In 1829, Gazi-Muhammad was elected imam and began to gather an army, declaring a ghazavat, a holy war against the infidels. Ghazi-Muhammad inflicted short sudden blows on Russia and quickly retreated to the mountains. The first victories made the imam very popular. After the battle in Gimry, the village lay in ruins, the Russians and mountaineers turned out to be worthy opponents. The battle in Gimry was fatal for Gazi-Muhammad, but the Caucasian war had only just begun.