Principality of Abkhazia
Encyclopedia
The Principality of Abkhazia
emerged as a separate feudal entity in the 15th-16th centuries, amid the civil wars in the Kingdom of Georgia
that concluded with the dissolution of the unified Georgian monarchy. The principality retained a degree of autonomy under the Ottoman
, and then the Russian
rule, but was eventually absorbed into the Russian Empire
in 1864.
(aka Sharvashidze, Chachba, or Sharashia) since the 12th century. The sources are very scarce about the Abkhazian history of that time. The Genoese
established their trading factories along the Abkhazian coastline in the 14th century, but they functioned for a short time. When the Georgian kingdom was embroiled in a bitter civil war in the 1450s, the Shervashidzes joined a major rebellion against King George VIII of Georgia
, which saw him defeated at the hands of the rebels at Chikhori
in 1463. As a result, Georgia split into three rival kingdoms and five principalities. The Abkhazian princes were the vassals of Mingrelia, which, in turn, was subordinated to the Kingdom of Imereti
. The vassalage was, however, largely nominal, and both Mingrelian and Abkhazian rulers not only successfully fought for their independence, but contested borders with each other and with Imereti.
occupied the fort of Tskhumi, turning it into the Turkish fortress of Suhum-Kale (hence, the modern name Sukhumi
). Abkhazia came under the influence of Turkey and Islam
, although Christianity
was but slowly replaced and it was not until the second half of the 18th century that the ruling Shervashidze family embraced Islam. Until then, Abkhazia, secured from large-scale invasions by its mountainous location and impassable forests, had retained independence and profitted from commerce in traditional Caucasian
commodities, that of slaves not excepted.
Throughout the 16th-18th centuries, the Abkhazian lords were involved in the incessant border conflicts with the Mingrelian princes. As a result, the Shervashidze potentates were able to expand their possessions in the east, first to the river Ghalidzga, and then to the Inguri
, which serves as today's boundary between Abkhazia
and Georgia
proper. After the death of the Abkhazian prince Zegnak circa 1700, his principality was divided among his sons. The oldest brother Rostom established himself as a prince of Abkhazia proper, also known as the Bzyb
Abkhazia, on the coast from the modern-day's Gagra
on the Bzyb River
to the Ghalidzga, with the residence in the village of Lykhny
; Jikeshia received Abjua between the Ghalidzga and the Kodori river
; and Kvapu became a lord of a county on the coast extending from the Ghalidzga to the Inguri, subsequently known as the country of Samurzakan’o after Kvapu's son Murzakan. The highlands of Tzabaldal (Tzebelda, Tsabal) were without any centralized government, but were dominated by the clan of Marshania. Sadz
ny, formerly known as Zygia
(Jiketi of the Georgian sources) extended north to Abkhazia proper between the modern-day cities of Gagra and Sochi
, and was run by the Gechba clan. These polities included also several minor fiefdoms governed by the representatives of the Shervashidze-Chachba house or other noble families such as Achba (Anchabadze), Emhaa (Emukhvari), Ziapsh-Ipa, Inal-Ipa, Chabalurkhua and Chkhotua. All these princedoms were more or less dependent on the princes of Abkhazia proper.
Keilash Bey seems to have been the first presiding prince of Abkhazia (circa 1780-1808) to embrace Islam, and was given, on this account, the fort of Suhum-Kale. These conversions of the Abkhazian princes were, however, not irreversible; during the 19th century, various Shervashidzes shifted back and forth across the religious divide, as the Russians and Ottomans struggled for control of the region. The first attempt to enter into relation with Russia was made by the said Keilash Bey in 1803, shortly after the incorporation of eastern Georgia into the expanding Tsarist empire (1801). After the assassination of this prince by his son Aslan-Bey
on May 2, 1808, the pro-Ottoman orientation prevailed but for a short time. On July 2, 1810, the Russian Marines
stormed Suhum-Kale and had Aslan-Bey replaced with his rival brother, Sefer-Bey
(1810–1821), who had become converted to Christianity and assumed the name of George
. Abkhazia joined the Russian empire as an autonomous principality.
