For all of you interested in that area, here it THE book: 
 "The Sabres of Paradise" by Leslie Blanch 
This is a history of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus, especially the Murid wars of Shamil. 
 It is so well written that my wife, having been glued to it for 3 days, asked me to show her my Shashkas and Kindjals and started reading Astvatsaturyan and Askhabov's books on Caucasian weapons! 
  How about an epiphany!
		 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
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