List of Circassians

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

This is an incomplete list of world-famous or notable Circassians, including both full Circassians and people of at least 50% Circassian descent. Figures who belong in two categories (i.e a military officer who is also a politician) have only been placed in one of the categories.

(* = Circassian descent only on paternal side)

(** = Circassian descent only on maternal side)

Cultural

Cultural figures

• Tevfik Esenç – Last known fully competent speaker of the Ubykh language.

Historians and writers

• Hayriye-Melech Xhundj – One of the first woman Circassian writers
• Nâzım Hikmet** – Poet, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, director and memoirist.
• Ahmed Shawqi – Egyptian Poet-Laureate.
• Kuba Shaaban – Writer, poet, musician, and historian.
• Betal Khabekhirov – Folk writer.

• Hasan Cemal** – Turkish journalist, historian and writer
• Nadine Jolie Courtney – American journalist and author of Beauty Confidential and All-American Muslim Girl
• Mohydeen Izzat Quandour – Writer, intellectual, film producer and director, and musician
• Amjad M. Jaimoukha – One of the most influential Circassian writers and publicists.

Military officers

Ancient

• Hekataios of Sindike – king of the Sindians throughout the reign of both Satyros I and Leukon I, rulers of the Bosporan Kingdom.
• Oktamasades of Sindike – king of the Sindians. usurped the throne from his father some time in 383 BC after his failed war against Oktamasades's mother, Tirgatao.

1st-17th century

Kings of Circassia

• Inal the Great – Supreme Prince (King) of Circassia from 1427 to 1453 who unified all Circassians (then divided into several princedoms) into one state.

Kings of Kabardia

• Idar of Kabardia – Supreme Prince of Kabardia. He was the son of Prince Inarmaz, and the grandson of Prince Tabula. Prince Inarmaz himself was the eldest of the three grandsons of Prince Inal. His rule spanned over the period of 1525 to 1540.
• Temryuk of Kabardia – Supreme Prince of Kabardia. When Temryuk came to power, he put down the revolts of the disputing princes, and helped Circassia become a military power within the North Caucasus.
• Kurgoqo Atajuq – Supreme Prince of Kabardia who won the Battle of Kanzhal.
• Jankhot Qushuq – Last Supreme Prince of Kabardia.

Safavid people

• Yusuf Agha – Safavid gholam and courtier who wielded great influence and power during the reign of king Abbas I.
• Qazaq Khan Cherkes - Safavid military commander who also served as the governor of Shirvan (1624–1633) and Astarabad (1639–1640)
• Farhad Beg Cherkes - Safavid military commander
• Behbud Khan Cherkes - Safavid military commander
• Fereydun Khan Cherkes - Safavid military commander who served as the governor of Astarabad
• Najafqoli Khan Cherkes - Safavid military commander who served as the governor of Shirvan and Erivan

18th-19th century

Qerandiqo Berzeg

Russo-Circassian War participants

• Shuwpagwe Qalawebateqo – politician and military commander who served as the 1st leader of the Circassian Confederation from 1807 to 1827.
• Ismail Berzeg – military commander and politician who served as the 2nd leader of the Circassian Confederation from 1827 to 1839. He was also the princely leader of the Ubykh tribe.
• Hawduqo Mansur – politician and military commander who served as the 3rd leader of the Circassian Confederation from 1839 to 1846.
• Seferbiy Zaneqo – military commander and diplomat who served as the 5th leader of the Circassian Confederation from 1859 to 1860.
• Qerandiqo Berzeg – military commander who served as the 6th and last leader of the Circassian Confederation from 1860 to 1864. After the Circassian genocide, he was exiled to the Ottoman Empire, volunteered in the Ottoman army against Russia, and died there of old age.
• Kizbech Tughuzhuqo – military commander who took part in the Russo-Circassian War. Personally witnessing all of his family get killed by the Russian army, he received multiple offers from the Russian Empire to switch sides and join its Imperial ranks but he refused all offers and closed negotiations.
• Jembulat Boletoqo – military commander, politician, nobleman and leader of the Temirgoy region. He was famous for his courage and tough will. He had great influence among all Circassians, including the Abadzekhs, with whom he was associated with.
• Qerzech Shirikhuqo – military commander and the leader of the Natukhaj region.
• Psheqo Akhedjaqo – politician, military commander and nobleman.
• Ale Khirtsizhiqo – military commander from the Abdzakh region.

