Gayur-khan: Difference between revisions

| image = King of simsir khour 2.jpg

The earliest Historical reference to Khour comes in the form of a biography about [[Timur]] called [[Zafarnama (Yazdi biography)|Zafarname]] from the 15th century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Тизенгаузена|first=В.Г|title="Книга Побед" Шереф-ад-Дина Йезди, по переводу В.Г. Тизенгаузена|year=1941|location=Soviet Union|pages=180–184}}</ref> The biography was commissioned during the reign of [[Ibrahim Sultan (Timurid)|Ibrahim Sultan]] the grandson of [[Timur]]. The [[Zafarnama (Yazdi biography)|Zafarname]] has two versions from two different Persian authors named [[Nizam ad-din Shami|Nizam ad-Din Shami]] and [[Sharaf al-Din Ali Yazdi|Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Manz|first=Beatrice Forbes|title=Power, politics, and religion in Timurid Iran|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2007|location=Cambridge|pages=167}}</ref> Both biographies speak of the campaigns of [[Timur]] in the Caucasus, it is here where Simsir and its leader Gayur-Khan isare first mentioned.<ref name=":0" /> Local Caucasian folklore such as the 19th century [[Ossetians|Ossetian]] poem "Alguziani"  <ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Джанашвили|first=М.Г|title=Описание Осетии, Дзурдзукии, Дидоэтии, Тушетии, Алании и Джикетии|publisher=Сборник материалов для описания местностей и племен Кавказа|year=1897|location=Tbilisi}}</ref> and 19th century [[Chechen people|Chechen]] Chroniclechronicle "Migration from Naxchuvan" also mentionsmention Khour Ela.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Салгириев|first=А.М|date=2019|title=етопись об исходе чеченцев из Нахчувана (перевод и комментарии)|journal=Таллам|volume=2|pages=33–35}}</ref> He is also mentioned in the 18th century book "Russian history" as "Kair-Mek" alongside an [[Ossetians|Ossetian]] prince called Altanzibek.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Татищев|first=В.Н|title=История Российская (1055-1378 гг.)|publisher=Александрия|year=2015|location=Ryazan}}</ref>

The 18th century document from Kazi-Girey also mentions that the ancestors of [[Chechen people|Chechens]] were the main allies (in the vanguard) of the [[Tokhtamysh]] army against the [[Timurid Empire|Timurid]] invasions of the Caucasus.<ref name=":4" /> It was due to this fact that Timur decided to invade [[Simsir]] with such ferocity after the [[Battle of the Terek River]] in 1395. The invasion of Simsir is described in the Zafarname by both Nizam ad-Din Shami and Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi. In that invasion Khour loses his power and Timur grants the title of vassalage to his son Muhammad (Makhama). Timur's campaign in Simsir went even further into the mountains where Timur himself is described to have climbed the mountains and defeated the highlanders of Simsir.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Тизенгаузена |first=В.Г |title="Книга Побед" Шереф-ад-Дина Йезди, по переводу В.Г. Тизенгаузена |year=1941 |location=Soviet Union |pages=180–184}}</ref> The fate of Khour and his son is unknown in historical references but folk tales speak of an assassination of Makhama. They also mention how Khour kept a resistance against vassals of Timur and eventually fought in another invasion of Timur where he was treacherously murdered during negotiations.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Муртазалиев |first=В |title=К вопросу об истории государства и права чеченцев}}</ref> The [[Ossetians|Ossetian]] poem "Alguziani" gives a different version of the fate of Khour, the poem refers to Khour as "Kairkhan the Chechen" who was a powerful king that fought against the prince Alguz for the power of [[North Ossetia|Ossetia]]. In the poem Alguz is victorious in a battle and defeats Khour. The poem is believed to have been regarded as a valuable source for [[North Caucasus|North Caucasian]] folk tales.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Джанашвили |first=М.Г |title=Описание Осетии, Дзурдзукии, Дидоэтии, Тушетии, Алании и Джикетии |publisher=Сборник материалов для описания местностей и племен Кавказа |year=1897 |location=Tbilisi}}</ref>