Giray dynasty
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Giray (Crimean Tatar: sing. Geray, pl. Geraylar), alternative spellings Guirey, Ghirai, Ghiray, Geray, is the Genghisid dynasty, which was reigning in the Khanate of Crimea since its formation in 1427 until its downfall in 1783. The dynasty also supplied several khans of Kazan and Astrakhan between 1521 and 1550. Apart from the royal Girays, there was a lateral branch, the Choban Girays (Çoban Geraylar).
Before reaching the age of majority, the young Girays were brought up in one of Circassian tribes, where they were instructed in the arts of war. The Giray khans were elected by other Crimean Tatar dynasts, called myrzas (mırzalar). They also elected an heir apparent, called the qalgha sultan (qalğa sultan). In later centuries, the Ottoman Sultan obtained the right of installing and deposing the khans at his will.
According to some scholars, the Girays were regarded as the second family of the Ottoman Empire after the House of Ottoman: "If Rome and Byzantium represented two of the three international traditions of imperial legitimacy, the blood of Genghis Khan was the third... If ever the Ottomans became extinct, it was understood that the Genghizid Girays would succeed them" (Sebag Montefiore. Prince of Princes: The Life of Potemkin. London, 2000).
After the khanate's annexation by Imperial Russia in 1783, the last khan Şahin Giray remained nominally in power until 1787, when he took refuge in the Ottoman empire where he was executed in Rhodes.
Other dynasts were permitted by Russian authorities to reside in their Bakhchisaray palace. Selim III's young son, named Qattı Giray, was converted by missionaries to Protestantism and married a Scottish heiress.
Now the head of the family is Prince Jezzar Giray, an owner of Giray Design Company. He is now living in London.
The head of the Russian branch of the family was Prince Azamat Guirey (born August 14, 1924 in New York City) until his death in 2001. He has issue from his first marriage to Princess Sylvia Obolensky, of the Astor lineage.
