the great commanders in Chechen history. Isa was of the Ghendargnoy teip and Appaz-Nek'e (Branch of a teip).[1]
Isa of Ghendargen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1795 Ghendargen, Chechnya |
| Died | 1845 Urus-Martan, Chechnya |
| Allegiance |  Caucasian Imamate |
| Service | Army |
| Years of service | 1810–1845 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | Eastern and Central fronts |
| Battles / wars | |
Early life
editIsa was born in 1795 in the village of Ghendargen, in the east of Chechnya.[2] His father Ela had great influence among the Chechens.[3] When the boy was ten, the family moved to Urus-Martan. In his youth Isa stood out among his peers for his leadership and bravery.[4]
Caucasian war
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In May 1840, detachments of Isa and Akhberdil-Muhammad defeated Russian troops near the village of Achkhoy-Martan, and a month later attacked the Russian fortress of Nazran. General Galafeev's expedition into western Chechnya, commanded by 4,000 infantrymen and 1,500 Cossacks, was the answer. Isa and others ambushed the troops on the Valerik River. The battle took place on 11 July 1840. Both sides suffered significant losses.[4]
In the summer of 1842 General Grabbe organised a military campaign in eastern Chechnya with the intention of capturing Dargo and defeating Shamil's residence. A ten-thousand-strong detachment of Russian troops got bogged down in the dense Chechen forests and was constantly attacked by Chechens. In this battle Isa and his detachment supported Shuaib-Mulla of Tsentara. The Chechens defeated Grabbe's expeditionary detachment. He lost about 1,800 soldiers and 66 officers in that battle.[4]
In his last battle, Isa inflicted a major defeat on the Austrian general of the Russian service, Franz Klugenau, destroying 1,700 soldiers and officers near the village of Dargo.[4]
Death
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Isa of Ghendargen died after a serious short illness in December 1845. It is said that his last words were:
I spent many years in the war for ghazawat, hoping that I would fall on the battlefield. I never thought I would have to die in bed. Yet I believe that my merits will count for me in the next world.[2]
References
edit- ^ Д. Хожаев: Чеченцы в Русско-Кавказской войне. / Науч. ред. Т. Мазаева. — Грозный—СПб.: «СЕДА».
- ^ a b Эльмурзаев Ю. М. Страницы истории чеченского народа. — Гр.: Книга, 1993. — С. 57—71.
- ^ Блиев М. М. Россия и горцы Большого Кавказа: на пути к цивилизации. — М.: Мысль, 2004. — С. 472—473. — 800 с.
- ^ a b c d Гапуров Ш. А. Исторические личности Чечни (XI—XXI вв.). — Гр.: Грозненский рабочий, 2020. — С. 236—240. — 720 с. — ISBN 978-5-4314-0422-1.