Part 23

This strong fortress of Akhaska is also spelled Akhachka, Akhjaska, Okhaskha, and Oksakha, according to the difference of the languages of the surrounding people. In the Imperial register it is laid down by the name of Chaldir. The builder was Núshirván, the great Persian monarch who built the Ták Kesra. He used to spend six months of the summer here, on account of its climate. It would be too long to relate all the changes that this place underwent under different kings. The first moslim conqueror of it was Heshám Ibn Abd-ul-Melek, of the family of the Ommiades, who, proceeding from Syria with an immense army, conquered Aintáb, Mera’ash, Malátia, Haleb, Diarbekr, Erzerúm, and this castle of Akhaska, which then became the Capital of Georgia. He also conquered Genje, Shirván, and Derbend, and returned to Damascus. Kara Yússúf, the Prince of the dynasty of the Kara Koyúnlí, not being able to resist the arms of Timúr, fled to Bayazíd I. for assistance, and Sultán Uzún Hassan became the possessor of the castle of Akhaska. Paying homage to Timúr he was put in the number of eleven tributary princes, that marched by the side of Timúr’s horse, who conferred upon him, the province of Azerbeiján. It afterwards came into the power of Sháh Ismail of the Safí family, who chose Akhaska for his summer quarters and subdued the whole of Georgia. He ravaged the Ottoman provinces, and pushed his incursions up to Sivás, the granary of the Ottoman capital. Selím I. was then governor of Trebisonde, and many times pursued the Persian troops. Having himself ascended the throne, he immediately began the Holy war, and fought the famous battle on the plain of Chaldir, which cost the lives of one hundred thousand Persians, and nearly that of Sháh Ismail, who had a narrow escape. He then conquered the castle Akhaska, and subdued the whole of Georgia. A survey of it was commanded, and it was assigned as a government to a Páshá of three tails. As this town is the frontier of Gúrjistán (Georgia), Turkistán, and Kurdistán, in immediate contact with Persia, it was declared a separate Eyálet or government, of which the following is the description in the Kanún-námeh of Sultán Súleimán. The sanjak of Chaldir consists of thirteen sanjaks, the officers are a public treasurer of the timárs (Timár Defterdárí); an inspector of the rolls (Defter Emíní); a kiaya, an inspector and a secretary of the Chaúshes, (Chaúshlar kiayassí, Emíní, and Kiátibí). The sanjaks are as follow: (1) Oltí; (2) Khortíz; (3) Ardíkh; (4) Khajrek; (5) Erdehán; (6) Postkhú; (7) Mákhchíl; (8) Achárpeník; (9) Akhachka, the seat of the Páshá. There are also four hereditary sanjaks Yordlik, or Ojáklik, viz. Portekrek, Lesána, Nussf Levána, and Shúshád; making in all thirteen.

_Khass or Revenues of the Sanjak Begs._

Khass of the Beg of Oltí, two hundred thousand and seventeen aspers; Portek, forty-six thousand two hundred and nineteen; Ardenj, two hundred and eighty thousand; Erdehán, three hundred thousand; Shúshád, six hundred and fifty six thousand; Lesána, three hundred and sixty-five thousand; Khartíz, two hundred thousand five hundred; Khajrek, three hundred and sixty-five thousand; Postkhú, two hundred and six thousand five hundred; Makhjíl, twenty thousand three hundred and eleven; Ajára, two hundred thousand; Penek, four hundred thousand.

_Number of Ziámets and Timárs._

The ziámets and timárs are altogether six hundred and fifty-six swords, which with the Jebellis form eight hundred men; and with the troops of the Páshá fifteen hundred troops. In the sanjak Oltí, three ziámets, a hundred and thirteen timárs; Erdehán, eight ziámets, eighty-seven timárs; Ardíkh, four ziámets, forty-two timárs; Khajrek, two ziamets, seventy-two timárs; Khartíz, thirteen ziámets, thirty-five timárs; Postkhú, twelve ziámets, twenty-eight timárs; Penek, eight ziámets, fifty-four timárs; Sászín, seven ziámets, thirty-two timárs; Khatla, nineteen ziámets, seven timárs; Isper, four ziámets, fourteen timárs. These feudal troops are commanded by their Yúzbashí (Lieutenants), Cheribashí (Captains), and Alaï-Beg (Colonels). They possess a thousand and sixty villages on condition of going to war when called upon, the annual revenue of which amounts to three hundred and twenty Ottoman purses. In the time of Selím I. the Páshá of this province, commanded those of Erzerúm, Sivás, Mera’ash, Adana, and Rakka. The place of a judge with the rank of Molla was given to Ramazán Efendí with five hundred aspers, now it has a judge with three hundred aspers; he may however annually collect from the districts belonging to his jurisdiction, the sum of eighty purses. The Khass of the Begler-beg amounts to four hundred thousand aspers; the garrison consists of two thousand men, regular troops, with an Aghá of the janissaries, of the Jebejí and of the Topjí. In the year 1044 (1634) the Persians became masters of Chaldirán, but after the conquest of Eriván, Canaan Páshá was sent by Sultán Murad IV. with an immense army who conquered the fortress of Akhachka, and put it in a good state of repair, in which it is kept by the Ottomans, up to the present time.

