Review of Circassia and Europe: Diplomatic Dispatches about Circassia from the Consulate of France in Odessa, 1836-1840.

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 16, 249 - 252, 31.05.2025

Sergey Salushchev

Abstract

This article reviews the first volume of the "Circassia and Europe" series, focusing on André Adolphe Challaye's diplomatic dispatches from the French Consulate in Odessa (1836-1840). These dispatches offer valuable insights into the "Circassian Question," a critical period of intensifying imperial rivalries between Russia, Ottoman, and British Empires in the North Caucasus. The volume's trilingual presentation (French, English, Russian) significantly enhances accessibility, providing a crucial resource for scholars studying 19th-century European diplomacy, Russian imperial expansion, and Circassian resistance. Challaye's detailed reports illuminate Russian colonization efforts, perceived British interference, and the broader geopolitical context, enriching scholars' understanding of the region's complex history. The series promises to unveil a wealth of previously unpublished primary sources, fostering new avenues for research and expanding the scholarly conversation surrounding the Caucasus.

Keywords

Caucasus , Circassia , Russian Empire , Europe

Review of Circassia and Europe: Diplomatic Dispatches about Circassia from the Consulate of France in Odessa, 1836-1840

Abstract

This article reviews the first volume of the "Circassia and Europe" series, focusing on André Adolphe Challaye's diplomatic dispatches from the French Consulate in Odessa (1836-1840). These dispatches offer valuable insights into the "Circassian Question," a critical period of intensifying imperial rivalries between Russia, Ottoman, and British Empires in the North Caucasus. The volume's trilingual presentation (French, English, Russian) significantly enhances accessibility, providing a crucial resource for scholars studying 19th-century European diplomacy, Russian imperial expansion, and Circassian resistance. Challaye's detailed reports illuminate Russian colonization efforts, perceived British interference, and the broader geopolitical context, enriching scholars' understanding of the region's complex history. The series promises to unveil a wealth of previously unpublished primary sources, fostering new avenues for research and expanding the scholarly conversation surrounding the Caucasus.

Keywords

Caucasus , Circassia , Russian Empire , Europe

References

• Ed. Azamat Kumykov, Georges Mamoulia and Sophie Daniel. Circassia and Europe: Diplomatic Dispatches about Circassia from the Consulate of France in Odessa, 1836-1840. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2024.