Peter Butkov about some Events that Occurred in the South Caucasus in 1779-1781

Abstract

In the present issue of Georgian Source-Studies, we publish a Georgian translation of selected chapters from P. Butkov’s Materials for a New History of the Caucasus, 1722–1803. Butkov, a former officer in the Russian army, describes in these sections the overthrow and subsequent killing of Hussein Khan of Shaki in 1780 (Chapter 88); the joint subjugation of the Ganja Khanate by King Erekle II and Ibrahim Khan of Karabakh; the campaigns of Erekle II in 1779–1780 aimed at reasserting control over the Khan of Erivan; and the campaigns of Fatali Khan of Derbent and his allies against the Karabakh Khanate, as well as the military assistance provided by King Erekle to Ibrahim Khan (Chapter 89). Chapter 90 recounts the appearance in Tbilisi of Nesr-Ulla Mirza, a man claiming to be the great-grandson of Nadir Shah, whose arrival inspired Erekle II to develop far-reaching political plans, and concludes with various accounts of the impostor’s death. The Georgian translation was prepared by Davit Merkviladze and Erekle Khutsishvili, who also supplied the chapter titles in accordance with the content.