Crimean People's Republic
Encyclopedia
The Crimean People's Republic existed during December, 1917, and January, 1918, in the Crimean peninsula, located in the south of the present-day Ukraine
. The Republic was the first attempt in the Muslim world
to establish a state
that was both democratic and secular (see also Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
). In its founding, the Crimean People's Republic was one of many short-lived attempts to create new states after the Russian Revolution of 1917
had caused the Russian Empire
to collapse.
The Crimean People's Republic was declared by the initiative of the Qurultay
of Crimean Tatars
, which stipulated the equality of all ethnicities within the peninsula; most people living in the Crimea at the time were Russian
(then comprising 42% of the population of the Crimea), Ukrainian
(11%), Armenians
, or Greeks
, not Tatar. Despite being outnumbered by the other populations, the Crimean Tatars were for a while the dominant political and cultural force on the peninsula as a result of Tatarization
. Noman Çelebicihan
was the first President
of the nascent Republic.
The Qurultay in opposition to the Bolshevik
s published a "Crimean Tatar Basic Law," which convened an All-Crimean Constitutional Assembly
, established a Board of Directors as a provisional government
, and erected a Council of National Representatives as a provisional parliament.
This attempt to build a new nation was quickly defeated by the Bolshevik- and anarchist-dominated Black Sea Fleet
. The Bolsheviks briefly established the Taurida Soviet Socialist Republic
on Crimean territory in early 1918 before the area was overrun by forces of the Ukrainian People's Republic
and the German Empire
. In 1921, Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
was set up as part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
in the Soviet Union
.
Post-Russian Empire states
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The Republic was the first attempt in the Muslim world
Muslim world
The term Muslim world has several meanings. In a religious sense, it refers to those who adhere to the teachings of Islam, referred to as Muslims. In a cultural sense, it refers to Islamic civilization, inclusive of non-Muslims living in that civilization...
to establish a state
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
that was both democratic and secular (see also Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
). In its founding, the Crimean People's Republic was one of many short-lived attempts to create new states after the Russian Revolution of 1917
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
had caused the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
to collapse.
The Crimean People's Republic was declared by the initiative of the Qurultay
Kurultai
Kurultai is a political and military council of ancient Mongol and Turkic chiefs and khans. The root of the word "Khural" means political "meeting" or "assembly" in the Mongolian language, it is also a verb for "to be established"...
of Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars or Crimeans are a Turkic ethnic group that originally resided in Crimea. They speak the Crimean Tatar language...
, which stipulated the equality of all ethnicities within the peninsula; most people living in the Crimea at the time were Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
(then comprising 42% of the population of the Crimea), Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
(11%), Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
, or Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, not Tatar. Despite being outnumbered by the other populations, the Crimean Tatars were for a while the dominant political and cultural force on the peninsula as a result of Tatarization
Turkification
Turkification is a term used to describe a process of cultural or political change in which something or someone who is not a Turk becomes one, voluntarily or involuntarily...
. Noman Çelebicihan
Noman Çelebicihan
Noman Çelebicihan was one of the most popular Crimean Tatar leaders of all time. He was the first President of the short-lived independent Crimean People's Republic, established on November 26 , 1917.In January 1918, just barely two months after he was elected to lead his nation at the historic...
was the first President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the nascent Republic.
The Qurultay in opposition to the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
s published a "Crimean Tatar Basic Law," which convened an All-Crimean Constitutional Assembly
Constitutional Assembly
The Constitutional Assembly was a body elected in 1955 to draw up a permanent constitution for the Republic of Indonesia. It sat between November 10, 1956 and July 2, 1959...
, established a Board of Directors as a provisional government
Provisional government
A provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a very large government. The early provisional governments were created to prepare for the return of royal rule...
, and erected a Council of National Representatives as a provisional parliament.
This attempt to build a new nation was quickly defeated by the Bolshevik- and anarchist-dominated Black Sea Fleet
Black Sea Fleet
The Black Sea Fleet is a large operational-strategic sub-unit of the Russian Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbors of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov....
. The Bolsheviks briefly established the Taurida Soviet Socialist Republic
Taurida Soviet Socialist Republic
The Taurida Soviet Socialist Republic was a short-lived Soviet Republic situated in Crimea and adjacent areas that were the former Taurida Governorate of the Russian Empire...
on Crimean territory in early 1918 before the area was overrun by forces of the Ukrainian People's Republic
Ukrainian People's Republic
The Ukrainian People's Republic or Ukrainian National Republic was a republic that was declared in part of the territory of modern Ukraine after the Russian Revolution, eventually headed by Symon Petliura.-Revolutionary Wave:...
and the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. In 1921, Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created on October 18, 1921 as Crimean Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic of RSFSR in place of Taurida Governorate and within the Crimean Peninsula,...
was set up as part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic , commonly referred to as Soviet Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or simply Russia, was the largest, most populous and economically developed republic in the former Soviet Union....
in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
See also
- Russian Civil WarRussian Civil WarThe Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
Post-Russian Empire states