The Grand Prince of Kabardia () was the title given to the Kabardian rulers. In Russian sources, it is referred to as the Kabardian governor. In the late 18th century, the term Pshi Thamada was used to denote the title by the Kabardians, which was mentioned in 16th-19th century Russian sources as the Grand Duke, or Grand Prince. All Kabardian princes and dynasties claim descent from Inal the Great. The Grand Prince of Kabardia was elected by the votes of other princes and first-ranked nobles. This title could only be attained through election and could not be passed down unlawfully from father to son. The Grand Prince of Kabardia was a nominal vassal of the Prince of Princes of Circassia.
List of Grand Princes
List of early Grand Princes The list of rulers for the period before Temruqo of Kabardia is derived from two primary historical traditions. The first is based on 17th-century Russian records, which documented the oral genealogies provided by Kabardian princes arriving in Moscow. The second follows the 16th-century Arabic manuscript "al-Uqud al-Jawhariyya fi al-Mahasin al-Dawla al-Ashrafiyya al-Ghawriyya" (Precious Necklaces Concerning the Merits of the State of al-Ashraf al-Ghawri). This chronicle identifies Kabardia as a distinct political entity by the 1440s and provides an earlier written account of the princely genealogy than the later Russian sources. The chronicle specifically details the period from the mid to late 15th century and does not extend into later successions. These two traditions offer different grand princes for the early Kabardian rulers.
List according to 17th-century Russian records (Oral tradition)
Prince Native name Reign Death date Description Inal "the Blind" Хъурыфэлъей и къуэ Инал Нэф See Dating of Inal See Dating of Inal Legendary ancestor of the Circassian princes. Tabuldu Инал и къуэ Тэбылду XV. century Unknown Son of Inal Yinarmas Тэбылду и къуэ Инэрмэс First half of XVI. century Unknown Son of Tabuldu Jankhot I Тэбылду и къуэ Жанхъуэт First half of XVI. century Unknown Son of Tabuldu Beslan "the Fat" Жанхъуэт и къуэ Беслъэн First half of XVI. century 1530s Son of Jankhot Yidar Инэрмэс и къуэ Айдар / Идар First half of XVI. century 1537/1538 Son of Yinarmas Qeytuqo Беслъэн и къуэ Къетыкъуэ First half of XVI. century–1550s Unknown Son of Beslan
List according to the 16th-century Arabic manuscript (Al-Uqud al-Jawhariyya)
Prince Native name Reign Death date Description Inal "the Blind" Хъурыфэлъей и къуэ Инал Нэху See Dating of Inal See Dating of Inal Legendary ancestor of the Circassian princes. Tabuldu Тэбылду Unknown UnknownQirqilishКъыркълыш1440s–1450s1450sDescendant of Tabuldu. Brother of Minbolet and Jankhot. Ruled for 7 years. Killed during a hunting trip with his 70 noblemen.MinboletМинболэт1450s–1460s1460sDescendant of Tabuldu. Brother of Qirqilish and Jankhot. Chosen by the council of elders. Ruled for 16 years and 16 days. Converted to Islam in the 5th year of his reign, end of 1450s. Jankhot I ЖанхъуэтUnknown Descendant of Tabuldu. Brother of Qirqilish and Minbolet. He seized the throne by force with the Tatar army, but lost his power when he failed in his rule.QebanКъыркълыш и къуэ КъэбанUnknownSons of Qirqilish. They ruled Kabardia together. During a conflict between Yelberdiy and Minbolet's son Bora, Yelberdiy was killed, and Qaban died of grief.YelberdiyКъыркълыш и къуэ ЕлбэрдийBoraМинболэт и къуэ Борэ1470sUnknownMinbolet's son. Bora was the grand prince during the period when Qansuh al-Ghawri's family migrated to Egypt (approximately 1470s).QeytuqoКъетыкъуэUnknown1480sKilled in a conflict with his rival and cousin, Jilakhstan.JilakhstanМинболэт и ЖылахъстэнUnknown1491Minbolet's son. He engaged in a years-long power struggle with his rival Qeytuqo, eventually eliminating Qeytuqo and seizing control of the entire country. During the power struggle, he received support from the Yaqub Aq Qoyunlu and Farruh Yasar, and accepted Islam in Shirvan.MirzaЖылахъстэн и къуэ МырзэUnknownSon of Jilakhstan. After his father's death, he ruled Kabardia by dividing it with his uncle Talostan, as decided by the council of elders. He was killed by Talostan.TalostanТалъостэнEnd of 15th centuryUnknownBrother of Qeytuqo, uncle of Mirza. He refused to share power and killed Mirza. By the last period of the 15th century, he became the sole ruler of Kabardia.