20th-21st century

Ethem Psheu

Ottoman military officers

• Çerkes Ethem – guerilla leader, social bandit, efe and soldier. Nicknamed the "Rankless General" by his supporters and crowned as the "National Hero" by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, he initially gained fame for establishing the Kuva-yi Seyyare and putting down multiple great-scale rebellions and gaining key major victories against the Greek armies invading Anatolia during the Turkish War of Independence.

• Yusuf Izzet Pasha - a general of the Ottoman Army and the Turkish Army.
• Suleyman Askeri Pasha - Ottoman soldier and co founder of the Teşkilât-ı Mahsusa (Special Organisation)
• Yakub Cemil – Ottoman revolutionary and soldier, who assassinated Nazım Pasha during the 1913 Ottoman coup d'état.

Turkish military officers

• Cemil Cahit Toydemir – Officer of the Ottoman Army and a general of the Turkish Army.
• Ali Sait Akbaytogan – General of the Turkish Army

Egyptian military officers

• Salah Salem – an Egyptian Military officer and member in the Egyptian Revolutionary Command Council
• Gamal Salem – an Egyptian Air Force officer and political figure
• Hussein el-Shafei – an Egyptian Military officer and member in the Egyptian Revolutionary Command Council
• Zakaria Mohieddin – an Egyptian Military officer and member in the Egyptian Revolutionary Command Council
• General officer Aziz Almasri – an Egyptian Military officer

Libyan military officers

• Umar Muhayshi – member of the Libyan Revolutionary Command Council that ruled Libya.

Syrian military officers

• Bassam Abdel Majeed – Syrian military officer, politician and diplomat.

Jordanian military officers

• Major General Ibrahim Pasha Othman Kashoqa – 1st commander of the Royal Jordanian Air Force (1956–1962)
• Hero of Samu Incident Lieutenant General Ihsan Pasha Shurdom −9th commander of the Royal Jordanian Air Force (1983–1993), his Hawker Hunter Jet Fighter still presented in the entrance of the Martyr's Monument in Amman, Jordan
• Major General Awni Pasha Belal −10th commander of the Royal Jordanian Air Force (1993–1994)
• Major General Hussein Pasha Ahmad Shodash Shapsoug – 16th commander of the Royal Jordanian Air Force (2006–2010)
• Major General Mansour Pasha Hakouz Bgane – Shapsig – commander of southern region
• Major General Izzat Pasha Quandour −9th commander of the Jordanian public security directorate (1969–1970)
• Lieutenant General Anwar Pasha Mohammed −12th commander of the Jordanian public security directorate (1971–1976)
• Major General Mamoun Pasha Khalil Ha'opsh −14th commander of the Jordanian public security directorate (1979–1981)
• Lieutenant General Mohammad Pasha Idris Dodokh −15th commander of the Jordanian public security directorate (1981–1984)
• Lieutenant General Thyab Pasha Yousef −16th commander of the Jordanian public security directorate (1984–1985)
• General officer Tahseen Pasha Shordum −22nd commander of the Jordanian public security directorate (2002–2004)
• General officer Tareq Pasha Ala'Eddin Bersik −7th commander of the Jordanian General Intelligence Department.

Athletes

Ayetullah Bey

Bibras Natkho

Football and basketball

• Ahmet Çakar – sportscaster and a former football referee.
• Altay Bayındır – Professional footballer who plays as goalkeeper
• Emre Belözoğlu – Football manager and former professional footballer who played as a midfielder
• Şamil Çinaz – Professional footballer who plays as a midfielder
• Can Bartu – Former professional basketball and football player and pundit
• Ayetullah Bey – Former professional footballer, founder and second president of the major Turkish multi–sport club Fenerbahçe SK
• Süleyman Seba – Ex–President of Beşiktaş J.K.
• Oğuz Çetin – football manager and former player.
• Mesut Bakkal – professional football manager and former midfielder.
• Feras Esmaeel – footballer
• Yanal Abaza – former footballer
• Tamer Haj Mohamad – footballer
• Bibras Natkho – Footballer, former captain of the Israel under-19 football team
• Izhak Nash – Footballer who played in the Israeli Premier League
• Nili Natkho – Basketball player who played for Maccabi Raanana and Elitzur Ramla

