34 Facts About Kizbech Tughuzhuqo

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo was a Circassian military commander who took part in the Russo-Circassian War.

Personally witnessing all of his family get killed by the Russian army, Tughuzhuqo was a cavalry commander especially successful in raiding behind enemy lines.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo received multiple offers from the Russian Empire to switch sides and join its Imperial ranks but he refused all offers and closed negotiations.

Sources and contemporary writers on Kizbech include David Urquhart, secretary of the British Embassy in Istanbul and a supporter of the Circassians who contributed to the Portfolio magazine; Edmund Spencer and John E Longworth, travellers who reported from Circassia for The Times; and James Stanislaus Bell, who followed Urquhart's lead in writing letters to the British people.

The name Kizbech Tughuzhuqo is a shortened form of Kizilbech and is recorded as Guz Bek, Ghezil Bek and Kazbek in various sources.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo is referred to as Kizil Bey in Ottoman documents.

Kizbech's original surname was Sherelh'yqo, while Tughuzhuqo means "son of Tughuzh".

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo was born in 1777 in the village of Beannash, to the Shapsug noble house of Sherelh'yqo.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo was the son of Sherelh'yqo Tughuzh, one of the most prominent figures among the Shapsugs.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo was born into a family of seven children.

The Circassian revolution started in Shapsug when Kizbech Tughuzhuqo was 18 years old.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo returned definitively in 1810 and began to appear again in written records.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo gained fame between 1810 and 1839, and almost all major Circassian raids on Russian fortifications during this period are associated with his name.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo started his struggle once the Russo-Circassian War reached western Circassia.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo rose to fame by defeating Vlasov in 1820.

The Circassians believed that Kizbech Tughuzhuqo had met Khidr.

On 9 October 1823, Kizbech Tughuzhuqo unsuccessfully tried ambushing Russian forces near the Alexandrovsky post.

However, after receiving news of approaching Russian reinforcements, Kizbech Tughuzhuqo hastily turned around, and headed back to Circassia.

The Russians intercepted his forces twice, leading to heavy casualties on the Circassian side; however, Kizbech Tughuzhuqo managed to get back to Circassia, heavily wounded and with 3 captives.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo was part of the team that designed the Shapsug flag.

The famous Shapsug knight Kizbech Tughuzhuqo attended this gathering, where they decided to attack us.

In 1830, Kizbech Tughuzhuqo attacked Elizavinskaya settlement and destroyed it, and in 1834, heading a force of 700 cavaliers along with Hawduqo Mansur, he brutally defeated a 14 thousand soldier Russian troops in the Battle of Abinsk.

The sides fought with equal numbers, and Kizbech Tughuzhuqo's side won the battle.

The Egyptian rulers wanted to recruit him into the Egyptian army, but Kizbech Tughuzhuqo rejected the offer.

Tughuzhuqo Kizbech fought like a madman himself: they cut his left temple and neck, and pierced his side with a spear.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo rejected offers of money and continued his raids on Russian garrisons.

In 1840, Kizbech Tughuzhuqo, heading a group of Circassian cavaliers, captured the garrisons of Waya, Tuapse and Shaps.

The song written for Kizbech Tughuzhuqo by Kor Osman, who was a contemporary of Kizbech Tughuzhuqo, goes like this:.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo frees the prisoners, and his two sons are like eagles,.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo witnessed the fear in the hearts of Russian soldiers when hearing Kizbech's name, and how they dispersed before him after they had seen him.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo died of wounds received in action on February 28,1840, during the Siege of Veliaminovsky.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo had six different fatal wounds at the time.

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo was a devout Muslim and made the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Sources report that the Russian Tsar wanted a photograph of Kizbech Tughuzhuqo and tried to buy it, but Kizbech Tughuzhuqo refused.