Russian-Kabarda relations during Kabarda "neutrality" period of 1739-1768 in the context of revealing the reasons of Kabardians participation in sheikh Mansur’s movement

The article dwells upon the political, economic and ideological reasons of exacerbation of relations between the Russian Empire and Kabarda in the period between concluding Belgrade and Kucuk Kaynarca peace treaties, which led to future participation of the part of Kabardians in Sheikh Mansur's movement. Kabardian grand people, having after Belgrade peace treaty safety from the attacks and foreign intervention from the Ottoman Empire and Crimean Khanate, turned its attention to seeking hegemony over the neighboring nations of the Central Caucasus. It brought into the antagonism with Russia's policy in the region. The permission of settling on Russia's frontier territory, which Russia gave to Ossetians and Ingushes, economic assistance and Ossetians' Christianization, stirred Kabarda's opposition. It manifested in raids and claims to Russia to wind up frontier fortresses and to return settling there tributaries -Ossetians and Ingushes. Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774 made Russia brings troops into Kabarda in order to prevent war fares of anti-Russian forces on the side of Turkey. With the end of war these differences were not sorted out, leading to the participation of the part of Kabardians in Sheikh Mansur's movement in future.