_Form and size of the Castle of Akhachka._

It is a square castle built of stone, standing on a chalk cliff, with two gates and about a thousand houses without gardens covered with terraces. One of the two gates leads to the east, and the other to the west, there are twenty-eight mosques. The old mosque in the upper castle is covered with earth. There is no Imáret (religious foundation) covered with lead in this fortress. The mosque of Kunbet-oghlí is also covered with earth, and without a minareh. In the lower castle is the mosque of Khalíl Aghá. Besides the five legal prayers a day, there are certain lectures in all these mosques on the Korán and tradition, but there are no private rooms or establishments for these lectures. The Muderris (Professors) hold them in the mosques, the students (Thelebe) are numerous. The suburb outside of the castle is well built, and its baths pleasant, but the bath inside the castle is very small; the best is that outside the eastern gate of the castle, the waiters are fine Georgian boys; there are a great number of kháns; no vineyards (Bágh), but in some places gardens (Bághje); a large number of gardens of fruit trees (Mushebek-bostán) full of valuable trees, well watered by springs. The water of this place comes from the mountains of Uda, waters the fields of the town, goes straight to the castle of Arghán, and falls near the Castle of Kúrehkt into the Araxes. The passage between the castle and the suburb is established by a bridge; the suburb is not surrounded by walls; the market consists of about three hundred shops, but no Bezestán of stone. The temperature of this place being fresh and invigorating its people are strong and brave also; the Páshá Sefer Páshá, by birth a Georgian, is one of the most wise and virtuous Vezírs of the Ottoman Court. Eriván is six journeys from Akhashka to the east, and mid way is the Castle of Karss. From Akhaskha to Tiflís is five journeys towards the north-east, to Genje five journeys direct east, and seven journeys to the north is the castle of Georgia. The fortress of Akhaska is situated between them all in the plain of Chaldir.

_Castles of Georgia belonging to the Province of Chaldir._

The castle of Khartíz near Chaldir was conquered in the year 886 (1481), by Lala Páshá, together with the castle of Adhil, and the castle of Perkán near Chaldir at a journey’s distance, situated between two high mountains on a high hill. The castle of Cotatis is two journies distance from Chaldir, it is the capital of the district of Ajikbásh near mount Perírat. It is the proper residence of Georgia otherwise called Shúshád, and Selím I. when governor of Trebisonde, sometimes came hither to divert himself. It was created by him a hereditary province (Ojáklik), the khass of which amounts to six thousand and six aspers. There are no ziámets and timárs. The castle of Khajrek, situated between Akhachka and Erdehán, is the residence of the Sanjak-Beg of Burdehán, and was conquered by Lala Páshá; the Khass amounts to three hundred and sixty-five thousand aspers, six ziámets and twenty-two timárs. The castle of Shatán, which by mistake is called Sheitán Kala’am, (the Castle of Satan), was conquered by Ferhád Páshá in the year 990 (1582); it is situated near Chaldir, on a steep rock. The castle of Kizlar (of the maiden) near Chaldir, on the border of the river Jágh, is a magic castle. The castle of Altún (gold), the conquest of Lala Páshá, is three hours distance from the latter. The castle of Odoria near Chaldir, the conquest of Lala Páshá. The castle of Al near Akhaska. The castle of Postkhú, which is the seat of a Sanjak Beg in the province of Akhaska, was conquered by Lala Páshá in the year 998 (1589); a jurisdiction, the judge of which is appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers. There is an Alaï Beg and Cheríbashí. Shúshádistán is the name of one of the principal provinces of Georgia, governed by a Begler-beg. Shúshád, the castle, has no judge. Shúshádistán is a mountainous tract full of precipices. The castle of Kharbe on the border of a valley, is a steep castle. The castle of Ardíkh, the seat of a Sanjak-beg in the province of Chaldir, a conquest of Lala Páshá. The castle of Akhanjí, the seat of a Sanjak-beg. The castle of Jághirmán near Chaldir, conquered by Lala Páshá. Besides these castles there are a great number of others seen on the great road. Georgia is indeed a fine and well cultivated country. After having seen all this, I took leave of Sefer Páshá, who presented me with two Georgian boys, a horse, and a hundred piastres; I took an escort and began my journey westward to Erzerúm.

