Ale Khirtsizhiqo (Adyghe: Хъырцыжъыкъо Алэ, romanized: Xhırtsıjzıqo Alə) was a Circassian military commander from the Abdzakh region who took part in the Russo-Circassian War.

[2][3][4][5][6] Not much is recorded about Khirtsizhiqo's early life, as Circassians did not write down their history, and all knowledge comes from Russian sources.

His birth date is unknown, but records show he joined a campaign against the Don Cossacks as a young man in 1776.

Ghish Nuh described him as follows:[7] The most prominent characteristics of Khirtsizhiqo Ale and his close companions are not hatred and revenge but bravery and humor.

[8] In 1836, when the first copy of the flag arrived in Circassia, it was received by Nur Muhammad Haghur and brought to the Gesh Valley, located in present day Sochi.

[9][10]In 1833, Grigory Zass was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Russo-Circassian War and arrived at the Kuban Line with full authority.

[7] In September 1836, a 2,000-strong (1.200 of them had taken blood oath[1]) Abzakh army, including Shapsugs and Hajjret[2] Kabardians, gathered under the command of Khirtsizhiqo Ale and his son to launch a raid.

[17] As the Russian line advanced in the beginning, a group of five-six Circassians finally reached a hillside rock facing the snipers, bothering the Cossacks.

Among this group was Khirtsizhiqo Ale, described as a big, long gray-bearded, elderly man in fine clothing who was hitting the every shot he took.

[17] Short before Ale's body fell, the Circassians, with rifles on their backs and swords in their mouths, rushed forward, shouting battle cries at the Cossacks.

They quickly climbed the steep slopes under rifle fire with Ale's body and gathered around their leader's corpse at the top of the hill.