Eyalet of Childir

The Eyalet of Childir^[1] (Turkish: Çıldır Eyaleti) was an eyalet of the Ottoman Empire in the Southwestern Caucasus. The area of the former Çıldır Eyalet is now divided between Samtskhe-Javakheti and the Autonomous Republic of Adjara in Georgia and provinces of Artvin, Ardahan and Erzurum in Turkey. The administrative center was Çıldır between 1608-1829 and Oltu between 1829-1845.

History

The Ottomans took the Ahıska region from the Principality of Guria, a vassal state of Safavid dynasty. In 1578, when the new province was established, they appointed the former Georgian prince, Minuchir (who took the name of Mustafa after converting to Islam) as the first governor.^[2] From 1625 onwards the entire eyilet was a hereditary possession of the now-Muslim atabegs of Samtskhe,^[3] which administered it as hereditary governors, with some exceptions, until the mid-18th century.^[2]

Samtskhe was the only Georgian principality to permanently become an Ottoman province (as the eyalet of Cildir).^[3] In the eighty years after the battle of Zivin the region was gradually absorbed into the empire.^[3] During the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829), Russians occupied much of the province. The administrative centre was moved from Ahıska, which was ceded to Russia, to Oltu. The greater part of the eyalet was ceded to Russia, while remaining, smaller part was united with the eyalet of Kars.^[4]

Governors

• Ishak Pasha, who oversaw the completion of the Ishak Pasha Palace^[5]

Administrative divisions

Sanjaks of the Eyalet in the 17th century:^[6]

1. Sanjak of Oulti
2. Sanjak of Harbus
3. Sanjak of Ardinj
4. Sanjak of Hajrek
5. Sanjak of Great Ardehan (Ardahan)
6. Sanjak of Postkhu
7. Sanjak of Mahjil
8. Sanjak of Ijareh penbek

• Hereditary sanjaks:

1. Sanjak of Purtekrek
2. Sanjak of Lawaneh
3. Sanjak of Nusuf Awan
4. Sanjak of Shushad

See also

• Jaqeli
• Meskhetian Turks

References