Highlanders and tsarist power: interaction of the indigenous population of the North Caucasus with the institutions of autocracy in the late 19th – early 20th centuries

In the history of the Russian Empire, the North Caucasus occupies a special place as a region that actively experienced the processes of colonization and integration into the state. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, relations between some of the highlanders and representatives of the tsarist authorities became especially tense and multifaceted, reflecting both local traditions and customs and the ambitious plans of the autocracy to strengthen its influence. This period became a key moment when the themes of national identity, the struggle for rights and social justice came to the fore. The tsarist authorities, realizing the need for more effective control over the region against the backdrop of growing interethnic conflicts and banditry, took a number of steps to revise their policy towards the indigenous population of the region. The restoration of the Caucasus Viceroyalty in 1905 and the appointment of I.I. Vorontsov-Dashkov, a supporter of dialogue and regionalism, indicated changes in the approach to governance and interaction with local residents. However, such innovations did not always lead to the expected results. The article examines the key aspects, in the author's opinion, of the interaction of the indigenous population of the North Caucasus with the institutions of autocracy. The study emphasizes the effects of local governance and reform policies on the socio-political landscape of the region.