The first group of Circassian immigrants arrived in Amman in the year 1868 representing the Shapsugh tribe. Other Circassian tribes like the Kabardia, Abzakh, and Bazadoch, followed and settled in Amman.

Some Circassian tribes arrived in Beirut by sea and in Aleppo by land, while others landed on the shores of Palestine. There was no city in Jordan called Amman, but only the remnants of the old Roman city of Amoun, known as Philadelphia, including the Amphitheatre, the Roman Nymphiad, and the citadel overlooking five valleys. The city of Amman, the present capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, was then small indeed.

There was also an old abandoned mosque dating back to the Ummayad era, with a high tower similar to a minaret.

It is believed that the building and the tower date back to the Byzantine era, but were later converted to a mosque and a minaret. They eroded with time until the Circassians arrived and transformed the tower into a minaret. There was not a single house in Amman. The whole area was covered with forests and looked desolate. The water of Amman was the only source for beduin tribes living in Amman area.

Members of the Shapsugh tribe lived for a long time inside the Roman Amphitheatre, in the citadel of Amman, and in the many caves adjoining the stream, whose waters spring from a spot called Ras el-Ain, and which runs eastwards to an unknown extent. On each bank of the stream were dense forests in which lived animals and predatory beasts.

The last group of Circassian immigrants arrived in Amman in the year 1900, via Damascus. They were members of the Glakhistani and Kabardian tribes, who settled in the Muhajireen Quarter after being transported from Mzairib station in Syria, where the railroad line then terminated. The police commander in Syria at that time was Khusrov Pasha, who ordered the railroad station to be used for staging the Circassian immigrants who arrived in Damascus from Turkey, via Beirut and Aleppo prior to moving them to Jordan where they joined their brethren who had arrived before them. They were transported on the backs of camels and mules in caravans under the supervision of Khusrov Pasha, assisted by Mirza Pasha also working in Damascus.

A special committee under Mirza Pasha and Mohamad Effendi Habjouqa took over the task of settling those immigrants in the Muhajreen Quarter, after they had lived for sometime in the open around Ras el-Ain spring, exposed to the coldness of winter and the heat of summer. During this time they were subject to attacks by beduin cowherds who used to come to the spring for their cattle.

Amman in ancient history

Amman is considered as being among the oldest capitals in the world, and it was very prosperous during the fourteenth century B.C. The name of Amman is derived from Rabat Amoun (the city of the Amonites).
This city resisted the raids of Israelites during the thirteenth century B.C. The Bible mentions that King David took shelter in this city and Aria, the Hittite king was killed inside its fortresses. Alexander the Great captured Amman when he marched eastward in his conquests then came the Romans, who included Amman within the ten cities (Decapolis) and named it Philadelphia. The ancient sites (such as the Roman Amphitheatre and the Nymphiad), that exist to this moment testify to the above.

During the Islamic era, Amman prospered and the Ummayad Califs erected the so-called Ummayad Citadel in addition to other castles throughout Balqa.

In Geography of Countries by Yakut AI-Hamawi, the city of Amman is referred to as follows: "Amman is located at the edge of Syrian territory. It was known as Balqa. Amman was said to be the city of Dukianos. There is the cave near it, known to the people.

Jewish books mention that when Lot and his family fled Sodom his wife looked back and was transformed into a pillar of salt. Amman is surrounded by farms and villages while Balqa provides grain and cattle.
It has many rivers and water-mills. It has a pretty mosque with a mosaic-covered floor. It contains the tomb of a prophet (Aria) and it also contains Solomon's Mosque and a playground. Amman is a town with low prices and plenty of fruit, but its people are ignorant and its roads are rugged".

Arab poets like AI-Ahwas Bin Mohammad AI-Ansari and AI-Khatib AI-Akki composed poetry depicting the attractive aspects of the city of Amman.

During the Muslim era, when the Muslim Caliphate faltered, Amman was neglected like other Muslim towns. It remained a backwater until the Ottomans came, but reform did not start until after the arrival of Circassians during the second half of the nineteenth century. It was these people who had the honour of rehabilitating the city. When Arab rule began in 1920 the Circassians were the first to receive the founder of the Kingdom, the late King Abdullah Bin AI-Hussein , and pledged loyalty to him in his endeavour to bring together the Islamic-Arab nation.

 

Circassians are generally farmers but a few of them are craftsman; Since they settled in the area they have been fighting for life, passing through difficult and exhausting times.

Circassians tilled the land and planted it and created new villages with fruit trees and vineyards. They expanded their winter farming after they realised that agriculture in this part of the world is dependent on rains which fall abundantly in some years and not at all in others, thus causing drought in the country. Circassians did well in summer farming and gained more and more income from this source. Caucasia's history created great soldiers from among Circassians, who excelled in the military field.

Circassians have been in Jordan for over a century. They set an example for the good citizen who is well aware of his duties and responsibilities. Circassians did not isolate themselves as strangers in the country but were assimilated in the existing society most sincerely and honourably. It is inspiriting to mention that Circassians have taken part in the fight against Zionism in Palestine alongside their Arab brethren in 1936. In the year 1948, Circassians welcomed their Palestinian refugee brethren and shared with them their loaf of bread. After the year 1948, developments in Jordan obliged Circassians to look for education. The proportion of Circassian graduates became high. Many Circassians occupied important government posts, such as Premiership, other ministerial posts, in the armed forces, Public Security, the diplomatic corps and in the parliament.

Circassians proved their sincerity and loyalty to the host country by their performance. Circassians who did not have the opportunity to go on to high education joined the armed forces and the civil service, where they form a distinguished group.

Circassians in general belong to the middle-class with the exception of a minority of landlords, who enjoyed an abundance of wealth following the rise in the value of property due to stability and security in the country.

No Circassian has ever begged, been a pauper because all believe in self-respect and the value of pride.

Source: The Circassians. Muhammed Kheir Haghandoga