Circassians in Bulgaria

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Circassians in Bulgaria
Circassian: Балгарыем ис Адыгэхэр
Bulgarian: Черкези в България
BASA-1735K-1-344-4-Vidin.JPG
Vidin, Bulgaria
Total population
150,000 (late 19th century)[1]
573 (1992)[2]
Regions with significant populations
(Formerly)
Languages
Circassian
Religion
Mainly Islam
Related ethnic groups
Circassians

The Circassians in Bulgaria (Adyghe: Балгарыем ис Адыгэхэр, romanized: Balgarıyem yis Adıgəxər; Bulgarian: Черкези в България) were a large ethnic minority in the territory that constitutes modern Bulgaria. In the late 19th century, they numbered around 150,000. In 1992, 573 people in the country identified themselves as Circassian.[2]

History[]

After the Circassian genocide, large number of Circassians were exiled to the Ottoman Empire, including in Bulgaria,[3] where there was an estimated number of 150,000 Circassians.[1] In 1861–1862 alone, in the Danube Vilayet, there were 41,000 Circassian refugee families.[4] Their lives were not easy, as the inability of the Circassians to adapt to the new climate in the areas where they are inhabited led to serious diseases. Many families completely disappeared within a few years. Around 80,000 Circassians lived in "death camps" on the outskirts of Varna, where they were deprived of food and subjected to diseases. When Circassians begged for bread, Turkish soldiers would chase them down because the Turks were afraid of the diseases the Circassians might have contracted. Most Circassians died, and the Ottomans were unable to bury the vast number of bodies, so they enlisted the help of convicts. "We would rather move to Siberia than live in this Siberia... one can die, not live, on the indicated place," one Circassian in the region wrote to the zone's Governor-General.[5]

Both the Muslim and Christian population of Vidin volunteered to support the Circassian settlers by increasing grain production for them. The Ottoman authorities attempted to turn the Circassians into productive farmers by providing them with land to cultivate, with the expectation that the native inhabitants of the areas would look after them and "welcome them as brothers." This would create problems in Bulgaria, where some people were asked to assist in the construction of houses for Circassians. Some Bulgarians have also been reported to have been driven out of their homes in favor of Circassians, though these claims are contradictory.[6]

The Circassians were active participants in the conflicts in the region, always siding with the Ottomans against pro-Russian entities. In 1876, a thousand Circassians were slaughtered by Bulgarian rebels, and Circassians retaliated by siding with the Turks,[7] causing sympathy for Bulgarians in Europe.[3][6] Continuing the methods of Grigory Zass, Russian forces raped Circassian women and children in the area during the 1877-78 Russo-Turkish War.[8]

The Circassians were seen as a "Muslim threat" and expelled from Bulgaria and other parts of the Balkans by Russian armies following the end of the Russo-Turkish war. They were not allowed to return,[9][10] so the Ottoman authorities settled them in new other lands such as in modern Jordan (see Circassians in Jordan), where they would have conflict with Bedouin Arabs,[11] and Turkey (see Circassians in Turkey), where they would not be welcomed, and would ally with the Chechens (see Chechens in Turkey) against the Kurds and Armenians.[12]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Irechek, Konstantin; Константин Иречек посочва, че черкезите в България преди 1878 г. са 150 000 души, като обръща внимание на факта, че мъжкото население в Северна България сред кавказците, освен санджаците Ниш, Търново и София е 30 573 души.
  2. ^ a b Galabov, Antoniy. National Report Bulgaria p. 20. Council of Europe.
  3. ^ a b Richmond, Walter (2013). The Circassian Genocide. Rutgers University Press. back cover. ISBN 978-0-8135-6069-4.
  4. ^ Natho, Kadir I. Circassian History. Page 380
  5. ^ Natho, Kadir I. Circassian History. Page 375
  6. ^ a b Isla, Rosser-Owen. "The First Circassian Exodus to the Ottoman Empire (1858-1867), and the Ottoman Response, based on the accounts of Contemporary British Observers" (PDF). Circassianworld. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2010-05-25.
  7. ^ "Там /в Плевенско и Търновско/ действително се говори, че тези черкези отвличат деца от българи, загинали през последните събития." (Из доклада на английския консул в Русе Р. Рийд от 16.06.1876 г. до английския посланик в Цариград Х. Елиот. в Н. Тодоров, Положението, с. 316)
  8. ^ The New Review, Volume 1. Longmans, Green and Company. 1889. p. 309.
  9. ^ Hacısalihoğlu, Mehmet. Kafkasya'da Rus Kolonizasyonu, Savaş ve Sürgün (PDF). Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi.
  10. ^ BOA, HR. SYS. 1219/5, lef 28, p. 4
  11. ^ Walker, A. (September 1894). "The Circassian colonies at Amman and Jerash". The Biblical World. 4 (3): 202–204. doi:10.1086/471510. S2CID 144986180.
  12. ^ Natho, Kadir I. Circassian History.
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