According to Chechen legends, a man named
Chainak, who came from the
Ichkerian village
Gunoy, raided the
Shamkhalate of Tarki and captured and married
Checha, the daughter of the local ruler (called
Shamkhal). After the death of Chainak, she and her sons left the mountains of Gunoy and moved to the plain, where, between the
Sunzha and
Argun Rivers, they founded a farm, which they named
Chechana. The name later changed to
Chechan–Aul/Chechen–Aul, with "
Aul" meaning a town or fortified village. In 1732, a
battle was fought near Chechen–Aul between Russian forces and Chechen rebels. It ended in a victory for the Chechens and according to popular tradition, this battle is how the term "Chechen" came into use. The term has been used as early as 1692, however. Between 1944 and 1957, after the
Deportation of the Chechens and Ingush, the village was renamed to "Kalinovka". After the
Restoration of Chechen-Ingush autonomy, the village got its former name back. == References ==