He had a half brother named Shaykh Mardan bek, who detested Surkhay because of their father's love towards him, as his mother was not from a noble family.
[3] Shaykh Mardan's death – which according to Russian historian Komarov, happened not later than Fatali's – was perfect ground for Surkhay to invade Kura plain and depose his minor nephews.
[9] After surrender of the town on 21 May 1796, Shaykh Ali however managed to escape to [10] near Gilgilçay,[11] reached Kumukh asked for troops from Surkhay II to retake Quba.
As a result of disastrous battle near Alpan, 1600 Dagestanis died, including Surkhay's son Bayram, as well as councillor Molla Taghi.
[13] Shaykh Ali khan managed to expel his armies only after support of 10,000 soldiers from Akusha-Dargo Union and Shamkhalate of Tarki and routed him till Chirag.
[14] This rebellion was followed by a famine when the inhabitants had to fight off 400 carts en route from Tarki to Quba bringing food and supplies to capital, accusing khan of debauchery and only thinking for himself.
As a middle ground, Shaykh Ali accepted his half-sister and Mirza Muhammad's wife Khanbika khanum as hakem of Derbent and Sultan as her deputy.
Surkhay II soon heard rumours of still ill Shaykh Ali's death and decided to attack Quba and install his puppet Hasan as khan there.
Using opportunity Shaykh Ali raided Derbent Khanate and forcibly moved population of 9 villages to Quba, depriving Surkhay's puppet Hasan of his tax income.
Approached by new Russian viceroy Alexander Tormasov later, he expressed allegiance, but secretly aided Shaykh Ali Khan of Quba in his guerilla warfare.
His army included the blind Muhammad Hasan, as well as Qasim Khan of Shirvan and Surkhay's sons Nuh, Khalid, Zakariyya and Murtuzali.
Shaykh Ali had 7,000 under his command, being aided by Surkhay II's son Nuh bek, Aslan Khan of Dzhengutay and Qadi Abubekr of Akusha-Dargo.
Khotuntsov attacked the village from three sides and, after a 4-hour stubborn battle, drove out Shaykh Ali to Akhty, captured many prisoners, recaptured 30 banners and more than 350 horses.
[20] Surkhay on the other hand, returned to Kumukh started to send his sons to Kura Khanate, agitating denizens of Richa and Chirag to rise against the Russians.
Aslan Khan, trying to punish his uncle, started a raid against Gazikumukh in March 1812, however he faced a strong resistance near Khosrekh and forced to retreat after losing several soldiers.
Surkhay to gain support of Qajar Iran, fled to Tabriz with his 20 closest relatives, put his son Murtuzali in charge.
Hearing the news of his father's arrival, Murtuzali killed Fathali bek – his cousin and Aslan Khan's half-brother – and sent his head to Surkhay secretly, demonstrating his loyalty.
Surkhay in his turn sent several letters to Nikolay Rtischev, new viceroy in Caucasus, to obtain his grandson's release in return of extradition of Prince Alexander of Georgia.
Surkhay's real motives showed himself when alliance of Dagestani rulers attacked Yermolov's subordinate Pestel near Bashlykent on 23 October 1818.
Shaykh Ali and Abdullah left the alliance for Quba on the 4th day of siege, reportedly after searching for the corpses of Russian soldiers and cutting off ears and hands, having collected a whole bag of them to turn over to Abbas Mirza in return of monetary support to gather more armies.
Surkhay returned with Abbas Mirza to Caucasus during Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828 and made it to Sogratl and sent his son Nuh beg to Constantinople to get help from Ottoman Empire.
[31] Estate and land commission in 1867 in different villages of the Gazikumukh Okrug (Kumukh, Khalapkhi, Duchi, Begeklyu, Para, Marki, Tsuschar, Kuli) identified and recognized 48 descendants of Surkhay, who were endowed by the imperial administration.