Draft:Battle of Erpel (1823)
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Last edited by Drazze.greece (talk | contribs) 17 seconds ago. (Update) |
| Battle of Erpeli | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Caucasian War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Russian Empire | Kumyks and Avars | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Major General Karl Krabbe | Umalat-bek | ||||||
The Battle of Erpeli took place in 1823 in the village of Erpeli (modern-day Buynaksky District, Dagestan) between the forces of the Russian Empire led by Major General Karl Krabbe and the rebelling Kumyks (from Erpeli and Karanay) and Avars (from Koysubu), commanded by Umalat-bek.
Background
[edit]The Russian Empire steadily expanded its influence in Dagestan, aiming to establish a stronghold in the Shamkhalate by constructing Fort Burnaya near its capital. By 1819, General Aleksey Yermolov had crushed rebellious feudal rulers, including the Mehtuli Khanate, and formed a system of loyal vassals, claiming that "there were no more resisting peoples in Dagestan."
However, discontent grew among the local uzdens and peasants, who opposed both their feudal lords and Russian administration. Rivalry among Dagestani elites further destabilized the region. Ahmed Khan of Avaristan sought to replace the weak Mehti II with Umalat-bek, as the shamkhal’s subjects despised their ruler.
Tensions escalated when Umalat-bek killed Colonel Verkhovsky, a high-ranking Russian official. Peasant unrest followed, with insurgents in Tarki killing a Russian official and attacking the fortress. Similar uprisings occurred in Erpeli and Karanay, where rebels executed an abusive Russian administrator. In response, Major General Karl Krabbe
Battle
[edit]In response to the uprising, Major General Karl Krabbe led an expedition against the rebels, supported by the cavalry of Shamkhal Mehti II. The insurgents from Erpeli and Karanay sought assistance from the independent Koysubu community, known for its defiance.
On July 29, 1823, Krabbe stormed the village of Karanay, burning it to the ground. The main rebel forces had fortified themselves in Erpeli, which was more defensible due to its forested terrain, limiting the effectiveness of Russian artillery.
The next day, Krabbe launched an assault on Erpeli but faced fierce resistance. Russian troops managed to seize half of the village[1], but by evening, they were forced into a hasty retreat, pursued by the highlanders all the way to Temir-Khan-Shura.
According to Krabbe’s report, all insurgents were eliminated, and the villages were destroyed. However, the renowned Caucasian historian Н. И. Покровский described the battle as a severe defeat for the general[2]. The failure of Krabbe’s campaign was also noted by В. А. Потто[1] and the British scholar Джон Баддели[3].