The Evolution of the Circassians’ Oaths in the Context of Changing Religious Views in 1800-1855

The paper examines the evolution of the Circassians’ oaths in the period of 1800-1855 in the context of changing religious views. The research materials are represented with the archival documents of the State archive of the Krasnodar Krai (Krasnodar, Russian Federation) and with the sources of personal origin belonging to emissaries and agents who have investigated the situation or resided on the territory of Circassia for some time. The methodological basis of the paper includes the principles of historicism and objectivity which are traditional for research of this kind, as well as analytical, probabilistic-statistical, typological and comparative methods. Using these methods has allowed us to compare the oath texts and to identify their peculiar features. Besides, on the basis of various facts obtained in the process of documents’ processing, the method of historicism has let revealing the relevant phenomena and processes associated with the change of religious rules in Circassia in 1800-1855. We conclude that during the civil war in Circassia in 1785 the system of religious rules was changed, and the Koran got the equal right along with the Bible, the Psalms of David and the Book of Evangelists. After 15 years, in 1800, the Circassians swore on these four books in their oaths. However, in 1842, there was no mention of the Christian books in the oath texts. In our opinion, this fact proves the conducted activity aimed at discrediting the Christian and pagan beliefs of the population and the victorious spread of Islam in the region. Nevertheless, the Circassian aristocracy, who left Circassia and moved to the Russian territory, retained the references to the ancient Christian books in their oaths