Cherkesogai

[Boghos]

A friend of mine pointed me to this. I had never heard of them.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherkesogai

 

Cherkesogai (Russian: Черкесогаи, «эрмелы», also «горские» or «закубанские» армяне; черкесармяне; черкесские армяне [1]) are ethnic Armenians who inhabit Russia's Krasnodar Krai and Republic of Adyghea since the end of 15th century and speak the Adyghe language, apart from other Armenians living in the region. They reside mostly in the cities of Armavir and Maykop. Total number of Cherkosogai Armenians is about 50 thousand people (2008 estimation). According to Russian 2002 Census 230 Armenians speak Adyghe language and 222 speak Kabardian language as native.[2]

Contents [hide]

1 History

2 Settlement areas

3 References

4 See also

[edit]History

 

Since the early medieval characteristic form of settlement of the Armenian ethnic group becomes the diaspora. Over time, North Caucasus and Transcaucasus becomes an important center of settlement (in some places compact) Armenians. The impetus for the emigration of Armenians from their historical homeland. It was believed that the majority of Armenians emigrated to the Kuban in the 15th century of Crimea and where finally formed a vassal of Turkish Crimean Khanate and living conditions prevailing there once Christians (Greeks, Armenians, Crimean Goths) have deteriorated sharply. According to some sources, 1475, when Turks finally seized control up to the Genoese of the Catholic and Orthodox Principality of Theodoro Crimea and began to exterminate the civilian population, Armenians began to move actively to the Ukraine, Moldova and Poland. Some Armenians found refuge among the Circassians and Abkhazians, while Christians or pagans. Armenians settlers, having lived in the mountains 300 years, picked up the language, manners, customs, particularly of life, the entire way of life of Circassians, among whom they settled, but have retained their ethnic identity and Christian faith - the Armenian-Gregorian, close to the Russian Orthodox Church. As a result of the interpenetration of the two cultures formed a completely new ethnic group of Cherkosogai - Mountainous Armenians.

[edit]Settlement areas

 

Cherkesogais settled in the following auls:

Gur-Khabl

Hatukay

Egeruhay,

Hadzhihabl,

Enim,

Shokon,

Psehutg.

Two Cherkesogai villages also were based in the area of modern Gelendzhik, Azatuh and Bzatuh. Cherkosogais have learned the basic elements of culture and clothing of Circassians, communicated a special dialect of Adyghe language. Part of the Armenians were engaged mainly trade, crafts and agriculture, the other part of the Armenians to avoid any pleasure in life. The first known document of Cherkosogai - undated memo Armenian cleric Archbishop Joseph Arghutyan Catherine II, who was the first Armenian clergymen established a link with Cherkosogai and encourage their relocation to Russian Empire in connection with efforts in the last quarter of the 16th century the influence of the Ottoman Empire in the North-West Caucasus. Later Cherkesogai often played the role of the mediator in the trade between the Russians and mountaineers.

[edit]References

 

^ Л.В. Бурыкина. Черкесогаи Северо-Западного Кавказа в XIX в.

^ 2002 All-Russia Population Census: Language (except Russian) population of the most numerous nationalities (with a population of 400 thousand people or more)

Черкесогаи Северо-Западного Кавказа в XIX в.

Армяне Краснодарского края

[edit]

[Arpa]

Good find Boghos.

I had no idea.

First off the orthographical anomaly where it is spelled “cherkezoGai” it was apparently meant “cherkezaHay” (the Armenian H becomes G in the Russian.)

Google will respond to search of “Չերքեզահայ”, and it is affirmed in the SAE under the monograph of “Չերքեզահայեր/Cherkezahayer” Their saga (emigration) begins in the XV century extending all the way to the present. They are apparently quasi-Armenians, not unlike the Hamshens who have migrated from Crimea, to Nor Armavir, even if many of them may still speak a so called “Armenian dilaect?” Many, succumbing to oppression have taken Islam as their religion.

Please google and se how many sites respond to a search of "cherkezian", (About 8,760 results). Why are there so many Armenian families named Cherkezian”?

One of the best known of them was Hovannes Cherkezian, endearingly know as “cherkez”, a star futbolist/ captain of the Marash Vaspurakan of Aleppo.

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Where is Johannes to give us the full text of the Article in the (SA) Encyclopedia/Hanragitaran!

Edited November 4, 2010 by Arpa

[Boghos]

Cherkezahay makes total sense. We also have a few Cherkezians here, I think I mentioned also Kurdoglians...we have had this discussion before...btw, Lions of Marash was translated to Portuguese!

[Arpa]

And, what if Cherkez/Cherkes/Charkaz/Charkas/Cicassian is related to Xerxes?

Many articles show a connection. The following does not open any better, may be for the better as the site seems to be suspicious, but see the google teaser. I will not open the site but see how he calls himself "cherkes" in the Russian and the Greek;

Get short, timely messages from Vladimir Cherkes. ... «Ксеркс» (Xerxes, 2011) http…..

Xerxes, to be read as the Greek “khserkhses”and the Armenian, obviously from the Greek qserqses/ Քսերքսէս:

Xerxes I of Persia (English: /ˈzɜrksiːz/; Old Persian: خشایارشا Ḫšayāršā,** IPA: [xʃajaːrʃaː]; also known as Xerxes the Great, was the fourth Zoroastrian king of kings of the Achamenid Empire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerxes_I_of_Persia

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**In fact the above Farsi script is meant to read as “khshayarsha”.

 

 

AHHH!!

There are two Քսերքսէս Xerxeses in Armenian historiography. One is obviously the above Persian, and the other is an Armenian King of Commagene, purportedly the son of Arsham.

What if that King may also have been known as SHAVARSH/khshayarsha/خشایارشا

Edited November 5, 2010 by Arpa