15.-19. YÜZYILLAR ARASINDA OSMANLI İMPARATORLUĞU’NUN ÇERKEZİSTAN’DAKİ İSLAMI YAYMA SİYASETİNE KISA BİR BAKIŞ
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE’S POLICY OF SPREADING ISLAM IN CIRCASSIA BETWEEN THE 15TH AND 19TH CENTURIES

Summary/Abstract: The oldest known religious beliefs of Circassians, an ancient Caucasian people, are natural religions. From the 6th century, Christianity also spread in Circassia and continued its influence until the 15th century. The spread of Islam continued in the region in the 13th century under the influence of the Golden Horde. After conquest of Istanbul in 1453 by the Ottomans, this spreading process accelerated due to the region’s isolation from the source of Christianity. However, until the risk arose that Circassia could fall into the hands of the Russians in the 18th century, the Ottoman government concentrated mainly on its economic and political interests in the region and did not pursue a planned and systematic policy to spread Islam there. The Ottoman government, which wanted to win over the Circassians because of the increasing Russian danger, tried to achieve this goal mainly by strengthening Islam among them. Ferah Ali Pasha, who was sent to the region for this purpose in 1780, achieved great success by respecting the customs and lifestyle of Circassians, offering them rich gifts and building kinship ties through marriages. As a result of the successful policy of the Ottomans to spread Islam, which continued in the 19th century until the region was conquered by the Russians, Islam became the most common religion among Circassians.

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