Circassian Majlis

The decisions taken by the Majlis were the following:

• A new leader for all of Circassia will be elected. (Qerandiqo Berzeg was elected)
• All of Circassia will be officially united as opposed to the previous system where tribal regions banded together as allies, but were not one unified state.
• Tribal divisions will be completely removed.
• Abkhazian, Abazin, and Karachay-Balkar people will be accepted as legitimate equal citizens of Circassia along with Circassians.
• Proper contact with the Circassian and Muslim communities in Constantinople and London will be established.
• Diplomatic messages to Europe will be sent, and help will be asked. Similar messages will also be sent to the Ottoman Caliph.
• The state will be divided into 12 states (Wilayah) and for each of them, a scholar, judge and governor will be appointed.
• A delegation will be sent to Russia for peace, and if the Russians decline, military plans will be prepared:
  • Mandatory service of all males and able females over 15 will serve in the army.
  • New tax laws will be made, primarily in order to create a defense fund.
  • Military command will be unified, all Circassian armies will take orders from central command.

The Majlis government negotiated with the Russian Tsar Alexander II in September 1861 to establish peace, expressing their readiness to accept Russian citizenship.

These lands are ours, and we want to rule them with absolute justice. We strive to administer our country fairly, therefore we treat our people fairly and respect the lives and property of those who visit us. What is the objective of a powerful nation like yours: to destroy a people like us? Be fair to us and do not destroy our property or mosques; it is disgraceful for a powerful state to take lives unjustly. You are deceiving the entire world by circulating myths about us being a savage people; nonetheless, we are human, just like you. Do not strive to spill our blood; instead, allow us to exist here.

— Circassian leader Qerandiqo Berzeg's proposal to Tsar Alexander II of Russia[2][7]

Meeting of Circassian princes in Sochi, 1847. Although the painting depicts an event of an earlier time, it gives an idea of the appearance of the Circassian aristocracy. Painting by Grigory Gagarin.

However, the annexation of Circassia was not enough for Russia, the Tsarist government sought to evict the Circassians from the ethnic territory. The Tsar consistently continued the policy of his father, Nicholas I, and rejected the Circassian compromise proposals.[2]

After being convinced by his generals, the Russian Tsar declared that Circassia will not only be annexed to Russia unconditionally, but the Circassians will leave, and if the Circassian people do not accept forcefully migrating to Turkey, the Russian generals will see no problem in killing all Circassians. He gave the Circassian representatives a month to decide.[10]

The Majlis did not accept leaving their lands and sent delegations to the Ottoman Empire and the United Kingdom to gain support from both countries, arguing that they are being massacred and they would be forced into exile soon.

In England, supporters of the Circassians organized rallies, even appealed to the queen with a request to support the Circassians. However, the British government did not respond.[2]

In Turkey, a special committee on Circassian affairs was created, and received donations from the local Muslim folk, and allegedly even from the sultan himself, secretly. However, the economically and politically weakened Ottoman Empire could not contribute in protecting the Circassians.[2]

Before any result was achieved, in 1862, as a result of the fall of Sochi, the Majlis was dissolved and almost all of its leaders eliminated, and the resistance moved to the Caucasus mountains, new Majlis meetings started to be held in Mutikhwa (Мутыхуа, now in the village of "Plastunki"), the last meeting was held in Qbaada before the Majlis took its last decision, which was to not surrender, and the Battle of Qbaada was fought. The area fell, all insurgents were massacred by the Russian army, which announced its victory on 21 May 1864.[11]