Isa of Ghendargen

Isa of Ghendargen (Chechen: Гендаргнойн Ӏийса, romanized: Ghendargnoyn Isa; 1795 – 1845) was a Chechen general during the Caucasian War, who commanded the Eastern and Central Fronts of the Caucasian Imamate. He is also one of the great commanders in Chechen history. Isa was of the Ghendargnoy teip and Appaz-Nek'e (branch of a teip).^[1]

Isa of Ghendargen
Born	1795 Ghendargen [ru], Chechnya
Died	1845 Urus-Martan, Chechnya
Allegiance	Caucasian Imamate
Branch	Army
Years of service	1810–1845
Rank	General
Commands	Eastern and Central fronts
Battles / wars	Caucasian War Battle of the Valerik River Battle of Ichkeria Battle of Gekhi [ru] Battle of Dargo (1845)

Early life

Isa was born in 1795 in the village of Ghendargen [ru], in the east of Chechnya.^[2] His father Ela had great influence among the Chechens.^[3] When the boy was ten, the family moved to Urus-Martan. In his youth Isa stood out among his peers for his leadership and bravery.^[4]

Caucasian war

Battle of the Valerik River

Battle of the River Valerik by Mikhail Lermontov

In May 1840, detachments of Isa and Akhberdil-Muhammad [ru] defeated Russian troops near the village of Achkhoy-Martan, and a month later attacked the Russian fortress of Nazran. General Galafeev's expedition into western Chechnya, commanded by 4,000 infantrymen and 1,500 Cossacks, was the answer. Isa and others ambushed the troops on the Valerik River. The battle took place on 11 July 1840. Both sides suffered significant losses.^[4]

Battle of Ichkeria

The Battle of Ichkeria, painting by Bryukhovetsky

In the summer of 1842 General Grabbe organised a military campaign in eastern Chechnya with the intention of capturing Dargo and defeating Shamil's residence. A ten-thousand-strong detachment of Russian troops got bogged down in the dense Chechen forests and was constantly attacked by Chechens. In this battle Isa and his detachment supported Shuaib-Mulla of Tsentara. The Chechens defeated Grabbe's expeditionary detachment. He lost about 1,800 soldiers and 66 officers in that battle.^[4]

Battle of Dargo (1845)

Battle of Dargo, painting by Franz Roubaud

In his last battle, Isa inflicted a major defeat on the Austrian general of the Russian service, Franz Klugenau [ru], destroying 1,700 soldiers and officers near the village of Dargo.^[4]

Death

The tomb of Isa

Isa of Ghendargen died after a serious short illness in December 1845. It is said that his last words were:

I spent many years in the war for ghazawat, hoping that I would fall on the battlefield. I never thought I would have to die in bed. Yet I believe that my merits will count for me in the next world.^[2]