Yaşar Doğu

Martial arts

• Mahmut Atalay – Wrestler, 1968 Olympic Gold medalist.
• Hamit Kaplan – Wrestler, 1956 Olympic Gold medalist.
• Yaşar Doğu – 1948 London Olympics middleweight wrestling champion.
• Sefer Baygin – 1972 Europe wrestling champion.
• Bilyal Makhov – Mixed Martial Artist and 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist in freestyle wrestling
• Beslan Mudranov – Judo, 2016 Olympics gold medalist
• Celal Atik – wrestler and coach. He had his best achievements in the freestyle, winning gold medals at the 1948 Olympics, 1951 World and 1946 and 1949 European championships.
• Fuat Balkan – fencer who competed at the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics.
• Sefer Baygın – wrestler who won the European Wrestling Championships.
• Gazanfer Bilge – wrestler who won the gold medal in the Featherweight class of Men's Freestyle Wrestling at the 1948 Olympics.
• Adil Candemir – wrestler. He was born in Amasya. He won a silver medal in freestyle wrestling, middleweight class, at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.

Theologians and philosophers

Jawdat Said

Islamic clergy

• Caner Dagli - Islamic scholar and associate professor of Religious Studies at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.
• Jawdat Said – Islamic scholar and nonviolence advocate.
• Muhammad Zahid al-Kawthari – Islamic scholar and the adjunct to the last Shaykh al-Islam of the Ottoman Empire.

Christian clergy

• Carlo de' Medici** – Italian priest. A member of the powerful Medici family, he became a senior clergyman and collector.

Philosophers

• Jabagh Qazanoqo – philosopher, poet, military strategist, and diplomat who gained fame for reforming the Circassian justice system based on the Quran and Adyghe Xabze. He played a big role in the Battle of Kanzhal.

Politicians

Jordanian politicians

• Sa`id Al-Mufti Habjoka – Jordanian independent politician, serving in several governments as interior minister (1944–1945, 1948–1950, 1951–1953 and 1957). He was Minister of Finance in 1945. He served as the President of the Senate of Jordan from December 1956 to July 1963 and from November 1965 to November 1974.
• Ahmad Husni Hatuqey – general of the General Intelligence Directorate (Jordan).
• Ismael Babouk – The first Mayor of Jordan's capital, Amman (1909–1911).
• Toujan al-Faisal – Human rights activist, member of Jordanian Parliament 1993–1997, first woman ever elected to the parliament.

Cem Özdemir

German politicians

• Cem Özdemir* – German politician, co–chairman of the German Green Party.

Syrian politicians

• Ali Mamlouk – Director of general security of Syria
• Bassam Abdel Majeed – former Syrian interior minister and director of the military police.

Prime ministers of Libya

• Abdul Majid Kubar – Prime Minister of Libya (1957–1960).

Prime ministers of Iraq

• Tahir Yahya – prime minister of Iraq.
• Hikmat Sulayman – prime minister of Iraq.

Tunisian politicians

• Rashid al-Shakir Sahib al-Taba'a – Tunisian politician born around 1790 and died 11 September 1837.

Prime ministers of Tunisia

• Khaireddin al Tunusy – Prime Minister of Tunisia 1873–1877.

Egyptian politicians

• Aziz Ali al-Misri – Egyptian chief of staff and politician.
• Khaled Mohieddin – Egyptian politician.

Riyad Pasha

Prime ministers of Egypt

• Ali Mahir Pasha – Prime Minister of Egypt
• Mahmoud Fawzi – Prime Minister of Egypt
• Ahmad Mahir Pasha – Prime Minister of Egypt
• Riyad Pasha – Prime Minister of Egypt

Turkish politicians

• Abdüllatif Şener – Former Finance Minister in the 54th cabinet of the Turkish Government
• Ali Kemal** – journalist-politician who was killed during the Turkish War of Independence.
• Deniz Baykal – politician who was a long–time leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in Turkey.

