Gelbah on the Sunzha

Cities of Khazaria. Kromos Estatium
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     The khazar cities here include not only those cities that were built by the khazar architects, but also those that were built before the arrival of the khazars, were used by the khazars for their needs and tasks for a long time.
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Gelbah on the Sunzha **
     Also Kissim-Kala, Red Fortress. In ancient times, it was a fortress Chir-Yurt, that is, a fortress with a military garrison.
     It was located on the Kumyk plain between Sulak and Terek, where there were many ancient cities and fortresses, which in the era of khazar rule in the North Caucasus, were connected in a single system of fortifications, ensuring the safety of trade caravans from the Chora Gate along the Tersko-Sunzhinsky Interfluve.
     The city received its name only at the end of the last century. In this case, the ancient name of this place Gulbakh was used, which the city received from the legendary persian Shah Isfendiyar at the end of the 5th century after the birth of Christ. The city was considered impregnable at that time, as reported by one of the generals of Isfendiyar, who was sent to this country to subdue its inhabitants who were holed up in the fortress. He wrote to the Shah to come and see for himself. In farsi, it sounded like the Hum-Bach, that is, come and see.
     This city is identified with the settlement of Kostek on the bank of the Sunzha river near Derbent near the village of Verkhny Chilyurt in the present-day Kazbek district on the territory of historical Kumykia.
     The terrain on which the city stood was inaccessible to intruders. There are many forests on the mountainside, among the mountains there are many rocks, gorges and caves, where the enemy is waiting for spears and arrows. The land here bears fruit twice a year.
     According to the preserved remains of ancient fortifications, it can be judged that the fortress had stone walls with towers. The design of the walls took into account the seismic features of the area near the mountains.
     Nevertheless, the city and its fortress were repeatedly destroyed. However, due to the strategic location of the fortress, it was restored.
     The features of the soft flat and foothill climate on the Kumyk platform made it possible to graze cattle on pastures all year round.
     Also, the townspeople were engaged in agriculture, arable farming, and wine-making. Their bread plants were wheat, barley, millet, oats, rice, cotton, and silk for their own use.
     In addition to solving military tasks, the city was famous for its master gunsmiths, potters, and many women's jewelry were found on the site. There were at least four churches. Somewhere not far from here was the legendary city of Belendger, famous during the arab-khazar wars.
     The language of communication of the townspeople was kumyk language, which was formed in the 7th century after the birth of Christ in the bowels of the Khazarus state, apparently based on the khazar-bulgarian vocabulary with the addition of the oguz-kipchak substratum a little later.
     The townspeople lived in the sakli of the mountain exterior, but the interior of the dwelling was distinguished by a mixture of persian, byzantine, russo-slavic, khazar, and tatar styles. This was due to the fact that the military contingent stationed in the city, as well as its merchants, took part in all military and trade events of the Kingdom of the huns, Khazaria, and the Golden Horde, constantly introducing innovations to their culture.
     There was an ancient crossing of the Sulak river near Gul Bah. In recent times, there was a small ferry within the city Gulbach.
     This city was once located on the territory that is now called Northern Kumykia. According to the legends from the great-grandfathers of local old-timers, the kumyk legendary hero local Shamkhal and russian Prince Soltan-Mut settled here at the end of the 16th century. Here he conceived and from here carried out his campaign to Endirei, where he founded the independent Principality of Endirei.
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