Case Study Circassian Migration FV - EUROCLIO

Why did so many Circassians go to the Ottoman
Empire?
“When the ultimate defeat and surrender of the
Circassians become apparent the Russian
Government made overtures to the Porte, in view
of ascertaining whether the Sultan would receive
into his dominions such proportion of the
Circassian tribes as would desire to leave their
country.
The Turkish Government consented to receive
them on the condition that the emigration should
be gradual and should not commence before the
fine season. It was then believed that 40,000 or
50,000 would avail themselves of this refuge. The
progress of events, however, has been so rapid
that these stipulations have been totally
disregarded, and the successive victories of the
Russian army in the Caucasus produced the panic
and the flight which have been recorded above.”
The Times, 9 May, 1864
The evidence suggests that the
Ottoman administration made a
commitment to take the Circassian
exodus before they had a clear picture
of just how many migrants would seek
refuge within the Empire, or how
urgent would be the demand for
transportation away from the
Caucasian shore.
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