However, George's rule, as well of his successors, was limited to the neighbourhood of Suhum-Kale and the Bzyb area garrisoned by the Russians while the other parts had remained under the rule of the Muslim nobles. The next Russo-Turkish war
strongly enhanced the Russian positions, leading to a further split in the Abkhaz elite, mainly along religious divisions. During the Crimean War
(1853–1856), Russian forces had to evacuate Abkhazia and Prince Michael
(1822–1864) seemingly switched to the Ottomans. Later on, the Russian presence strengthened and the highlanders of Western Caucasia were finally subjugated by Russia in 1864. The autonomy of Abkhazia, which had functioned as a pro-Russian "buffer zone" in this troublesome region, was no more needed to the Tsarist government and the rule of the Shervashidze came to an end; in November 1864, Prince Michael was forced to renounce his rights and resettle in Voronezh
. Abkhazia was incorporated in the Russian Empire
as a special military province of Suhum-Kale which was transformed, in 1883, into an okrug
as part of the Kutais
Guberniya
.
. Only the strong Russian reinforcements led by General D. Sviatopolk-Mirskii
were able to suppress the revolt by the same August. The harsh Russian reaction led, subsequently, to a considerable emigration of the Abkhaz muhajirs
to the Ottoman Empire
, especially after the locals took part in the rebellion of the Caucasian mountaineers incited by the landing of Turkish troops in 1877. As a result many areas became virtually deserted and the population of Abkhazia was reduced threefold.
/Chachba which ruled Abkhazia proper/the Bzyb Abkhazia looks roughly as follows:
Locum tenens du trône d'Abkhazie
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
emerged as a separate feudal entity in the 15th-16th centuries, amid the civil wars in the Kingdom of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
that concluded with the dissolution of the unified Georgian monarchy. The principality retained a degree of autonomy under the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, and then the Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
rule, but was eventually absorbed into the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
in 1864.
Background
Abkhazia, as a duchy (saeristavo) within Georgia, was ruled by the clan of ShervashidzeShervashidze
Shervashidze was a noble family in Abkhazia which, according to later sources, can be traced at least as far back as the twelfth century.Although this is quite clearly a Georgian form , the family is said to have derived from the Shirvanshahs, a dynasty of Shirvan in what is now Azerbaijan...
(aka Sharvashidze, Chachba, or Sharashia) since the 12th century. The sources are very scarce about the Abkhazian history of that time. The Genoese
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
established their trading factories along the Abkhazian coastline in the 14th century, but they functioned for a short time. When the Georgian kingdom was embroiled in a bitter civil war in the 1450s, the Shervashidzes joined a major rebellion against King George VIII of Georgia
George VIII of Georgia
George VIII was a king of Georgia, though already fragmentised and dragged into a fierce civil war, from 1446 to 1465...
, which saw him defeated at the hands of the rebels at Chikhori
Battle of Chikhori
The Battle of Chikhori was fought between the armies of King George VIII of Georgia and the rebellious nobles led by a royal kinsman Bagrat in 1463...
in 1463. As a result, Georgia split into three rival kingdoms and five principalities. The Abkhazian princes were the vassals of Mingrelia, which, in turn, was subordinated to the Kingdom of Imereti
Kingdom of Imereti
The Kingdom of Imereti was established in 1455 by a member of the house of Bagration when the Kingdom of Georgia was dissolved into rival kingdoms. Before that time, Imereti was considered a separate kingdom within the Kingdom of Georgia, to which a cadet branch of the Bagration royal family held...
. The vassalage was, however, largely nominal, and both Mingrelian and Abkhazian rulers not only successfully fought for their independence, but contested borders with each other and with Imereti.
The 16th-18th centuries
In the 1570s, the Ottoman navyOttoman Navy
The Ottoman Navy was established in the early 14th century. During its long existence it was involved in many conflicts; refer to list of Ottoman sieges and landings and list of Admirals in the Ottoman Empire for a brief chronology.- Pre-Ottoman:...
occupied the fort of Tskhumi, turning it into the Turkish fortress of Suhum-Kale (hence, the modern name Sukhumi
Sukhumi
Sukhumi is the capital of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. The city suffered heavily during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in the early 1990s.-Naming:...
