principality · Caucasus
Kaitag Utsmiyate
Origins
Kaitag, in the foothills and mountains west of Derbent, was ruled by a dynasty bearing the title utsmi from at least the 15th century. Islam had become dominant there by then, after a long history of mixed beliefs; Arab geographers had earlier described the region as partly Christian and pagan.
Rule and society
The utsmi ruled through nobles over Dargin and Kumyk villages from Majalis and other seats, with free communities keeping their own customs. The economy combined farming, herding and slave raiding. Kaitag women produced silk embroideries with bold abstract designs. Utsmi Amir Hamza captured the German naturalist Samuel Gmelin, who died in captivity in 1774.
Decline and legacy
The utsmiyate was a vassal of the Safavid Empire for long periods and later allied with or resisted Russia. In 1820 the Russian Empire deposed the last utsmi and annexed Kaitag.
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (2)
- Kaitag Utsmiyate was a vassal of Safavid Empire1578 CE – 1722 CE
- Kaitag Utsmiyate was conquered by Russian Empire1820 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kaitag Utsmiyate. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kaitag-utsmiyate
- MLA
- “Kaitag Utsmiyate.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kaitag-utsmiyate. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Kaitag Utsmiyate.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kaitag-utsmiyate.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kaitag Utsmiyate’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kaitag-utsmiyate (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