Mehmed Indaraqo | |
Office: | Prince of Pshada |
Native Name: | Мэхьмэд Индаракъо |
Allegiance: | (formerly)[1] Circassia |
Children: | Nogai Indaraqo Shuwpagwe |
Birth Date: | 1737 |
Birth Place: | Natukhaj, Circassia |
Death Place: | Circassia |
Battles: | Russo-Circassian War |
Death Date: | 1838 |
Mehmed Indaraqo Shuwpagwe (), was the Prince of, a noble of the Natukhai, and a Circassian leader. He is mentioned as "Indar-oku" in James Bell's book.
Not much is recorded about İndaraqo, as Circassians did not write down their history, and all knowledge comes from Russian and British sources. He was the largest landowner in the Pshada Valley and is known to have vassal nobles under his command. He is occasionally mentioned in the books of James Bell and Eduard Taitbout de Marigny.[2] His religion was Christianity.[3]
As he aged, the leadership of the Shuwpagwe family passed from Indaraqo to .
Mehmed's surname is Shuwpagwe, and "Indaraqo" means "son of Indar." The Circassians had both surnames and titles ending with the "-qo" suffix, which is equivalent to the "-son" in English.
He actively participated in battles against the Russians. He had a boat that he commissioned and commanded, but it was involved in an accident near Pshada in 1819. On July 8, 1837, during clashes in Pshada, Indaraqo's grandson and two of his vassals were injured. Later that year, his village was attacked and destroyed by a detachment under General Alexey Veliaminov. Consequently, Indaraqo and his family migrated to Ts'emez (modern-day Novorossiysk).