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68 
 
The other important reference point for participants of the Congress was 
Islam. Islam, as was the case in Shamil’s period, was still one of the most 
important determinants of the Mountaineer identity. During the Congress, on every 
occasion, each speaker made reference to Islam and the Islamic brotherhood. 
Moreover, the prominent religious leaders, i. e., sheikhs and mullahs from different 
sections of the region took an active part in the Congress and, through the 
Religious (or Spiritual) Commission, analyzed the religious issues and Shari’a 
thoroughly, and submitted a report to the Congress.
167
 
In addition to the colourful Central Committee, a ‘Clerical Council’ under 
the leadership of Najmuddin Gotsinskiy
168
 was established and given the power to 
tackle spiritual issues.
169
 
The Congress, in general, served as a discussion platform for the different 
groups, from socialists to tariqats, and played a role, at least for a time, to coalesce 
these groups on the main ideology of North Caucasians: unification. The North 
Caucasus defined the rights and interests of all North Caucasian peoples, regardless 
of ethnic differences, as one and the same. From this perspective, the Congress 
could have been accepted as successful, and by the end of the congress, at least the 
participants thought they were showing to the entire world that the North Caucasus 
                                                 
167
 For the report of the Spiritual Commission see Compte-Rendu, 80-91. 
168
 He also called as Sheikh Najmuddin of Hotso. He was born in 1860 as the son of a naib of 
Shamil, Dano Magoma, who surrendered to the Russians and later, sided with them during the 1877 
uprising. Gotsinskiy was a distinguished Arabist and a talented poet. Having finished his education 
he joined the horse guards of the tsarist governor, was nominated a judge of the Dagestani National 
tribunal, and later became the ‘chief naib’ of the Koysubul region. In 1903, he spent three months in 
İstanbul, after which he was regarded by the Russian administration as an emissary of the Ottomans 
and was suspected because of several uprisings in 1905 and 1913 by the Russians. 
169
 The names of other members of the Council were as follows: Kadı Abdulbeshir Dadayev 
Kazanichskiy and Kadı Jemaleddin Karabudakhtinskiy from the province of Dagestan; Abubakir 
Tsalikov (Osetian), Ilyas Akgaliev (Ingush), Hasan Haji and Abdulkadir Haji (Chechens), Alikhan 

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69 
 
was “one and vigorous nation”,
170
 which did not discrimination on ground of race 
and religion. 
 
After the formation of the Alliance, the Central Committee faced two 
immediate problems: land and the army. A solution to the former problem, 
according to Pshemaho Kotsev
171
, would only be possible with the solution of the 
latter.
172
 By May 1917, the Central Committee still had almost no military power of 
its own and apparently the existence of deserting Russian soldiers from the 
Caucasian front was threatening the North Caucasus.
173
 
As an immediate and basic solution, the Central Committee decided to ask 
the new Russian administration for the return of the Caucasian Cavalry Division, 
which consisted of 6 regiments
174
, to the homelands. To this end, the Central 
Committee issued a declaration and authorized Kotsev to carry out negotiations 
with the Russian Provisional Government on 30 June 1917.
175
 He talked with 
Kerensky but failed to ensure the return of the Division. Kornilov’s unexpected 
coup attempt made the return of the Division possible only in October 1917. 
                                                                                                                                        
Chaganov (Kabardian) from the province of Terek; Abdulsalih Tangatarov from the province of 
Stavropol. 
170
 Aziz Meker, August 1953. “Kafkas,” Kafkas Dergisi, (İstanbul), 1(8): 9. Hereafter “Kafkas,”. 
171
 Pshemaho Kotsev [Kosok], (1887-1962), Kabardian. He was born in Nalchik. He studied law in 
St Petersburg. Before the revolution he had been working as a lawyer in Yekaterinodar and after the 
February Revolution, in order to join the Congress, he came to Vladikavkaz. 
172
 P. Kosok [Kotsev], 1955. “Revolution and Sovietization in the North Caucasus,” Caucasian 
Review, (Munich), 1: 47-54 and 1956, 3: 45-53. Hereafter Revolution and Sovietization I and II 
respectively. 
173
 Kosok, “Revolution and Sovietization I,” 50-51. 
174
 The North Caucasian Cavalry Regiment, which was established during the Russo-Japanese War 
of 1905 and because of its success it was enlarged to a Division, that was consisted of 6 regiments: 
the Dagestani, Kabardian, Chechen, Circassian, Ingush and Tatar. Mikhail Aleksandrovich, the 
Tsar’s brother commanded this Division, until General Bagration replaced him. The last commander 
of the Division was General Polovtsev. See İ. Natırboff, 1955. “The Circassians’ Part in the Civil 
War,” Caucasian Review, (Munich), 1: 138. 
175
 Kosok, “Revolution and Sovietization I,” 52. 

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70 
 
Despite the contradicting attitudes of some officers, the majority of members of the 
Division constituted the main combating force of the Mountaineers.
176
 On the other 
hand, finding a solution to the land problem was more hardened issue and within 
this early period the Central Committee could, in fact, do nothing. 
 
B-The Second Congress: 
The Central Committee, during the First Congress, had planned to convene 
the Second Congress of the Mountaineers in the village of Andi in September 
1917, in remembrance of Imam Shamil. It is important to note that, with the aim of 
electing delegates for the Second Congress, local meetings preceded this Congress 
during August 1917, and the members of the Central Committee were assigned to 
these meetings.
177
 
Nevertheless, the gathering of a mass of 20,000 people that was provoked 
by “the Muslim clergy, particularly of Nazhmuddin Gotsinskiy and Uzun –khadzhi, 
in order to demand that the independence of the Northern Caucasus be immediately 
proclaimed” and the threat of the newly emerging Communist elements headed by 
Celâl Korkmazov
178
 made the convening of Congress in Andi impossible.
179
 
 
                                                 
176
 For the role of the Cavalry and the Mountaineers in the Kornilov affair see Aytek Namitok, 
December 1958. “Ekim Devrimi’nin Çatıştığı Yollarda Kuzey Kafkasya Fırkası,”  Yeni Kafkas, 
(İstanbul), 2(12): 82-5. Also see Natırboff, and Kosok, “Revolution and Sovietization I”. 
177
 Kosok, “Revolution and Sovietization II,” 46-7. 
178
 Celâl Korkmazov (1879-1938), Kumuk. He was born in the village of Kumtorkala. Because of 
his revolutionary activities in 1905 he exiled to Olonest but until 1917 lived in Paris and studied in 
Sorbonne. Following the February Revolution he turned back and participated to the Bolshevik 
Party. 
179
 Related with the convention of the Second Congress there was a contradicting information. 
Several sources were given the date truly but, varying in the place, that is while some were giving 
Vladikavkaz, the others put the place as Andi. See Kosok, “Revolution and Sovietization II,” 47; 
Kashkaev, Ot Fevralya, 42 and Kakagasanov, 19. 

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