The term «uzden» in the North Caucasian historical context

The data of language dictionaries provide grounds for distinguishing two main historical meanings of the term “uzden”: 1) feudal nobility (uzden) and 2) personally free peasants (“uzden”). A methodologically important position for analyzing the existence of the term “uzden” in North Caucasian societies of the Middle Ages and modern times is the thesis on the need to separate the class origin and service status of princely vassals. The Mongolism “uzden”, borrowed into North Caucasian languages at different times and for various extralinguistic reasons, changed its semantics depending on the historical era and the social realities of a particular society. But ultimately, the diverse interpretations of the term “uzden” turn out to be closely related to the ideas of the eras under consideration about the idea of freedom.