List of Grand Princes (Historical Period) Prince Native name Reign Death date DescriptionDynasty Temruqo "the Brave" Айдар и къуэ Темырыкъу 1550s–1571 1571 Son of YidarYidar Qambolet Айдар и къуэ Къамболэт 1571–1589 1589 The youngest son of Yidar.Yidar Aslanbech I Къетыкъуэ и къуэ Аслъэнбэч 1589 1589 Son of Qeytuqo Jansokh Къетыкъуэ и къуэ Жансэхъу 1589– Between 1592–1596 The youngest son of Qeytuqo. Sholokh "the Mighty" Тепсэрыкъу и къуэ Щолэхъу 1609–1616 1616 The younger brother of Beslan, grandson of Prince Talostan Talostan Qudenet Къамболэт и къуэ Къудэнет 1616–1624 1624 Son of QamboletYidar Alejuqo Щоджэныкъуэ и къуэ Алыджыкъуэ 1624–1654 1654 Grandson of Pshiapshoqo.Shojenuqo Hatokhshoqo I Къазый и къуэ ХьэтIохъущокъуэ 1654–1672 1672 Son of Qaziy, who was killed in 1615, grandson of Pshiapshoqo. Founder of the Hatokhshoqo dynasty.Hatokhshoqo Misost I Къазый и къуэ Мысост 1672–1695 1695 Founder of the Misost dynasty. Misost Kurghoqo ХьэтIохъущокъуэ Къазый и къуэ Кургъокъуэ 1695–1709/10 1709/1710Hatokhshoqo Hatokhshoqo II Мысост и къуэ ХьэтIохъущокъуэ 1709/10 1721 1721 Son of Qaziy Misost. Misost Yislambech Мысост и къуэ Ислъамбэч 1721–1732 1732 Misost Tatarkhan "the Golden" Бэчмырзэ и къуэ Тэтэрхъан 1732–1737 1737 The oldest son of Bechmirza Jembulat, Founder of the Bechmirza dynasty. Bechmirza Aslanbech II "the Red-mustached" Къетыкъуэ и къуэ Аслъэнбэч 1737–1746 1746 The oldest son of Qeytuqo Jembulat. Qeytuqo Batoqo Бэчмырзэ и къуэ Бэтокъуэ 1746–1749 1752 The fourth son of Bechmirza. Qeytuqo Jembulat Къетыкъуэ и къуэ Джамболат 1749–1753 Unknown Son of Qeytuqo Jambot Qeytuqo Bemat ХьэтIохъущокъуэ Кургъокъуэ и къуэ Бэмат (Мухьэмэд) 1752–1762 1762 The oldest son of Kurghoqo.Hatokhshoqo Qasey ХьэтIохъущокъуэ и къуэ Къасей 1762–1773 1773 Misost Jankhot II Тэтэрхъан и къуэ Жанхъуэт 1773–1785 1785 Bechmirza Misost II "the Great" ХьэтIохъущокъуэ Бэмат и къуэ Мысост 1785–1788 1788Hatokhshoqo Hatokhshoqo III Хьэмырзэ и къуэ ХьэтIохъущокъуэ 1788–1806 1806 In the 1793–1809 conflict Qeytuqo Hatokhshoqo IV ХьэтIохъущокъуэ и къуэ ХьэтIохъущокъуэ 1809 1809 Son of Misost BematuqoHatokhshoqo Kushuk Жанхъуэт и къуэ Кушыку 1809–1822 1758–1830 Bechmirza
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