Hadji Murad Summary

Hadji Murad is a fierce fighter of Russians in the Chechnya of 1851 who has a conflict with the Chechen leader, Shamil, who orders the capture of Murad and the arrest of his family. On the run, Murad stops at the home of some friendly Chechens who take him overnight, feed and console him. Murad confides to his hosts that he is fleeing Shamil to the Russian fort at Vozvizhensk, where he intends to surrender himself and henchmen to fight on the Russian side. When Murad learns that he has been spotted by someone in the Chechen village, he and his men saddle up and race for the Russian border some 10 miles away. They narrowly escape capture by some Chechens obeying Shamil's orders.

Murad hopes that Russian Prince Vorontsov will place a large force of men at his disposal so he can...