Abazinia

Abazinia, Abazashta or Abaza is a historical country at the northern mountainside of the Caucasus Major, now the northern part of Karachay–Cherkessian Republic, Russia. Abazinia is a home of the Abazins, a people related to the Abkhaz people and speaking the Abazin language.

Abazinia once was a part of the Kingdom of Abkhazia. The ancestors of the Abazins were the Sadz, lived at the Black Sea, but forced to resettle to the mountains under the Ubykh pressure. In 16th-18th century Abazinia was a part of Kabarda and was often raided by the Crimeans. Since the 19th century Abazinia is a part of the Russian Empire. During the rule of Kabardians, Crimeans and Russians some Abazins were forcibly resettled from their homeland.

Modern times

The Soviet power was proclaimed there in 1918. On April 1, 1918 Abazinia was made a part of the Kuban Soviet Republic. On May 28 of that year it was made part of the Kuban-Black Sea Soviet Republic. From July 5-December 1918 it was in the North Caucasus Soviet Republic. On January 20, 1921 it was made a part of the Mountainous ASSR. Then on January 12, 1922 it was made a part of the Karachay–Cherkess Autonomous Oblast, South-Eastern Krai. On April 26 in that same year it was made a part of the Cherkess Autonomous Oblast, Stavropol Krai. Beginning on January 9, 1957 it was a part of the recreated Karachay–Cherkess Autonomous Oblast, Stavropol Krai.