| Total population |
|---|
| 800,000 (est) |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Russia: 411,500 (2002 census)[1] Azerbaijan: |
| Languages |
| Religion |
|
Sunni Islam, Shi'a minority |
| Related ethnic groups |
|
Tabasarans, Aghuls, Rutuls, Budukhs, Kryts, Tsakhurs, Jeks, Archi, Udi, and other Northeast Caucasian peoples |
The Lezgians (alternatively Lezgins, Lezgi, Lezgis, Lezgs, and Lezgin) (Lezgian: лезгияр, North Azerbaijani: ləzgilər, Russian: лезгины) are an ethnic group living predominantly in southern Dagestan and northeastern Azerbaijan and who speak the Lezgian language.
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While ancient Greek historians, including Herodotus, Strabo, and Pliny the Elder, referred to Legoi people who inhabited Caucasian Albania, Arab historians of 9-10th centuries mention the kingdom of Lakz in present-day southern Dagestan.[5] Al Masoudi referred to inhabitants of this area as Lakzams (Lezgins),[6] who defended Shirvan against invaders from the north.[7]
Prior to the Russian Revolution, "Lezgin" was a term applied to all ethnic groups inhabiting the present-day Russian Republic of Dagestan.[8]
In the 19th century, the term was used more broadly for all ethnic groups speaking non-Nakh Northeast Caucasian languages, including Caucasian Avars, Laks, and many others (although the Vainakh peoples, who were Northeast Caucasian language speakers were referred to as "Circassians").
Today, the Lezgins are predominately Sunni Muslims, with a Shi'a minority living in Miskindja village in Daghestan.
Lezgins live mainly in Azerbaijan and in the Russian Federation (Dagestan). The total population is believed to be around 700,000, with 412,000 living in Russian Federation. In the republic of Azerbaijan, the government census counts 178,000.[2] However, Lezgin national organizations mention 600,000 to 900,000, the disparity being that many Lezgins claim Azeri nationality to escape job and education discrimination in Azerbaijan.[3] Despite the assimulationist policy of the Azeri government, the Lezgin population is undoubtedly greater than it appears.[9]
Lezgins also live in Central Asia.[10]
According to Thomas de Waal[11]:
| “ | Although there are no discriminatory policies against them on the personal level, the Lezghins* campaign for national-cultural autonomy is vehemently rejected by the Azerbaijani authorities. Daghestani Lezghins fear that the continued existence of their ethnic kin in Azerbaijan as a distinct community is threatened by what they consider Turkic nationalistic policies of forceful assimilation. Inter-ethnic tensions between Lezghins and Azeris spilled over from Azerbaijan to Daghestan also. They started in 1992 when the Popular Front came to power in Azerbaijan, but reached a peak in mid-1994, the time of heavy losses on the Karabakh front. In May that year violent clashes occurred in Derbent (Daghestan), and in June in the Gussary region of Azerbaijan. Since then the situation has stabilised, although Azerbaijani authorities allege a link between Lezghin activists and Karabakh Armenians and a cloud of suspicion surrounds the Lezghin community in Azerbaijan. | ” |
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