_Stations of the Journey from Akhaska to Erzerúm._

We passed the summer quarters of Ulghár, and arrived at the end of four hours at the castle of Kínava on the frontier of Ardehán; we passed through a mountainous tract and at last arrived at the Castle of Kara Ardehán, which was conquered in the time of Selím I. and made the seat of a Sanjak Beg; the khass is three hundred thousand aspers, eight ziámets, and eighty-seven timárs; an Alaï Beg, (Colonel); Cheribashí, (Captain); Dizdár, (Commander of the castle); are the commanding officers of the garrison, which consists of two hundred men; the whole contingent in war time including the troops of the Beg amounts to one thousand men. The judge is appointed with a hundred and fifty aspers. There is no Nakíb-ul-ishráf (head of the Sheriffs or relations of the prophet) and its Muftí resides at Akhaska. The castle is built on a rock, and is five hundred paces in circumference; it is not commanded by any neighbouring height, it has two hundred and seventy towers, and three gates. A company of armourers (Jebejí) of the Porte, is in garrison here. In the town, the family establishment (Khandán) of Kia Páshá is the most renowned.

_Castles in the neighbourhood of Erdehán._

The castle of Wálá, conquered by Lala Páshá 987 (1579); the castle of Kermek, conquered by Lala Páshá in the year 982 (1574); the castle of Akhársin, conquered by Lala Páshá in the year 982 (1574); the castles of Mamerván and Nazarbán, the latter built by Ghází Sefer Páshá in the year 1053 (1643); the castle Kense Dusál in the district of Erdehán on a hill; its water flows to Erdehán. The houses all have terraces; there is no college, but a school for boys. No gardens on account of the temperature, which is rather cold. Its fruits come from the castle of Tortúm and Acháras; the inhabitants are all Sunnís, and live by agriculture. This castle is five journeys to the east of Erzerúm; and Karss is one journey’s distance from Erzerúm by the way of Kargha-bazár. We then passed westward sometimes on a stony and woody ground, sometimes in rich meadows, and arrived at the castle of Gúle. It was built by Levend-Khán, a Georgian Prince, and is the seat of a Sanjak Beg, the khass of which is three hundred thousand aspers; it has a Colonel, Captain, Dizdár and garrison; it is an elegant castle on a chalk hill. Eight hours further to the west, we reached the castle of Penek also named after its Georgian builder, it is the seat of a sanjak Beg subordinate to Chaldir; its khass is four hundred thousand aspers. Its feudatory militia with the troops of the Beg are a thousand men; there is a judge with a hundred and fifty aspers, no market nor garden. The water of the river is very good, its subjects are Armenians, Gokdulak, and Georgians. Seven hours further is the Castle of Uliní, built by a Georgian king, and conquered by Sultán Selím; it is the seat of a Sanjak Beg, whose Khass is two hundred thousand and seventeen aspers. And has a Colonel, a Captain, a Judge with a hundred and fifty aspers, a Dizdár, and garrison; the castle stands on a chalk hill with two gates, one opening to the east, and the other to the west. At the foot of the castle flows the river Oltí, which waters the gardens of the town, and enters the Aras on the Kiblah side. The houses are all inhabited and covered with terraces. There are a number of mosques, a khán, a bath, garden, and school for boys; its beauties are celebrated. The inhabitants are good moslims. From hence we travelled direct north, and came at the end of two hours to the castle of Maverván built by the Georgian Kings, and conquered by Lala Kara Mustafa Páshá; it is the seat of a Sanjak Beg subordinate to Erzerúm, whose khass amounts to two hundred and three thousand aspers; the officers are a Colonel and Captain of the feudal militia. The militia of the Beg amounts to fifteen hundred men; the judge is appointed with a hundred and fifty aspers. The castle is of a square form and gigantic size, standing upon a hill; its gate looks to the Kibláh, there are eight hundred houses, a mosque, a bath, and a khán, the inhabitants are almost all poor people. Three hours further on to the west, is the village Aide Mamerván, a village inhabited by Armenians and Moslims. Further on among bleak mountains is the village Karakunk, it belongs to the district of Erzerúm; we passed the straight of Georgia and arrived at the village of Osmúdúm Sultán, a fine kent of a hundred houses on the border of a high mountain; it is situated at the very source of the Euphrates, which issues from a cavern in the mountain of Dúmlí Sultán, a delightful, refreshing water, which seems to be alluded to in the Korán by the verse: “I gave thee the Keuther.” Trouts of a cubit’s length sport in it; their bodies are ruby-coloured and interspersed with smaragdine spots. Umúdúm Sultán the Saint, who is buried here, protects these fish, so that it is impossible to catch them; but a farsang below they are taken by fishermen, and fill the brains of those who eat them with ambergris; however much a man may eat, he is never incommoded by them. The Pilgrimage to Rúmlí Sultán is much frequented. We marched five hours to the south, on the plain of Erzerúm and entered it, God be thanked! in perfect health. Before I changed my dress, I laid the letters and presents of the khán of Eriván at the feet of my gracious Lord the Páshá, and gave him a detailed account of all the castles, towns, kents and villages, which I had seen on my journey. He gave me a splendid dress and three hundred piastres bath-money, besides two purses, which he assigned to me on the extraordinary revenues of the custom-houses. I had remained scarcely a week, when a message arrived from the Khán of Eriván complaining that some of the soldiers of Karss had molested one of his caravans, and requesting that an Aghá might be sent to convey the caraván safe to Erzerúm. In consequence of this letter I was sent back into Persia on the tenth day.

