Kumuk Turks and Tarkhu Samkhal from beginning until the Russian sovereingnty

Caucasia witnessed either the invasion or the migration of various nations throughout the history. But some of these nations came to Caucasia and settled. One of those nations were Turks. The various Turkish tribes which came to Caucasia in the different periods of history have formed a new Turkish community. This Turkic community which we know as Kumuk Turks established Tarkhu Samkhal. Samkhal?s date of establishment is unknown, but, Samkhal took part in political developments in the Caucasia beginning from the second half of the XVIth century. By the end of the XVIth century it gained the power to change the course of these political developments.During the most powerful period of Tarkhu Samkhal the struggle for reign among the members of the dynasty, caused the disintegration of Samkhal. The struggle between Tarkhu Samkhal and other Samkhal territories for Dagestan domination weakened Samkhal. However Kumuks successfully formed an ally against the Russian and Iranian attacks.Towards the mid XVIIth century, Tarkhu Samkhal regained its power by gaining ascendance over the territories that seperated from Samkhal. But after the death of the Surkhay Samkhal II. Samkhal lost ground due to the lack of governing abilities of new rulers and it fall in to Russia's power in the XVIIIth century, In that period Kumuk territories and Tarkhu Samkhal was under the control of Russia except for the Endirey territory. On the other hand Endirey territory followed a policy against Russia but adherent of the Ottoman Empire. Such policy protected Endirey territory from external influences for a while. However, as a result of Russia's Caspian Sea Campaign organized for conquering Dagestan, Russia occupied Dagestan for a short time. From this period on, attempts of the Ottoman Empire and Iran to seize Dagestan have failed. Eventually Russian influence grew up on Kumuks and early in the XIXth century Russia seized Tarkhu Samkhal without a serious resistance. As the political history of Tarkhu Samkhal was handled, the relations between Samkhal and the Caucasian tribes, and its relations between Ottoman Empire, Russia and Iran States were examined in this study.