). Abkhazia came under the influence of Turkey and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, although Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
was but slowly replaced and it was not until the second half of the 18th century that the ruling Shervashidze family embraced Islam. Until then, Abkhazia, secured from large-scale invasions by its mountainous location and impassable forests, had retained independence and profitted from commerce in traditional Caucasian
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
commodities, that of slaves not excepted.
Throughout the 16th-18th centuries, the Abkhazian lords were involved in the incessant border conflicts with the Mingrelian princes. As a result, the Shervashidze potentates were able to expand their possessions in the east, first to the river Ghalidzga, and then to the Inguri
Inguri
The Inguri , is a river in western Georgia. It is 213 km long, originates in northeastern Svaneti near the region of Racha and plays an important role providing hydroelectric power to the area....
, which serves as today's boundary between Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
and Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
proper. After the death of the Abkhazian prince Zegnak circa 1700, his principality was divided among his sons. The oldest brother Rostom established himself as a prince of Abkhazia proper, also known as the Bzyb
Bzyb
Bzyb, Bzyp, Bzyph or Bziphi may refer to one of the following things related to Abkhazia:*Bzyb , the historical region of Abkhazia**Bzyb River, the river flowing through it**Bzyb , a village located in this region...
Abkhazia, on the coast from the modern-day's Gagra
Gagra
Gagra is a town in Abkhazia, Georgia’s breakaway republic, sprawling for 5 km on the northeast coast of the Black Sea, at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains...
on the Bzyb River
Bzyb River
Soviet President Nikita Khrushchev once proposed a major dam and hydroelectric power generation facility on the Bzyb River, since his favourite resort was located near the mouth of the river at Pitsunda. However, this proposal was ruled out by his experts who opined that a dam built on the Bzyb...
to the Ghalidzga, with the residence in the village of Lykhny
Lykhny
Lykhny is a village in the Gudauta District of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. The village lies along the narrow Black Sea plain of Abkhazia at an elevation of 50 meters above sea level. Lykhny is located five kilometers from the administrative center of Gudauta. There are...
; Jikeshia received Abjua between the Ghalidzga and the Kodori river
Kodori Valley
The Kodori Valley is a river valley in Abkhazia, Georgia's breakaway autonomous republic. The valley's upper part, populated by Svans, was the only corner of the post-1993 Abkhazia, directly controlled by the central Georgian government, which officially styles the area as Upper Abkhazia...
; and Kvapu became a lord of a county on the coast extending from the Ghalidzga to the Inguri, subsequently known as the country of Samurzakan’o after Kvapu's son Murzakan. The highlands of Tzabaldal (Tzebelda, Tsabal) were without any centralized government, but were dominated by the clan of Marshania. Sadz
Sadz
The Sadz or Asadzwa, also Jigets are a sub-ethnic group of the Abkhazians. They are sometimes purported to have originated from the Sanigoi tribe mentioned by the Classic authors...
ny, formerly known as Zygia
Zygia
Zygia is a genus of legume in the Fabaceae family.-Selected species:* Zygia cognata* Zygia lehmannii* Zygia oriunda* Zygia pithecolobioides* Zygia steyermarkii...
(Jiketi of the Georgian sources) extended north to Abkhazia proper between the modern-day cities of Gagra and Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
, and was run by the Gechba clan. These polities included also several minor fiefdoms governed by the representatives of the Shervashidze-Chachba house or other noble families such as Achba (Anchabadze), Emhaa (Emukhvari), Ziapsh-Ipa, Inal-Ipa, Chabalurkhua and Chkhotua. All these princedoms were more or less dependent on the princes of Abkhazia proper.
