In 1637, a relatively small Cossack company took the powerful Turkish fortress of Azov and held it until 1642, having withstood a serious siege. This striking event was reflected in tales of the XVII cent. Azov siege sitting.

Quartered in the Kuban region, the Kuban Cossack Host was used by the czar to protect Russia's southern borders. It took part in military campaigns, was abolished in 1920. It has presently been restored.

The Don Cossack Host formed the most numerous part of the Cossacks in pre-revolutionary Russia. Quartered in the Don area, it protected Russia's southern borders and took part in military campaigns, was disbanded in 1920 and restored in the late 1980s.

Part of the Cossacks in pre-revolutionary Russia quartered in the Terek region, formed in 1577 and abolished in 1920. It was restored in the 1990s and has been taking an active part in the counter-terrorist operation in Chechnya.

Holy place, named after the horse of the fourth "Righteous Caliph," Ali ibn Abi Talib. Caliph Ali's name is also bound up with the place names in Talysh/Talish, Azerbaijan: Ali-riz and Ali-chopan.

Mahkamahs Syariah are Sharia courts. For a while, they played an important part in post-revolutionary Russia, but were abolished as the Soviet government was firmly established.

In the Muslim cosmology, Kahf is a great mountain surrounding the Earth. In the earthly geography, Kahf corresponds to the Caucasian highlands where mountain-linked cults are widespread.

Abu Muslim is the hero of Muslim folklore of the Northeast Caucasus. Legends, tales, and chronicles about him date back to different periods and are based on various sources.

One of the most important and joyful Ossetian customs is the wedding ceremony. Here is an account of the traditional Ossetian wedding with all its common and specific features.

The republic was proclaimed in the city of Kars by the pro-Turkish National Council of the Southwest Caucasus, on December 01, 1918. The English occupation authorities soon placed the Kars province under Armenia's rule. In 1921, a Russian-Turkish treaty delivered the province with its adjacent districts to Turkey.