Presidents and prime ministers of Turkey

• Ahmet Necdet Sezer – 10th president of Turkey.
• Ali Fethi Okyar – diplomat, military officer and the second Prime Minister of Turkey (1924–1925).
• Recep Peker* – military officer and politician. He served in various ministerial posts and finally as the Prime Minister of Turkey.
• Necmettin Erbakan** – politician, engineer, and academic who was the Prime Minister of Turkey from 1996 to 1997. as mandated by the constitution.
• Nazım Ekren – Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey. who was responsible for economic affairs.

Mahmud Shevket Pasha

Grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire

• Cenaze Hasan Pasha – Short–term Ottoman grand vizier in 1789. His epithet Cenaze (or Meyyit) means "corpse" because he was ill when appointed to the post.
• Koca Dervish Mehmed Pasha – Ottoman military officer and statesman from Circassia. He was made Kapudan Pasha (Grand Admiral) in 1652 and promoted to Grand Vizier on 21 March 1653. He held the position until 28 October 1654.
• Çerkes Mehmed Pasha – Served as Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1624 to 1625.
• Özdemiroğlu Osman Pasha – Ottoman statesman and military commander who also held the office of grand vizier.
• Mahmud Shevket Pasha – Ottoman generalissimo and statesman, who was an important political figure during the Second Constitutional Era.
• Salih Hulusi Pasha - was one of the last Grand Viziers of the Ottoman Empire, under the reign of the last Ottoman Sultan Mehmed VI, between 8 March 1920 and 2 April 1920.

Ottoman governors

• Abdullah Pasha - the Ottoman governor (wali) of Sidon Eyalet. During his reign, all of Palestine and the Syrian coastline came under his jurisdiction.
• Çerkes Osman Pasha - served as the wali (governor) of the Sidon and Damascus eyalets (provinces) in the early 18th century.
• Farrukh Pasha - Ottoman governor of Nablus and Jerusalem in the early 17th century, and founder of the Farrukh dynasty, which held the governorship of Nablus and other posts for much of the 17th century.

Heads of the federal subjects of Russia

Murat Kumpilov

Presidents of Adygea

• Aslan Dzharimov – The 1st President of the Republic of Adygea
• Hazret Sovmen – The 2nd President of the Republic of Adygea
• Aslan Tkhakushinov – The 3rd President Republic of Adygea
• Murat Kumpilov – The 4th President Republic of Adygea

Presidents of Kabardino–Balkaria

• Valery Kokov – The 1st President of Kabardino-Balkaria
• Arsen Kanokov – The 2nd President of Kabardino-Balkaria

Economists

• Ungku Abdul Aziz* – Malaysian economist and lecturer.
• Zeti Akhtar Aziz* – Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, Malaysia's Central Bank.

Nobility

Royal families

• The Babouk family are one of the few Circassian aristocratic families left in Jordan that descend from the 'warq' social class in Circassia.
• Burji dynasty of Egypt.

Sultans of the Ottoman Empire with Circassian mothers

• Abdulhamid II** – reigned as the 34th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire - the last Sultan to exert effective control over the fracturing state.
• Mehmed V** – reigned as the 35th and penultimate Ottoman Sultan.
• Mehmed VI** – the 36th and last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

Shahs of the Safavid Empire with Circassian mothers

• Shah Abbas II** – the seventh Shah of Safavid Persia
• Shah Suleiman I** – the eight Shah of Safavid Persia

Other nobility

• Maria Temryukovna – Wife of the Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible
• Bidar Kadın - fourth wife of Sultan Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire.
• Ecaterina Cercheza second wife of Moldavian prince Vasile Lupu
• Sultana Melek Tourhan was the wife of Sultan Hussein Kamel of Egypt.
• Princess Sana Asem – Jordanian princess
• Dina bint 'Abdu'l-Hamid** – former Queen of Jordan as the first wife of King Hussein,
• Shahnaz Pahlavi** – daughter of Iran's last king Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his first wife Fawzia of Egypt
• Princess Fawzia – Queen consort of Iran and the first wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
• Mihrimah Sultan** – granddaughter of Kamures Kadın
• Şehzade Mustafa** – Ottoman prince as the eldest son of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent
• Shamkhal Sultan – Safavid noble
• Nakihat Khanum – Safavid noble
• Anna Khanum – Safavid noble
• Sultan-Agha Khanum – Safavid noble
• Bedrifelek Kadın- second wife and chief consort of Sultan Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire.