JOURNEY TO ERIVAN IN THE YEAR, 1057, (1647).

From Erzerúm twelve hours to the east, is the castle of Hassan Kala’a which has already been described; and further on to the east, through the plain of Pássin, the village Bádil Jovánlí, an Armenian village. We passed it, and reached in nine hours the station of Meidánjik; the inhabitants are all Armenians. Ten hours further is the castle of Mishingerd in the province of Erzerúm, a square castle on a chalk cliff; which has a Dizdár and a hundred and fifty men, two hundred houses, but no market; a mosque of Sultán Súleimán Khán, without a garden. We passed to the east, through the valley of Khándere, by the ruined convent called the seven churches, through a narrow straight, and then to the west by a flowery meadow for six hours to the castle Bardúz, in the territory of Karss, built by Lady Kerím-ud-din, the daughter of King Azz-ud-din of the dynasty of the Auk-koyúnlí. The chronograph is written on the gate; there is a Dizdár and a hundred and fifty men in garrison, a small bath, but no garden. From hence we went southward to the castle of Gejkerán built by Núshirván; this is the old town of Dúdemán Gejkerán which is mentioned in the ancient histories of the wars of Pízen and Efrasiáb. It was ruined by Holagú at the same time as Baghdád, but flourished again under the government of Kara Yússúf Sháh of the family of the Kara Koyúnlí. Timúr again destroyed it. It was conquered by Lala Kara Mustafa Páshá, and now belongs to the government of Karss, it is a square castle. The karss of the Beg amounts to fifteen thousand three hundred and fifty aspers. According to the canon of Sultán Súleimán there are two thousand two hundred men including the troops of the Beg; a Dizdár, an Aghá of the Azábs and Gonullí, with three hundred men in garrison, a judge of a hundred and fifty aspers, twelve hundred houses covered with earth, three small mosques, and from forty to fifty shops. Eight hours further to the east we reached the frontier fortress of the Ottomans, the castle of Karss. There are three towns of that name; one is in Silefka, the Karss of Karatáshlik; the second, the Karss of Mera’ash, and the last that of Dúdemán, which is the present one. In the time of Murad III. it was conquered by Lala Kara Mustafa Páshá. The repairing this town after it was ruined by the Persians, was undertaken by the Ottoman generals, and on this occasion a large square marble stone was found, which they placed on the gate looking to the south-east, and which had the following inscription:—“This Castle was built under Vezír Fírúz Akaí in the time of Sultán Azz-ud-dín; and repaired by his daughter Sultana Karím-ud-dín. May God illuminate her tomb!” Lala Páshá who is the last builder of Karss, placed this stone on the wall, however, out of reverence for its ancient builders. Lala Páshá repaired it in seventy days, within which time he completed its munition. A soldier came to relate to him a dream which he had, and which was as follows. An old man appeared to him, saying, his name was Abúl Hassan Kharkaní, that he was buried here, and that if a well at his feet was to be dug, marvellous things would be seen. Some hundred workmen were instantly set to dig the well, when they found a red granite tomb, on which was written “I am the martyr, Saíd Kharkání.” He was found quite fresh, and the blood yet flowing from his right arm. The tomb was re-covered amidst prayers, and Lala Páshá raised a convent upon it. The government of Karss has been given at different times to Vezírs of three tails as barley-money (Arpalik); the karss is sixty thousand aspers. It belonged formerly to the government of Erzerúm, but is now a distinct province with the addition of Pássin. There are seven sanjaks, a Kiaya, and Emín of the Defter, a Defterdár of the treasury and of the timárs, but no Kiatib Kiaya and Emín of the Chaúshes, Its sanjaks are; Little Erdehán; Khojúján; Zárshád; Gejewán; Kaghzmán; Werishán, and Karss the seat of the Páshá, there are seven ziámets and a hundred and two timárs, with the Jebellis and troops of the Páshá, three thousand exquisite troops; a Colonel, a Captain, a judge with three hundred aspers, a Dizdár, an Aghá of seven companies of Azábs, and an Aghá of the Janissaries, armourers, and gunners; the Colonels reside for the most part at Erzerúm: the garrison consists of fifteen hundred excellent men; the garrisons of Wán, Karss, and Akhachka are decidedly brave men. Their pay is collected from the produce of the ferry-boats at Bírejik on the Euphrates, and from the villages Súrúj and Bombúj at Haleb, amounting annually to seventy thousand aspers. The government of Karss is divided into ten jurisdictions, and eight districts; there is a Sheikh-ul-Islám (Muftí); Nakíb-ul-ishráf (head of the Emírs), and other distinguished men.

