The Red Hill: Uncovering the Circassian Genocide Hidden by the Olympics
In 2014, the world’s eyes were on Sochi, Russia, as athletes from 88 nations competed in the Winter Olympics. They skied down pristine, snowy mountains, including one known as “Krasnaya Polyana,” or the Red Hill. The name seems ironic for a white mountain, but it hides a dark, almost forgotten truth.
This very hill was once home to the Circassians, a predominantly Muslim native people who had lived in the Caucasus region for millennia. Today, they have all but vanished from their homeland. About 150 years before the Olympics, the Circassians fought a final, desperate battle on this hill to defend their homes. It ended in a massacre, staining the ground with so much blood that it earned the name “Red Hill.”
Unbeknownst to the world, some Olympic events were held on this site, on the 150th anniversary of that massacre. The athletes were racing over a land of mass graves, a memorial to a people uprooted and a history erased.
So, who are the Circassians? How did this ancient nation, which once produced Mamluk sultans and helped build modern cities, vanish from the map? This is their tragic and resilient story.
Who Are the Circassians? An Ancient People of the Caucasus
The history of the Circassians (who call themselves the Adyghe) is as old as the mountains they call home. For thousands of years, ancient writers from Greek historians to Arab travellers spoke of them in poetic legends, describing tall, fair warriors and elegant maidens. They were a fiercely independent people, organised into tribes without kings or formal states, whose identity was deeply rooted in their mountainous homeland.
A Legacy of Warriors and Honour
The Circassian warrior culture made them formidable on the battlefield, and for centuries, they remained largely independent of foreign empires. At the heart of their identity is the Adyghe Xabze, an unwritten code of conduct that emphasises:
- Profound respect for elders
- Unwavering courage and generosity
- Unconditional hospitality
- A deep sense of honour and purpose
Upholding these values was paramount; to neglect them could lead to social shunning so severe that the community would refuse to attend one’s wedding or funeral.
A Journey to Islam: Faith, Alliances, and Survival
While the Circassians had brief encounters with Judaism and Christianity over the centuries, their path to Islam was unique and intertwined with geopolitics. Their connection was spiritual, but also strategic.
From Mamluk Sultans to Ottoman Allies
One of the most fascinating chapters in their history involves Egypt. Many Circassians were brought to Egypt as Mamluks—slave soldiers who were trained, educated, and then freed. Remarkably, they rose through the ranks to establish their own dynasty, the Burji Mamluks, who ruled Egypt and Syria from 1382 to 1517. These Circassian sultans famously defended the Muslim realm against invaders like Timur (Tamerlane).
Despite this early influence, widespread conversion to Islam in their homeland of Circassia didn’t happen until much later. The turning point came in 1717, when preachers and travellers from the Ottoman Empire began to accelerate the process of Da’wah (invitation to Islam).
The Great Conversion and the Russian Threat
Two key factors fuelled the mass embrace of Islam:
- The Aristocracy’s Influence: When Circassian nobles and leaders converted, their tribes and communities soon followed.
- The Russian Invasion: The growing threat from the expansionist Russian Empire made an alliance with the powerful Ottoman Caliphate essential for survival. Islam provided a unifying ideology to resist their Russian Orthodox foe.
For the Circassians, embracing Islam was a new chapter. For the Russians, it was a pretext for annihilation.
The Circassian Genocide: Russia’s “War of Annihilation”
From the 1500s, Russia was driven by an expansionist fever. The Tsarist ideology viewed Moscow as the “Third Rome,” the heir to Christian Orthodoxy after the fall of Constantinople. This belief provided a religious justification for imperial conquest, painting their neighbours, especially Muslims, as enemies to be converted or eliminated.
Did You Know? The Circassian Genocide is considered by many historians, including Walter Richmond in his book “The Circassian Genocide,” to be the single largest and most systematic genocide of the 19th century.
A Systematic Campaign of Terror
The Russo-Circassian War officially began in 1763, but it escalated into a full-scale genocide with the arrival of General Aleksey Yermolov in 1817. The Russian military adopted terror as its official strategy. Russian generals openly expressed their racist and Islamophobic hatred, with one, Grigory Zass, describing the Circassians as “subhuman filth.”
The methods were systematic and brutal:
- Mass killings of men, women, and children.
- Burning entire villages and destroying crops to create famine.
- Forced displacement from ancestral lands.
- Unspeakable atrocities targeting civilian populations.
By the final battle in 1864, the Circassian people had been pushed to the brink of total annihilation.
The Trail of Tears: Exile Across the Black Sea
The war left the remaining Circassians with an impossible choice: resettle deep within Russia or leave their homeland forever for the Ottoman Empire. The vast majority refused to live under their oppressors and began a tragic march toward the Black Sea.
This forced exodus, 20 times the scale of the Native American Trail of Tears, saw an entire nation uprooted. Tens of thousands died on the shores from starvation, disease, and exposure while waiting for overcrowded and unsafe ships sent by the Ottomans. Ottoman archives documented over a million refugees from the Caucasus, noting that nearly half were found dying upon arrival.
A New Beginning in the Diaspora
The survivors were resettled across the Ottoman Empire. Today, the Circassian diaspora is spread across more than 50 countries:
- Turkey: Home to the largest community, with an estimated 2-3 million.
- Jordan: A significant community of 100,000-250,000.
- Syria: A population of 80,000-120,000, mainly in the Golan Heights.
- Smaller communities in Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, and Europe.
Enduring Legacy: How the Circassians Shaped the Modern Middle East
The story of the Circassians is not just one of tragedy, but also of profound resilience and contribution. In their new homes, they found survival, but they went on to help build nations.
- In Jordan, Circassian immigrants were instrumental in establishing the modern capital city of Amman.
- In Syria, they settled the Golan Heights, building over 16 villages and becoming a vital part of the region’s agricultural landscape.
- In Egypt, prominent families like the Abaza clan have contributed significantly to the country’s political and cultural life.
Sadly, their journey was far from over. In secular Turkey, the community faced immense pressure to assimilate and was even forbidden from using its own language, threatening the core of its cultural identity.
For the Circassians in the Golan Heights, tragedy struck again in 1967. During the Six-Day War, they were forced from their land in a second major displacement. In a devastating echo of their past suffering, their homes were bulldozed by Israeli forces.
Why the Circassian Story Still Matters Today
The story of the Circassian people is a powerful testament to a nation’s ability to survive in the face of near-total destruction. Their history offers crucial lessons for us all.
Actionable Takeaways:
- Acknowledge and Share Forgotten Histories: The first step toward justice is memory. Learn about and share the stories of forgotten peoples like the Circassians to combat historical erasure.
- Understand the Roots of Modern Conflicts: The imperialist and Islamophobic ideologies that fueled the Circassian genocide are not relics of the past. Recognising these patterns helps us understand current global conflicts.
- Foster Unity and Support for Displaced Peoples: The Circassians found refuge among their Ottoman brothers. Today, we can honour their legacy by welcoming and supporting refugees and displaced peoples, from Sudan to Palestine, remembering the sunnah of the Ansar and Muhajirun.
A Legacy of Resilience
From the snowy peaks of the Caucasus to the bustling streets of Amman, the Circassian story is one of honour, faith, unimaginable loss, and unbreakable resilience. Their legacy is not defined by the genocide they endured, but by their significant contributions to humanity and the vibrant communities they built around the world.
Let us honour our Circassian brothers and sisters. By learning from their history, we can shape a future rooted in unity, brotherhood, and justice, where no community faces the loss of their homes, faith, or identity.
May Allah have mercy on all those who were lost in the Circassian genocide and restore justice to all oppressed peoples. Ameen.