Lezgian people

The Lezgins or Lezghins ( in older German literature often referred to as Küriner ) are a nation in the Caucasus region.

The people residing in the territory of the river Samur. This region is also called Lesgistan. The people of the Lezgins has about 800,000 members, according to estimates, of which about half live in the Russian republic of Dagestan, the other half in Azerbaijan. According to the census in Russia 2010 385 240 Lezgins lived in Dagestan in Russia 473 722.

The Lesgische language belongs to the northeastern group of Caucasian languages.

History

In the 8th century converted the Lezgins to Islam ( Sunni Shafi'i school of law ). Later she came under the influence of the Georgians and Armenians, their attempts to convert the Lezgins to Christianity, but failed. In the 16th century they were used by the Ottomans, and later ruled by the Persians.

Beginning of the 19th century became their territory under Russian sovereignty. The border along the Samur was initially only a Russian domestic or intra- Soviet administrative boundary. Since the independence of Azerbaijan, the Lezgins see faced with the fact of living in two states. While they enjoy cultural autonomy in Dagestan, Azerbaijan Lezgins are exposed to a pressure of assimilation by the government there.

Prominent Lezgins

• Suleiman Kerimov Abusaidowitsch - Russian entrepreneur, billionaire oligarch and politician