Between the Ottoman and Russian empires
Aslan-Bey Shervashidze
Aslan-Bey Shervashidze was a prince of the Principality of Abkhazia from 1808-10. He was the eldest son of Kelesh Ahmed-Bey Shervashidze. Aslan-Bey was associated with pro-Turkish elements of the region, and was responsible for rebelling against and later killing his father in order to ascend the...
on May 2, 1808, the pro-Ottoman orientation prevailed but for a short time. On July 2, 1810, the Russian Marines
Russian Marines
The Russian Naval Infantry, are the amphibious force of the Russian Navy. The first Russian naval infantry force was formed in 1705, and since that time they have fought in the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War, the Russo-Japanese War, and the First and Second World Wars...
stormed Suhum-Kale and had Aslan-Bey replaced with his rival brother, Sefer-Bey
Sefer Ali-Bey Shervashidze
Sefer Ali-Bey Shervashidze was a prince of the Principality of Abkhazia from 1810-21. He was the youngest son of Kelesh Ahmed-Bey Shervashidze...
(1810–1821), who had become converted to Christianity and assumed the name of George
George (given name)
George, from the Greek word γεωργός , "farmer" or "earth-worker", which became a name in Greek: Γεώργιος , and Latin: Georgius. The word γεωργός is a compound word, formed by the words ge , "earth", "soil" and ergon , "work"...
. Abkhazia joined the Russian empire as an autonomous principality.
However, George's rule, as well of his successors, was limited to the neighbourhood of Suhum-Kale and the Bzyb area garrisoned by the Russians while the other parts had remained under the rule of the Muslim nobles. The next Russo-Turkish war
Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829
The Russo–Turkish War of 1828–1829 was sparked by the Greek War of Independence. The war broke out after the Sultan, incensed by the Russian participation in the Battle of Navarino, closed the Dardanelles for Russian ships and revoked the Akkerman Convention....
strongly enhanced the Russian positions, leading to a further split in the Abkhaz elite, mainly along religious divisions. During the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
(1853–1856), Russian forces had to evacuate Abkhazia and Prince Michael
Mikheil, Prince of Abkhazia
Mikhail, or Hamud Bey, from the house of Shervashidze, or Chachba was the head of state of the Principality of Abkhazia and reigned from 1823 to 1864....
(1822–1864) seemingly switched to the Ottomans. Later on, the Russian presence strengthened and the highlanders of Western Caucasia were finally subjugated by Russia in 1864. The autonomy of Abkhazia, which had functioned as a pro-Russian "buffer zone" in this troublesome region, was no more needed to the Tsarist government and the rule of the Shervashidze came to an end; in November 1864, Prince Michael was forced to renounce his rights and resettle in Voronezh
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
. Abkhazia was incorporated in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
as a special military province of Suhum-Kale which was transformed, in 1883, into an okrug
Okrug
Okrug is an administrative division of some Slavic states. The word "okrug" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "district", or "region"....
as part of the Kutais
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
Guberniya
Guberniya
A guberniya was a major administrative subdivision of the Russian Empire usually translated as government, governorate, or province. Such administrative division was preserved for sometime upon the collapse of the empire in 1917. A guberniya was ruled by a governor , a word borrowed from Latin ,...
.
Aftermath
In July 1866 an attempt made by the Russian authorities to collect information concerning the economic conditions of the Abkhaz, for the purpose of taxation, led to a revolt. The rebels proclaimed Michael Shervashidze's son George as prince and marched on Suhum-KaleSukhumi
Sukhumi is the capital of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. The city suffered heavily during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in the early 1990s.-Naming:...
. Only the strong Russian reinforcements led by General D. Sviatopolk-Mirskii
Dmitry Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-Mirskii
Dmitry Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-Mirskii was a Russian infantry General and a politician, of the Svyatopolk-Mirsky family.Dmitry was born to the family of Thomas Bogumile Jean Sviatopolk-Mirskii, the ambassador of the semi-independent Kingdom of Poland to Russia. Dmitry's patronymic Ivanovich was...
were able to suppress the revolt by the same August. The harsh Russian reaction led, subsequently, to a considerable emigration of the Abkhaz muhajirs
Muhajir (Caucasus)
Circassians, the indigenous peoples of the Northwest Caucasus were cleansed from their homeland at the end of the Caucasian War by victorious Russia, which by its manner of suppression of the Caucasus directed at the Crimean Tartars and Circassians can be credited with "inventing the strategy of...
to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, especially after the locals took part in the rebellion of the Caucasian mountaineers incited by the landing of Turkish troops in 1877. As a result many areas became virtually deserted and the population of Abkhazia was reduced threefold.
