Simsim

Simsim (Persian: سیمسیم) was either a historical region or kingdom in the North Caucasus during the Middle Ages, existing in the 14th century. Predominantly localized roughly in eastern Chechnya (Ichkeria), with some also connecting part of Kumyk Plain [ru]. Simsim is also localized in both Chechnya and Ingushetia. Its name may have been derived from the Chechen village of Simsir [ru]. However, according to folklore, the King Gayur-khan was chosen as the leader of all Chechens by the Mehk-Khel (National Council). In its later years it allied itself with the Golden Horde before being destroyed in 1395 by Timur (Timurlane), which was recorded in Zafarnama by Nizam al-Din Shami and the Zafarnama by Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi.

The historical region or the kingdom is referred in the two Persian chronicles, Zafarnama (Shami) and Zafarnama (Yazdi), as Simsim. Fasih Khwafi referred Simsim as "Ulus Simsim".

Simsim is usually localized in Ichkeria, a region located in eastern Chechnya, with some authors localizing it both in the Ichkeria and Kumyk Plain [ru]. It's also localized in Chechnya.

Simsir existed at a time when Chechens had a feudal system; in the early modern era, they overthrew their feudal rulers in a "revolutionary" event and established in its place a quasi-democratic taip system by which representatives of teips voted in a national council, but while this differentiated Chechens from their neighbors more recently, it was not the case in the Middle Ages when Simsim existed.

In the Middle Ages, Chechen societies such as Simsir had a hierarchical and pyramidal structure. The Principality of Simsir's prince (the eela) sat at the top, followed by nobility and vassals (uzden), followed by free commoners (halxoi), followed by servants (yalxoi, including gharbashash, i.e. bond women), followed by serfs (lesh, lai in the singular), with only slaves and war captives (yiysarsh) beneath them; additionally, clerics were placed in the uzden nobility class. The wife of a prince was called a stuu and addressed as stulla.

In the 14th century, its rulers became tributaries of the Golden Horde, which brought Islamic influence with it, the ruler of Simsir was a powerful prince called Gayur-khan from the Sado-Orsoy clan. He was a Christian ruler who was very close to the Khan Khidir who at times used him as an ambassador to the Rus cities for negotiations and peace. After the death of Khan Khidir the Golden Horde fell into chaos for over 20 years. One of the main figures of this era was the warlord Mamai who was defeated by a Chechen army led by Gayur-khan in 1362. This is believed to have resulted in an independent Simsir kingdom ruled by Gayur-khan. He was also an important ally to Khan Tokhtamysh which is seen from the 18th-century manuscript by the general Sultan Kazi-Girey which notes that the Chechens were in the vanguard of the Tokhtamysh against the Timurid empire during the Battle of the Terek river. The defeat of the Golden Horde led to disastrous consequences for the Simsir kingdom as Timur decided to invade it due to their alliance with Tokhtamysh.

In the reign of its last ruler, Gayur-khan, the Principality of Simsir was destroyed by Timur (Timurlane) in 1395 as part of his campaign against the Golden Horde. Its population fled south, into the mountains, in order to escape the attacks of the Mongols. In the Zafarnama it states that Timur chased these escapers south into the mountains and subdued them. Timur placed Makhama, the son of Gayur-khan, as vassal and converted him to Islam. The fate of Makhama is described in Chechen folklore collected by the Sadoy clan historian Murtazaliev. Makhama was assassinated by the Chechens who replaced him with the previous Gayur-khan who continued to resist Timur until he was treacherously murdered during negotiations by the Timurids.

• Durdzuks

• Jaimoukha, Amjad (2005). The Chechens: A handbook (PDF). Psychology Press. pp. 1–343. ISBN 9780415323284.