_Size of the castle of Karss._

At a gun-shot distance on the north side is a high mountain, at the foot of which this fortress rises on a separate hill; the lower castle is situated in the plain, and has five strong walls. The gate of the outer or lower castle looks to the east, and that of the inner or upper castle to the west. There is only the house of the commander, and barracks for the garrison of two hundred men; no bath, market, or any remarkable building. The lower town or suburb is surrounded by two strong walls, and has three iron gates which are adorned with all kinds of armour. One of these gates on the west is the water-gate, also called the gate of the troops, looking towards Erzerúm; the second or middle gate opens to Kaghzmún; the third to the east is the gate of Behrám-páshá, opening towards Eriván. Watchmen keep watch the whole night, lighting torches and lamps. The lower castle is surrounded by a lake instead of a ditch, which encircles it from the middle gate to the gate of Behrám-páshá, and hence it is impossible to get possession of the fortress. There are two hundred and twenty strong towers, and two thousand and eighty battlements; the circumference of the whole is five thousand seven hundred paces. The buildings consist of three thousand houses, forty-seven mosques, in eight of which prayer is performed on Fridays; the most remarkable is that of Sheikh Hassan Kharkání, built by Lala Páshá; the mosque of Waíz Efendí at the water-gate; the great mosque of Súleimán Efendí, which was formerly a church; the mosque of Hossein Kiaya called the red church; the mosque of Omar Efendí, which was destroyed when the Persians got possession of the castle, solely on account of being named after Omar, and turned into a stable; the mosque of Káltákjí-zadeh, at the gate of Behrám-páshá; the mosque of Beirám Chelebi-zadeh; and on the south side of the town across the bridge, the mosque of Emír Yússúf Páshá, all covered with terraces. There are eighteen schools for boys, but no colleges for lectures on the sciences, which are all held in the mosques. Within the water-gate is the bath of Emír Yússúf Páshá; within the middle gate is the old bath. There are no houses for reading of the Korán or tradition, or for dining the poor, who are, however, well taken care of by private generosity; there is no stone Bezestán, but two hundred shops in which Indian and Persian wares are found. No gardens and vineyards on account of the cold temperature of the climate. The inhabitants are a lively set of people who gain their living by agriculture and commerce.