On this canvas, Sultan Gadaborshev depicted the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division of the First World War — it was unofficially called the ‘Wild Division’.
It consisted of six mounted regiments that were divided into regiments based on their ethnicity and geographical location: the Chechen, the Circassian, the Kabardian, the Tatar (in fact, this regiment consisted of Azerbaijanis, but in Russia, at that time they were referred to as the Tatars), the Ingush, and the 2nd Dagestan Regiments. The Adjarian infantry battalion was also included. Each regiment numbered 480 riders, 22 officers, 3 military officials, and one mullah (a Muslim priest).
There are several versions of how the nickname ‘wild’ appeared. Some suggest that the name appeared because of the ‘wild’ fearlessness from the Europeans’ point of view and the soldiers’ calm attitude towards death, as well as due to their habit of living contrary to the military regulations: for example, the highlanders gave the places of honor at the tables to the older warriors, regardless of their military rank. The internet information resource ‘This is the Caucasus’ quoted several professional historians: for example, according to the data, years later the soldiers themselves said that the name came from the Ingush concept of ‘dik divisi e’, that is, ‘a good division’.
Their commander was the tsar’s brother, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich, who was very popular among the people and the aristocracy. That is why the representatives of nobility followed him and joined the division. Members of famous noble houses served here: Georgian princes Bagration and Chavchavadze, sultans Bekovich-Cherkassky and Khagandokov, representatives of the Russian noble families, for instance, Gagarin, Vorontsov-Dashkov, Tolstoy, the Europeans Napoleon-Murat, Albrecht, Baron Wrangel, and so on.
The formation became known as an example of an amazing solidarity of different peoples. The relations in the division were based on mutual respect; the guests were received cordially, as if they were in their own homes in the Caucasus.
However, the mere mention of the highlanders terrified the enemies: the Germans and Austrians knew that Caucasian riders were accustomed to riding horses since childhood and knew neither the fear of death nor mercy.
In the painting ‘The Wild Division’, Sultan Gadaborshev managed to convey the courage of soldiers rushing rapidly towards the danger. He masterfully built a multi-figure composition: the poses of the characters look natural and do not repeat each other. The artist also easily depicted the rapid movement of horses at a gallop. Interestingly, the master drew many of these animals in his childhood, and then his parents noticed his talent and sent him to an art school.
It consisted of six mounted regiments that were divided into regiments based on their ethnicity and geographical location: the Chechen, the Circassian, the Kabardian, the Tatar (in fact, this regiment consisted of Azerbaijanis, but in Russia, at that time they were referred to as the Tatars), the Ingush, and the 2nd Dagestan Regiments. The Adjarian infantry battalion was also included. Each regiment numbered 480 riders, 22 officers, 3 military officials, and one mullah (a Muslim priest).
There are several versions of how the nickname ‘wild’ appeared. Some suggest that the name appeared because of the ‘wild’ fearlessness from the Europeans’ point of view and the soldiers’ calm attitude towards death, as well as due to their habit of living contrary to the military regulations: for example, the highlanders gave the places of honor at the tables to the older warriors, regardless of their military rank. The internet information resource ‘This is the Caucasus’ quoted several professional historians: for example, according to the data, years later the soldiers themselves said that the name came from the Ingush concept of ‘dik divisi e’, that is, ‘a good division’.
Their commander was the tsar’s brother, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich, who was very popular among the people and the aristocracy. That is why the representatives of nobility followed him and joined the division. Members of famous noble houses served here: Georgian princes Bagration and Chavchavadze, sultans Bekovich-Cherkassky and Khagandokov, representatives of the Russian noble families, for instance, Gagarin, Vorontsov-Dashkov, Tolstoy, the Europeans Napoleon-Murat, Albrecht, Baron Wrangel, and so on.
The formation became known as an example of an amazing solidarity of different peoples. The relations in the division were based on mutual respect; the guests were received cordially, as if they were in their own homes in the Caucasus.
However, the mere mention of the highlanders terrified the enemies: the Germans and Austrians knew that Caucasian riders were accustomed to riding horses since childhood and knew neither the fear of death nor mercy.
In the painting ‘The Wild Division’, Sultan Gadaborshev managed to convey the courage of soldiers rushing rapidly towards the danger. He masterfully built a multi-figure composition: the poses of the characters look natural and do not repeat each other. The artist also easily depicted the rapid movement of horses at a gallop. Interestingly, the master drew many of these animals in his childhood, and then his parents noticed his talent and sent him to an art school.
