The Richinsky Union of Rural Communities , the Richinsky Free Society (Arabic: Vilayat Bab al-Qist al-Ridge) is a theocratic state entity that existed in the territory of Southern Dagestan . He was part of the system of three agulian unions of rural communities . The capital of the union was the village of Rich .
| Historical state | |
| Ricinsky Union of Rural Communities | |
|---|---|
| Agul. Keren-dere | |
| Capital | Richa |
| Languages) | Agul language , Lezgin language |
| Religion | Islam ( Sunnism ) |
| Population | aguls , lezgins |
| Form of government | Highland democracy |
Content
Geography
The Richinsky Union of Rural Communities was located in the valleys of the gorges Agul-dere and Keren-dere, in the territory of modern Agulsky district and Kurakhsky district of Dagestan .
History
Together with Koshansky, the Rychinsky Union often had to defend independence from the Kazikumukh rulers.
Population
The population of the Richinsky Union of Rural Communities was monoconfessional, consisted of agul villages and one Lezgi. It was inhabited by aguls and Lezghins who profess Sunni Islam. The main agulsky population spoke the Ricin dialect (Keren dialect) .
Socio-Political Structure
The union included two societies. Power was exercised by the council of elders. The Ricinsky Union consisted of the following societies:
- Richinsky society consisting of the villages of Richa , Bediuk , Hweredzh ;
- Usug society consisting of the villages of Usug , Ukuz , Kurdal , Gelhen ;
In each rural society in the union, one elder was elected, who led the village. This was dictated by the small number of farms in the agul villages. And the foreman of the central village of Rich was considered the main. So, for example, the elders of the villages of Bediuk, Khveredzh subordinated to the Richinsky foreman, and the villages of Ukuz , Gelhen , Kurdal to the Usugsky . It should be noted that in the whole Free Society, the Richinsky foreman enjoyed authority and great power. Residents of the villages of this union turned to it to analyze controversial issues. In the main village, each foreman had his own seat, made of stone in the form of a "throne". According to the testimony of N.I. Kuznetsov, who visited Agul in 1912, the elders of the villages were a kind of princes among one-village men and enjoyed great honor, respect and power.