The Kabardian Civil War (1615) was a Kabardian internal conflict led by Sholokh I Tepsaruqo, the Grand Prince of Kabardia, and his son Karashay Murza in Lesser Kabardia. The campaign ended in an effective victory for Sholokh and death of many Greater Kabardian princes.
The relations between Sholokh and the princes of Qeytuqo dynasty were already bad because of Sholokh's refusal to recognise Jansokh Qeytuqo as the Grand Prince of Kabardia. When Sholokh began a struggle to be titled as the Grand Prince, Jansokh Qeytuqo, along with the Idarovich-Cherkasskys and a Russian detachment of 750 streltsy led by Grivory Poltev, invaded Sholokh's domains in Talostaney in November 1589. The allies advanced deep in the lands ans ravaged more than 30 villages, thus Sholokh was forced to recognise Jansokh as the Supreme leader of Kabardia and handed over many hostages.
When Sholokh finally became the Grand Prince of Kabardia in 1609, he was stronger than ever. In the second decade of the 17th century, relations between Sholokh and the Prince of Greater Kabardia, Pshiapshoqo Qeytuqo's son Qazi Pshiapshoqo, worsened with Qazi harboring of Sholokh's rebellious brother, Pyshta Murza.
In November 11th of 1615, Sholokh together with his eldest son Kharashay, launched a major campaign against their enemy Qazi Pshiapshoqo's domain. Sholokh was supported by Ishterek Bey from the Nogai Horde and Budachai of Tarki. He led his forces deep into Qazi's domain, which was located in Greater Kabarda. He kept his advance until the Kurkhudzin River, where Qazi Shiapshoqo and Sholokh's brother Tepsaruqo Pyshta were killed in a major battle. Along with Qazi, his nephews Aslanbech's son Inarmas, Aksak Qeytuqo, Qanoqo's son Kudenet, Jansokh's son Dokhshuqo, and Shodjenuqo's son Anfok were murdered and the Russian voivode Ivan Nagaev was wounded, then later captured by Sholokh's forces.
After devastating the lands of Qazi's Kabarda, Sholokh withdrew back to his lands with total success. But the relatives of Qazi Pshiapshoqo, Kilish Jansokh, Chereguk Yelbezduq, and Qul Qeytuqo went to Russia to ask them for help against Sholokh to get revenge. Russia gave the relatives of Pshiapshoqo a big army under the command of Peter Priklonsky. With the assistance from the military men from Russia, relatives of Pshiapshoqo invaded Talostaney, but they were ultimately stopped by the eldest son of Sholokh, Karashay Murza.
Next year, in 1616, at the call of the Qeytuqo's, Crimean Khan Janibek Giray, attacked Kabardia with a massive Tatar army. The Crimeans killed, captured, and wounded many, devastating the Kabardian lands. Eventually, Sholokh's son Karashay Murza, who was suffering great wounds from the battle with the enemy, pushed out the Crimean army. Later that year, he died of his wounds.