Urusbiev, Ismail Murzakulovich

Ismail Urusbiev comes from the clan of the Balkar ^[1] taubiev (mountain princes) of the Urusbiev , rulers of part of the Baksan Gorge. His father was Myrzakul Ismailovich Urusbiev, a member of the Balkar-Digor delegation of 1827 to Lieutenant General G. A. Emmanuel with a request for the entry of Balkaria and Digoria into Russia. The mother of the prince was Shakmanova Tatlykhan Sultanovna, a representative of the family of mountain princes Shakmanov , rulers of the Kholam society.

In 1851 , as part of the delegation of his son-in-law to the Svan prince Otar Dadeshkeliani, Ismail was received in St. Petersburg by Emperor Nicholas I , who awarded him the gold medal "For diligence". For the second time, Prince Urusbiev visited the capital of the Russian Empire as part of a delegation of the Balkar aristocracy. For participation in this delegation he was promoted to ensign and received an annual salary of 75 rubles. In October 1868 he received the military rank of second lieutenant . ^[2] Many times Urusbiev was elected a member of the Gorsky Verbal Court.

Ismail Urusbiev was well versed in issues of history, ethnography and geography, and was considered an excellent connoisseur of the Caucasus . Historical and ethnographic information about the Balkars , recorded by Professor M. M. Kovalevsky from Ismail Urusbiev, was widely used by the professor in his studies “ At the bottom of Elbrus ”, “ Law and Custom in the Caucasus ”, etc.

The prince masterfully played national instruments and performed well the old songs of the Balkars , Kabardians , Ossetians and Georgians . Directly from Ismail Urusbiev was recorded by composer S. I. Taneev musical and choreographic folklore and song material. The originals of twenty songs are now stored in the Tchaikovsky House-Museum in Klin and are of great interest to musicologists.

Ismail Murzakulovich, at his own expense, collected a wonderful collection of Caucasian antiquities. Subsequently, this collection came to Hungary and now adorns the museum of this country. For the strength of will and strength of character, the prince received the nickname "Iron Ismail."

Ismail Urusbiev, with his mobility, managed to engage the scientific world in the study of the culture and life of the Balkars . Thanks to him, episodes of history, epic motifs, and folk art of Balkaria were reflected in Russian and foreign historiography of the second half of the 19th century .

Prince Ismail Urusbiev was married twice. His first wife was the daughter of the Svan prince Tsioh Dadeshkeliani . The second wife was Nago Bijnegerovna daughter of the Chegem prince Balkarukov . Children, sons: Safar-Ali and Nauruz, daughters: Misirkhan, Gulzhan, Zabida, Safiyat.

• Bekaldiev M.D. History of Kabardino-Balkaria: Textbook. - Nalchik, 2003. - ISBN 5-7680-1714-3 .