Hadji Murad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hadji Murad
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Depiction by Eugene Lanceray
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Born | 1818 Khunzakh, Dagestan, North Caucasia
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Died | 5 May 1852 |
(aged 33–34)
Known for | Resistance leader against the Russian Empire |
Hadji Murad (Russian: Хаджи-Мурат, Avar: XӀажи Мурад; 1818 – May 5, 1852) was a very important leader from the North Caucasus region. He was an Avar and played a big part in the resistance against the Russian Empire. This resistance lasted from 1811 to 1864, as the people of Dagestan and Chechnya fought to keep their land from becoming part of Russia.
Contents
Hadji Murad's Life Story
Early Years
Hadji Murad grew up in the North Caucasus mountains. He was an Avar commander, which meant he was a military leader. He was also a foster-brother to Omar, who was the son of Pakkou-Bekkhe, the Khanum of Khunzakh. A Khanum was like a queen or a powerful lady ruler.
There's a famous story about Hadji Murad's mother, Patimat. She was almost forced to give up her baby to be a wet nurse for Omar. But she refused and managed to keep her own son.
A Time of Change
In 1834, Hadji Murad was involved in a big event. He helped get revenge for the murder of the Khanum of Khunzakh and her sons. This led to the death of a leader named Gamzat-Bek during a Friday prayer. Hadji Murad's brother, Osman, was also killed in a fight with Gamzat-Bek's followers.
For a while, Hadji Murad actually supported the Russian Empire. He did this because he saw a group called the Murids as a threat in the North Caucasus.
Escaping Danger
However, another leader named Akhmet Khan tried to make the Russians mistrust Hadji Murad. The Russians then ordered Hadji Murad's arrest. To escape, Hadji Murad bravely jumped off a narrow mountain pass. The Russians thought he had died. But the snow broke his fall, and he hid for the whole winter.
Because the Russians had betrayed him, Hadji Murad decided to join forces with Imam Shamil. Shamil was another powerful leader fighting against the Russians. Shamil gave Hadji Murad the important rank of naib, which was like a governor or a military commander. Many tribes then left the Russians and followed Hadji Murad.
A Brave Fighter
Hadji Murad was known for his bravery and his red clothing. The Russians even called him 'the red devil' because of his fierce fighting.
There was a false rumor that spread about him. After a raid on a Russian base, people said he had killed all the Russians in the hospital and cut them up. This was not true, but it made Hadji Murad seem very bad to the Russians.
Changing Sides Again
In 1851, Hadji Murad had a disagreement with Imam Shamil. Shamil had announced that his son, Khazi Mohammed, would be the next leader. In a secret meeting, Shamil and his naibs decided that Hadji Murad should be killed. Luckily, an unknown naib warned him, and he managed to escape. However, his family was captured and held by Shamil.
Hadji Murad then surrendered to the Russian Empire. The Russians admired him but also didn't fully trust him. He kept asking for soldiers and weapons to attack Shamil and rescue his family, but he didn't get a clear answer. He was allowed to move from Tbilisi to a small town called Noukkha (now Shaki, Azerbaijan), with a Cossack escort.
His Final Fight
Hadji Murad planned an escape. He carried it out on April 24, 1852, during one of his morning rides. He and his small group ambushed and killed the Cossack guards. But the town's soldiers, led by Colonel Karganov, tracked Hadji Murad down. Many local tribesmen, including Akhmet Khan's son, joined the Russians. Hadji Murad was killed in the fight.
His death is mentioned in a famous book by Leo Tolstoy. A marker for his grave is located near the road between Shaki and Zaqatala.
Hadji Murad in Stories
Hadji Murad's life has inspired many stories.
- The famous writer Leo Tolstoy wrote a book called Hadji Murad (published in 1912). It's a partly fictional story about his struggles with the Russian Empire.
- He also appears in My Dagestan, a book by the Avar writer Rasul Gamzatov.
- There was even an Italian movie in 1959 called Agi Murad il diavolo bianco, which means The White Warrior. In this movie, Hadji Murad was played by a bodybuilder named Steve Reeves.
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Hadji Murad para niños