Battle of the Malka

Battle of the Malka
Date 30th of October, 1785 Location Malka River, Kabardia Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Chechen fighters File:Banner of the Kabardian Union.svg Kabardia	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Sheikh Mansur	Pavel Potemkin
Strength
Less	6,000
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Unknown

The Battle of the Malka River took place on 30 October, 1785, between the Russian Empire and Chechen and Kabardian fighters led by Sheikh Mansur. It resulted in the first major defeat of the latter and his short retirement soon after.

History

In retrubution for the recent successes of Sheikh Mansur, Pavel Potemkin, the Russian Commander in Chief in the Caucasus, together with an army numbering 6,000, invaded Smal Kabardia to destroy the Kabardian support for Mansur in the region. Soon after, Sheikh Mansur attacked the Russian army across the Malka (river). During the battle that followed, the Russians made effective use of their artillery, as a result of which the mountaineer army was decimated and forced to retreat. The battle at Malka marked the first major defeat of Sheikh Mansur and he retired for a short time soon after.

See also

• Sheikh Mansur
• Siege of Kizlyar (August 1785)
• Battle of Tatartup

Sources

• Oztas, Ahmet (2013) (in English). A Page from the History of the North Caucasus: Imam Mansur Ushurma. EHESS. pp. 1-14. https://www.academia.edu/3694558/A_Page_from_the_History_of_the_North_Caucasus_Imam_Mansur_Ushurma.