Aledjuq of Hatuqay

Aledjuq, son of Janbech (; also known as Elyok) was a 16th-century Circassian prince and military leader of the Principality of Hatuqay. Led by him, the Hatuqay resisted the Crimean Khanate during the 1550s. He also later participated in the Ottoman–Safavid War (1578–1590).

Reign

Relations with other Circassians Aledjuq ruled during a period of conflict between the Chemguys and the Bzhedugs. Aledjuq allied with the Chemguy prince Tumenish against the Bzhedugs. In the battle, Tumenish was killed, thus Aledjuq took command of the Hatuqay-Chemguy forces, rallying the confused troops to defeat the Bzhedugs.

Conflict with the Crimean Khanate

As a successor state to the Golden Horde, the Crimean Khanate claimed sovereignty over the Circassia. This political relationship was characterized primarily by the obligation of Circassian princes to pay tribute to the Crimean Khan, predominantly in the form of slaves. This tribute was demanded upon the ascension of a new Khan to the throne or levied as fines for crimes committed by Circassian subjects. When Circassian leaders refused to deliver the required number of captives, the Crimean leadership launched punitive military expeditions to enforce payment.

The Hatuqay maintained control over fertile lowlands and crucial trade routes in the northwestern Caucasus, resisting both Tatar incursions and pressure. Tensions escalated throughout the 1540s as the Hatuqay leadership increasingly resisted demands for tribute and subordination. According to the Crimean Chronicle "Tārih̲-i Ṣāḥib Giray H̲ān", the events were as follows:

Crimean Khan Sahib I Giray organized a punitive expedition in 1551, aiming to break Hatuqay resistance and assert Crimean authority in the region. A Tatar chronicle claims this was because the Circassians, led by Aledjuq, raided a Crimean caravan near Azov in 1551; The Khan set out on the path, exclaiming "where are you, sons of Hatuqay!" The Khan's army advanced further into the region, capturing key settlements and strongholds. However, despite claims of victory reported to the Ottomans by Sahib Giray, the Circassians were not subdued. While the Khan was engaged in his campaign against the Hatuqays, his nephew, Devlet Giray, successfully seized the khanate's throne in Crimea. This usurpation was sanctioned by the Ottoman Sultan, and Sahib Giray's entire government and army defected to the new ruler without any resistance. Forced to flee, the deposed Khan sought refuge in the fortress of Temryuk, but envoys sent by Devlet Giray swiftly arrived and hacked both him and his son to death. The usurpation was followed by a ruthless purge in Crimea, where all of Sahib Giray's remaining sons, including his youngest children, were summarily executed.