# Kizbech Tughuzhuqo

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo (sometimes misspelled as Ghuz Bek; 1777–1840; Adyghe: ШэрэлIыкъо Тыгъужъыкъо Къызбэч, romanized: Ṩərəl'ıqo Tığujzıqo Qızbəç; Russian: Тугужуко Кызбэч) was a Circassian military commander who took part in the Russo-Circassian War. Personally witnessing all of his family get killed by the Russian army, Tughuzhuqo was a cavalry commander especially successful in raiding behind enemy lines. He received multiple offers from the Russian Empire to switch sides and join its Imperial ranks but he refused all offers and closed negotiations. The Englishman James Bell, who knew him personally, called him "The Lion of Circassia". There is no record of him losing a battle.
Sources and contemporary writers on Kizbech include David Urquhart, secretary of the British Embassy in Istanbul and a supporter of the Circassians who contributed to the Portfolio magazine; Edmund Spencer and John E. Longworth, travellers who reported from Circassia for The Times; and James Stanislaus Bell, who followed Urquhart's lead in writing letters to the British people.
The last three of them met Kizbech personally and recorded their memories. Among the Circassian writers of the period, Sultan Khan-Giray provides information about Kizbech. On the Russian side, both the poet Mikhail Lermontov and the Russian Lieutenant General Vasily Aleksandrovich Potto, the first detailed historian of the Caucasian War, mention him. Fyodor A. Shcherbina also provides information about Kizbech.
In addition, in the oral Circassian tradition, songs were composed in the name of Kizbech. These songs were unusual because they were written while Kizbech was still alive and were known to him. In these songs, he is referred to as the "Lion of Circassia".

## Biography
### Name

The name Kizbech is a shortened form of Kizilbech and is recorded as Guz Bek, Ghezil Bek and Kazbek in various sources. He is referred to as Kizil Bey in Ottoman documents.
Kizbech's original surname was Sherelh'yqo, while Tughuzhuqo means "son of Tughuzh". The word "Tughuzh" is a Circassian name and also means "wolf" in the Circassian language. Among the Circassians, both surnames and nicknames usually ended with the suffix "-qo", equivalent to the English "-son" suffix.

### Early life

Not much is recorded about Kizbech's early life, as Circassians did not write down their history, and all knowledge comes from Russian sources. Tughuzhuqo was born in 1777 in the village of Beannash (Adyghe: Нашъхьэ), to the Shapsug noble house of Sherelh'yqo. He was the son of Sherelh'yqo Tughuzh (Adyghe: ШэрэлIыкъо Iэльмышъыкъо Тыгъужъ), one of the most prominent figures among the Shapsugs. He was born into a family of seven children. During Kizbech's youth, Jembulat Boletoqo was more influential.

