Circassians

Also known as Cherkess, Adyghe, Adyghe people

The Circassians, also known as the Cherkess or the Adyghe (Adyghe and , ), are a Northwest Caucasian ethnic group native to Circassia, a region and former country in the North Caucasus. As a consequence of the 19th-century Russo-Circassian War and the Circassian genocide, most Circassians were exiled from their homeland and scattered in what was then the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey, Southeastern Europe and the Middle East). The two Circassian languages natively spoken by the Circassian people are western Adyghe and eastern Kabardian. The Ubykh language fell out of use and went extinct in

AI overview

The Circassians are a Northwest Caucasian ethnic group originally from the North Caucasus region who were largely displaced from their homeland in the 19th century due to the Russo-Circassian War and genocide, scattering them across the Ottoman Empire and beyond. Today they maintain their distinct identity through their native languages—western Adyghe and eastern Kabardian—and represent an important diaspora community with deep historical roots in the Caucasus.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Ethnic group.group: Circassians
Ethnic group.native_name_lang: ady
Ethnic group.flag: Circassian flag.svg
Ethnic group.flag_caption: Circassian national flag
Ethnic group.image: Circassian diaspora.png
Ethnic group.image_caption: Map of the Circassian diaspora
Ethnic group.pop1: 2,000,000–3,000,000
Ethnic group.pop2: 751,487
Ethnic group.pop3: 100,000–250,000
Ethnic group.pop4: 80,000–120,000
Ethnic group.pop5: 50,000
Ethnic group.pop6: 40,000
Ethnic group.pop7: 35,000
Ethnic group.pop8: 34,000
Ethnic group.pop9: 25,000
Ethnic group.pop10: 23,000
Ethnic group.pop11: 5,000–50,000
Ethnic group.pop12: 4,000–5,000

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Population: 3500000
Image: Adyghe Costumes.jpg

Show 1 more fact

Commons category: Circassians

Sources (2)

via Wikidata · CC0

~56 min read

Article

38 sections

Contents

Ethnonyms
Adyghe
Circassian, Cherkess
Soviet policy
History
Origins
Pseudoscientific claims
Medieval period
Early modern period
Circassian Genocide
Post-exile period
Culture
Language
Religion
Traditional social system
Traditional clothing
Traditional cuisine
Traditional crafts
Tribes
Other Adyghe groups
Circassian diaspora
Turkey
Syria
Israel
Jordan
Egypt
Iraq
Iran
Rest of Western Asia
Rest of Europe
North America
Sochi Olympics controversy
Depictions in art
See also
References
Sources
Further reading
External links

The majority of Circassians are Muslim; Sunni Islam became the dominant religion during the 17th century, following a long period of Islamisation. Circassia has been repeatedly invaded since ancient times; its isolated terrain coupled with the strategic value external societies have placed on the region, have greatly shaped the Circassian national identity as a whole.