Rulers
The lists of the early princes of Abkhazia are confused due to frequent breaks in the succession, dynastic feuds, and foreign interventions as well as the lack of recorded accounts. The senior branch of the ShervashidzeShervashidze
Shervashidze was a noble family in Abkhazia which, according to later sources, can be traced at least as far back as the twelfth century.Although this is quite clearly a Georgian form , the family is said to have derived from the Shirvanshahs, a dynasty of Shirvan in what is now Azerbaijan...
/Chachba which ruled Abkhazia proper/the Bzyb Abkhazia looks roughly as follows:
- Putu (circa 1580-1620)
- Seteman (circa 1620-1640)
- Sustar (circa 1640-1665)
- ZegnakZegnak ShervashidzeZegnak, from the house of Shervashidze, or Chachba, was a prince of the Principality of Abkhazia from circa 1665 to 1700. After Zegnak's death, the Principality of Abkhazia was divided amongst his sons, with his eldest son Rostom Prince of the rump Principality in Bzyb and the separate duchies of...
(circa 1665-1700) - Rostom (circa 1700-1730)
- ManucharManuchar ShervashidzeManuchar, or Mancha, from the house of Shervashidze, or Chachba, was a prince of the Principality of Abkhazia from circa 1730 to 1750...
(circa 1730-1750) - Zurab (circa 1750-1780)
- Keilash Ahmed-BeyKelesh Ahmed-Bey ShervashidzeKelesh Ahmed-Bey Shervashidze was the head of state of the Principality of Abkhazia from the 1780s to 1808. Kelesh-Bey was the son of Manuchar Shervashidze. In his childhood, Kelesh-Bey was taken to Istanbul, Turkey as a hostage, where he converted to Islam...
(circa 1780-1808) - Aslan-BeyAslan-Bey ShervashidzeAslan-Bey Shervashidze was a prince of the Principality of Abkhazia from 1808-10. He was the eldest son of Kelesh Ahmed-Bey Shervashidze. Aslan-Bey was associated with pro-Turkish elements of the region, and was responsible for rebelling against and later killing his father in order to ascend the...
(1808–1810) - Sefer Ali-BeySefer Ali-Bey ShervashidzeSefer Ali-Bey Shervashidze was a prince of the Principality of Abkhazia from 1810-21. He was the youngest son of Kelesh Ahmed-Bey Shervashidze...
(George) (1810–1821) - Umar-Bey (Dmitri) (1821–1822)
- MichaelMikheil, Prince of AbkhaziaMikhail, or Hamud Bey, from the house of Shervashidze, or Chachba was the head of state of the Principality of Abkhazia and reigned from 1823 to 1864....
(Hamud-Bey) (1822–1866)
Locum tenens du trône d'Abkhazie
- George Mikhaïlovitch Shervashidze (1866–1918)
- Alexander Konstantinovich Shervashidze (1918–1968)
- George Vladimirovitch Shervashidze (1968–1978)
- Nikita Georgevitch Shervashidze (1978–2008)
- Andrew Nikititch Shervashidze (2008-)
See also
- Abkhazian KingdomAbkhazian KingdomThe Kingdom of Abkhazia, also known as the Kingdom of the Abkhazes refers to an early medieval feudal state in the Caucasus which lasted from the 780s until being united, through dynastic succession, with the Kingdom of the Georgians in 1008.- Historiographical conundrum :Writing the kingdom’s...
- Caucasian WarCaucasian WarThe Caucasian War of 1817–1864, also known as the Russian conquest of the Caucasus was an invasion of the Caucasus by the Russian Empire which ended with the annexation of the areas of the North Caucasus to Russia...
- History of Georgia (country)History of Georgia (country)The nation of Georgia was first unified as a kingdom under the Bagrationi dynasty in the 9th to 10th century, arising from a number of predecessor states of ancient Colchis and Iberia...
- Russian EmpireRussian EmpireThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...