### Military service

The Circassian revolution started in Shapsug when Kizbech was 18 years old. In this war, the peasants of Shapsug rebelled against their princes. Despite being a member of the prince class himself, Kizbech took the side of the peasants and was one of the few aristocratic figures that were accepted into the new social structure that came about following the revolution.
After the revolution, Kizbech does not appear in any sources between 1796 and 1810. According to Circassian oral traditions, during this period Kizbech met with Hasan Pasha, the Ottoman governor of Anapa, and went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. He returned definitively in 1810 and began to appear again in written records. After this, he continued to fight for the Circassian army. He gained fame between 1810 and 1839, and almost all major Circassian raids on Russian fortifications during this period are associated with his name.
Kizbech started his struggle once the Russo-Circassian War reached western Circassia. Between the years 1810–1840, he stormed the Russian garrisons and settlements with a volley of attacks. His main rival was the Cossack ataman Maxim Vlasov. He rose to fame by defeating Vlasov in 1820. During Vlasov's period, the violence against Circassian villages reached such proportions that Tsar Alexander I removed him from office in July 1826. In 1821, he defeated a Russian campaign on the lands of Shapsug. The Circassians believed that Kizbech had met Khidr (Alebiy in Circassian).
On 9 October 1823, Kizbech unsuccessfully tried ambushing Russian forces near the Alexandrovsky post. Two days later he launched a raid on Elizavetinskaya settlement, and his forces got into an engagement with the defending Cossacks. However, after receiving news of approaching Russian reinforcements, Kizbech hastily turned around, and headed back to Circassia. The Russians intercepted his forces twice, leading to heavy casualties on the Circassian side; however, Kizbech managed to get back to Circassia, heavily wounded and with 3 captives.
Sultan Khan-Giray had said the following about him:
   All you need to do is send messengers in the name of Kizilbech – thousands will rush to serve under his command.
Kizbech was part of the team that designed the Shapsug flag. Russia frequently tried to persuade the upper-class Circassians to switch sides, offering them high privileges. Kizbech resisted and rejected these offers. He punished those who accepted such proposals.
In a letter dated November 8, 1824, Colonel Matveyev wrote to Major General Vlasov:
   On October 31, the Abzakh held a meeting in the Zhebi River Valley. The famous Shapsug knight Kizbech also attended this gathering, where they decided to attack us. To carry out this plan, they unanimously agreed that Kizbech would gather raiders in the area from the upper parts of Afipsip to Shebzh. The Abzakh living in the Tsafe, Zhebi, Akobish, and Sup valleys are ready. They are prepared to march in these days, joining forces with the Shapsugs under Kizbech's command. Their numbers reach around 1,000, and they have decided to launch simultaneous attacks on multiple locations.
Englishman Favell Lee Mortimer said these:
   There was a Circassian named Guzbeg (he might still be alive), and he earned the title "Lion of Circassia." He frequently directed groups of soldiers to attack the Russians. One day, he saw some Russian soldiers harvesting crops in a field, and he approached them. Just seeing him, the soldiers fled in terror, leaving behind two sickles in the field. He seized the sickles.
   However, a great disaster befell this Lion. He had a son. The first time he took his son to war, he ordered him never to flee from the enemy, but to cut through the middle of their ranks. One day, Guzbeg charged into a group of Russian soldiers, when suddenly his horse was shot. Guzbeg was thrown to the ground.
   The Lion lay among the hunters. If a second had passed, he would have been killed! But suddenly, a young warrior rushed to save him; it was his own son! But what could be done in such a crowd? A Circassian cavalry unit rushed to the scene and took Guzbeg away, but it was too late to save his son. They only carried the brave boy's body. Guzbeg was deeply moved, but he continued to fight for his country.
In 1830, Kizbech attacked Elizavinskaya settlement and destroyed it, and in 1834, heading a force of 700 cavaliers along with Hawduqo Mansur, he brutally defeated a 14 thousand soldier Russian troops in the Battle of Abinsk. Again, in the same year, he headed 1,200 cavaliers to victory over 6 thousand Russian soldiers. In the same year, with 1,200 cavaliers, Kizbech encountered a Cossack detachment of less than 300 men. Admiring the courage and determination of the Cossacks, Kizbech withdrew some of his own cavalry to equalize the numerical advantage. The sides fought with equal numbers, and Kizbech's side won the battle. During the wars, he went on a pilgrimage to Mecca and also visited Egypt. The Egyptian rulers wanted to recruit him into the Egyptian army, but Kizbech rejected the offer.
Russian military historian Vasily Potto, who served in the Russian army in the Caucasus, said these about Kizbech:
   Tughuzhuqo Kizbech fought like a madman himself: they cut his left temple and neck, and pierced his side with a spear. Yet, covered in blood, he returned to Kuban on a horse.
Over many years, he raided several hostile Russian garrisons; Maryanskaya, Georgie, Afepskaya, Apenskaya, and in 1837 while crossing through a field, he was identified by Cossack peasants, who out of their great fear, fled the place leaving behind them 200 sickles. In the same year of 1837, Kizbech stormed the coastal castle of Nikolayev and seized all its properties. At the beginning of June 1837, he attacked the guards of the Nikolaevsky fortress (now Shapsugskaya village) alone, captured a soldier, and seized 9 rifles.
In 1837, accompanied by 250 men, he attacked the right bank of the Kuban Russian fort and captured 200 prisoners. As a warrior, Tughuzhuqo enjoyed great respect among opponents. Tsarist generals entered into negotiations with him and repeatedly offered him to join the service of Russia, he rejected all offers. After the failure of his generals to convince him, Tsar Nicholas I tried to personally approach Kizbech to dissuade him from continuing his acts. Kizbech rejected offers of money and continued his raids on Russian garrisons.
Kizbech was against any kind of compromise with Russia. In 1838, he launched an attack against the Zhaney Circassians of the Karakuban region, who had sworn allegiance to Russia. In October 1838, he received seven serious wounds, and his sons were injured and eventually died from the injuries. According to James Bell, who was present there, Kizbech was not affected by this and saw it as fate. In 1840, Kizbech, heading a group of Circassian cavaliers, captured the garrisons of Waya, Tuapse and Shaps.
The song written for Kizbech by Kör Osman, who was a contemporary of Kizbech, goes like this:
   The full moon is the hilt of his helmet,
   His bow is never broken.
   Kizbech loves to fight with a sword,
   He knocks down his enemies with a mighty spear.
   He is fearless even against a great army,
   Always a partner ready for victory.
   He removes the wounded from the battlefield,
   Among men, he is a lion.
   He frees the prisoners, and his two sons are like eagles,
   To see him is a dream of the Circassian princes.
   The Russian Tsar hears of his glory,
   The Sultan of Egypt sends him greetings...