Artists

Ali İhsan Varol

Mehmet Oz

Film, TV, and stage

• Asuman Krause – actress, singer, model and TV presenter who was crowned Miss Turkey in 1998.
• Rushdy Abaza – Egyptian actor. He was a member of the wealthy Abaza family. He was considered one of the most charming actors in the Egyptian film industry. He died of brain cancer at the age of 53.
• Ali İhsan Varol – TV show presenter, producer, and actor.
• Mert Fırat – actor and screenwriter
• Hussein Fahmy – Egyptian Actor
• Mervat Amin – Egyptian actress
• Najdat Anzour – Syrian television and film director.
• Ludmilla Tchérina – internationally famous ballet dancer, actress, artist and sculptor who is a member of a royal family.
• Mehmet Aslantuğ – actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. He has received a Golden Boll Award, a Golden Objective Award, three Golden Orange Awards, and four Golden Butterfly Awards.
• Seda Alkor – actress, beauty pageant titleholder, painter, and singer famous for her tall height, natural blonde hair, fair skin, and light green eyes.
• Mimi Chakib–an Egyptian actress who appeared in some 15 films mostly in the 1940s and 1950s
• Mehmet Oz** – American surgeon who hosts the TV program "The Dr.Oz show".
• Damla Sönmez – Theatre, cinema and TV actress. Best known for her roles in Bir Aşk Hikayesi, Güllerin Savaşı and Çukur.
• Elçin Sangu – actress known for her role in "Kiralık Aşk".
• Natalia Azoqa – Contestant on "Survivor: David vs. Goliath."
• Filiz Akın* – actress, writer and TV presenter. Known as Yeşilçam Turkish cinema's "noble, modern, urban and elegant face", Filiz Akın won a huge fan base in Turkey.
• Neslihan Atagül – actress best known for her role in Kara Sevda (2015–2017), one of the most successful Turkish series, sold to more than 110 countries and the only winner of the International Emmy Award in 2017.
• İrem Sak – Actress and singer.
• Ezel Akay – film actor, film director and film producer.
• Sezgi Sena Akay – actress, former professional volleyball player, presenter, and model who was crowned Best Model of the World 2012.
• Deniz Akkaya – top model, presenter, fashion editor and disc jockey, entrepreneur, businesswoman, and actress who won Best Model of Turkey 1997. As the top–earning model in Turkey in the early 2000s, Deniz Akkaya is considered to be one of the most leading models in Turkish fashion history, and one of the most beautiful women of the country.
• Kanbolat Görkem Arslan – actor
• Günseli Başar – beauty contestant and columnist who was crowned Miss Turkey 1951 and Miss Europe 1952.
• Orhan Boran – radio/TV host and actor. He was also widely known for his laudable usage of the Turkish language.
• Begüm Birgören – actress.
• Sanem Çelik – actress, artist and dancer.
• Sadi Celil Cengiz – actor.
• Meltem Cumbul – actress.
• Keriman Halis Ece – beauty pageant titleholder, pianist, and fashion model who won the Miss Turkey 1932 title. She was also crowned Miss Universe 1932 in Spa, Belgium and thus became Turkey's first Miss Universe.

Türkan Şoray

Musicians and painters

• Astemir Apanasov – singer
• Yuri Temirkanov – Russian music director and chief conductor of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic since 1988.
• Zamudin Guchev – craftsman and musician.
• Aslan Tlebzu – Russian folk musician.
• Sati Kazanova – Russian singer.
• Emanne Beasha- Jordanian/American singer
• Hadise – singer.
• Türkan Şoray – singer.
• Mihail Chemiakin – Famous painter, stage designer, sculptor and publisher.
• Avni Arbaş – painter
• Aydilge – writer, poet and singer–songwriter who is famous for her beauty and voice.
• Nuri Bilge Ceylan – photographer, cinematographer, screenwriter and actor and film director best known for the Palme d'Or winning Winter Sleep (2014).

See also

Circassians