Gazikumukh Shamkhalate
| Gazikumukh Shamkhalate Lak Shamkhalate |
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Lak: Gazigumukssa Shamkhallug Lakssa Shamkhallug |
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| Capital | Kumukh | |||||||||
| Religion | Islam | |||||||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | |||||||||
| History | ||||||||||
| • | Established | 8th century | ||||||||
| • | Disestablished | 17th century | ||||||||
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Gazikumukh Shamkhalate was a Lak state that existed on the territory of present-day Dagestan in the period of the 8th to 17th centuries. The capital of the shamkhalate in the 8th century was Kumukh, named as Gazi-Kumukh in the 14th century. In the 15th century other political centers of shamkhalate were Bujnak, Tarki, Andirey and some other towns.
In the middle of the 7th century the Arab Caliphate in its expansion to the north engaged in the conquest of Dagestan. At the beginning of the 8th century the Arabs captured Kumukh, a fact that could have obliged Laks to be in alliance with the Arabs against the Khazars. It is known that the Arabs lost power in Dagestan on successful Khazars invasion and Laks then could have been in alliance with the Khazars. Arabs had to reconquer Dagestan.
In 734 Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik, the commander of Arab army, after one of his victories against the Khazars in Dagestan appointed several governors, one of whom was Shakhbal of Kumukh. The authority of Shakhbal could not have been permanent in Kumukh if he was an Arab. It will be correct to assume that Shakhbal was a local ruler of Kumukh who among Laks held the title Shamkhal. He was probably related to the Arabs and his title was distorted in pronunciation. Historians Barthold and Polievktov associated Shakhbal with Shamkhal, both meaning the ruler of Kumukh.Bakikhanov A. K. wrote that in 734: "Abu Muslim advanced to Kumuk ... The main mosque and other buildings built by him in Kumuk still exist today. He left here Shakhbal ibn Abdullah a ruler".
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