### Fame

British adventurer James Bell was impressed by the courage of Kizbech. He witnessed the fear in the hearts of Russian soldiers when hearing Kizbech's name, and how they dispersed before him after they had seen him.
Russian General Olshevsky wrote:
   "Shapsugs are considered the fiercest and most dangerous inhabitants of the coasts of the Black Sea... The Shapsugs were able, thanks to courage and fortitude, to defend themselves and their land, which was proven by inflicting great losses on us, in all cases our forces had to fight them. Among them were strong leaders on the For example, Sherelh'yqo Kizbech Tughuzhuqo". - General Melenty Yakovlevich Olshevsky

### Death

Kizbech Tughuzhuqo died of wounds received in action on February 28, 1840, during the Siege of Veliaminovsky. He had six different fatal wounds at the time. Some other sources claim he died in battle. According to other sources, he died on December 12, 1839 or March 12, 1840. Before his death, he made a speech:
   I am content with the life I have lived. What I have witnessed here today is a great honor and immense happiness for me. With God's will, the work we have started will not remain unfinished. My life was not in vain. The Circassians have united. They have become one heart, one fist. The victory we have won here today is one of the greatest victories. I take the honor of swinging my sword in such a great victory. I have done all I could. My time has come. Without turning back from my cause, I am going to meet Allah as a martyr.
   The sea is salty, but the fish living in that sea has no trace of salt in its body. Do not be deceived by worldly goods and make a mistake. They will do everything they can to deceive you, offering you wealth and possessions. We must live our religion and customs in purity, without abandoning our ablution and prayer. They will ensure that we live as a nation. If our lands are occupied by the infidels, our sacred cause will not be realized. You see the lives of our brothers deceived by the infidels. They coveted worldly goods and abandoned Allah. Do not fear death, for it will come to everyone.

## Private life and hobbies

Kizbech was born into a family of seven children. In the later years of his life, he witnessed the death of his children in the war. He was a devout Muslim and made the pilgrimage to Mecca. James Bell mentioned that Kizbech loved music. There is also information that he loved dancing and sang well. Sources report that the Russian Tsar wanted a photograph of Kizbech and tried to buy it, but Kizbech refused.

## Legacy

In 2014, in the 150th anniversary of the end of Russo-Circassian War, a group of Circassian nationalists organized the constructing a monument of Kizbech in the village of Afipsip. As of June 2015 the fundraising was completed and the statue was built. The Republic of Turkey created a postage stamp in memory of Kizbech.