Daryal war
The Daryal War or the Kabardian Invasion of Daryal Gorge was a military conflict in the Caucasus involving the Kabardians and their incursion through the Daryal Gorge into the territories of the Vainakh tribes and the eastern Georgian Kingdom of Kartli.
Background
In 1557, Kabarda voluntarily accepted the Russian suzerainty, which strengthened Kabardian influence in the North Caucasus and established a formal political ties with the Tsardom of Russia. These relations were further solidified in 1561 by the marriage of Maria Temryukovna, daughter of the Kabardian prince Temryuk Idar, to Tsar Ivan IV.In October 1562, an army under the command of Temryuk Idar, composed of Kabardians, Nogais, and Cossacks, launched a campaign into the central Caucasus. According to historical sources, including the Nikon Chronicle, the objective was to seize the lands inhabited by the Ingush people between the Terek and Sunzha rivers.
In the 16th century, the Ingush lived primarily in the plains, but a series of invasions by the Mongols, Timur, and later regional powers forced much of the population into the mountains.
The campaign was supported by Nogai murzas and a Russian detachment of 1,000 Cossacks under Grigory Pleshcheev, sent by Ivan IV. According to Russian chronicles, a total of 164 settlements were destroyed. The Ingush population again retreated into the mountains, and Kabardian settlers occupied the de-populated lowlands.
The war
In 1596, Kabardian forces led by princes Solokh and Aitek-Murza advanced through the Daryal Gorge, seizing fortified settlements belonging to the Vainakh noble Sultan-Murza. After establishing control in the highlands, they moved southward into Kartli's mountainous borderlands, specifically targeting the Sioni and Ksani regions.In May 1597, King Alexander II of Kartli reported the incursion to Russian envoys Kuzma Savin and Andrei Polukhanov. According to their account, Alexander informed them that “Solokh, the Kabardian ruler, and Aitek-Murza” had invaded the “land of Soni,” killing many and taking numerous captives. The term “ruler” used by Alexander in reference to Solokh suggests a recognition—possibly tactical—of his authority among the Kabardians.
Role of Alexander II of Kakheti
The same report noted that another Kabardian noble, referred to as “Gosudar Alkas,” had warned King Alexander about Solokh's actions and even released many of the captives taken during the raid. In retaliation, Solokh attempted to incite Russian voivodes stationed in Terek to join him in military action against Alkas.In response, Alexander sent a letter to the Russian commanders urging them not to act against Alkas. He assured them that if Alkas had offended the Russian Tsar in any way, he would soon “correct his mistake, fully submit to the Tsar, and remain eternally loyal.”
Aftermath
Kabardian Expansion in the Early 17th Century
In the early 17th century, the most active political and military force in the central Caucasus region was represented by the Kabardian princes. Supported by loyal retainers and allied nobles, they sought to gain control over strategic routes leading into eastern Georgia.By 1604, Kabardian influence had expanded to the vicinity of the Daryal Gorge, a key passage connecting the North Caucasus with the Kingdom of Kartli. Prince Aitek secured control over an alternative mountain route leading to the "land of Soni"—a designation referring to the domain of the Ksani eristavi.
Kabardian feudal lords conducted raids into Georgian territory, attacking the lands of the Ksani eristavi, capturing inhabitants, and asserting intermittent military pressure on border regions.