Samtskhe Province, Ottoman Empire
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Samtskhe Province (also called Çıldır Eyaleti) was an eyalet of the Ottoman Empire along the Southwestern Caucasus. Çıldır region was taken by Ottoman Empire and bounded as a sanjak to Erzurum eyalet. Çıldır Eyaleti formed after conquest of Ahıska region from Guria Kingdom, who was a vassal state of Safavid Iran in 1578. Samtskhe Atabeg of Kvarkvare IV (1574-81) and his son Menucehr fell flat despite opposition to Ottoman policies. Menucehr converted to Islam and renamed his name as Mustafa. He appointed to pasha of Ahıska by Ottoman sultan. Menucehr began a big rebellion in Samtskhe and Georgians took Ahıska and her environment. He went back to Christianity and became Samtshe atabeg as Menucehr II but Ottomans surpassed the rebellion in Samtskhe. Shah_Abbas_I took Ahıska with Georgians' assistance. He appointed Menucehr III, who was son of Menucehr II and was 15 years old. However, Ottomans retook Ahıska in 1608. Murat IV, who was Ottoman sultan appointed Sefer Pasha (former name was Beka before conversion to Islam), who was uncle of Menucehr III as governor of Çıldır.
It reached the widest boundaries in 1590 and has Ardahan, Çıldır, Ahıska, Altun Kala (Altınkale), Osıkha (Oshe, now Oshora in Georgia), Çeçerek (Cacarak, now Chacharaki in Georgia), Aspinze, Hırtıs (Hertvis, now Camili in Borçka district), Ahılkelek, Ardahan-ı Büzürg (Now Ardahan), Ardahan-ı Küçük (now Göle), Poshov. In 1595 Altınkale, Osıkha, Aspinze and Çeçerek (Cacarak) sanjaks were bounded to Ahıska sanjak and founded sanjak of Bedre. Center of eyalet at first Çıldır in 1578, after Ahıska in 1628. In 1732, Çıldır eyalet consisted of these sanjaks: Ahıska, Ahılkelek, Azgur, Çıldır, Poshov, Aspinze, Hertvis, Ardanuç, Oltu, Livane, Nısf-i Livane, Perterek, Şavşat, Panak, Mamervan, Ardahan-ı Büzürg, Ardahan-ı Küçük, Cacarak, Altınkale, Oshe, Acara-yı Ulya (Yukarı Acara, its center was at first Did-Acara, after Hihani, finally Hulo or Hula) and Acara-yı Sufla (Its center was Keda).
In Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829), Russians occupied sanjaks of Ahıska, Ahılkelek, Aspinze, Azgur, Cacarak, Mamervan, Perterek, Oshe, Ardahan-ı Büzürg and Ardahan-ı Küçük and took sanjaks of Ahıska, Ahılkelek, Aspinze, Altınkale (Kobliyan, now in Georgia), Azgur, Çeçerek (Cacarak) and Oshe from Ottomans. Center of Çıldır Eyalet was moved from Ahıska, who was given to Russia, to Oltu and sanjaks of Ardahan-ı Büzürg and Ardahan-ı Küçük were merged as Ardahan and sanjaks of Acara-yı Ulya, Acara-yı Sufla and Livane bounded to Lazistan sanjak (Its center was Batum) in Trabzon Province in 1829. Finally, Çıldır Eyalet was dissolved in 1845 and bounded as Çıldır sanjak to Erzurum Eyalet (Erzurum Province). It was consisted of townships of Ardahan and Ardanuç. Ardahan became sanjak again in 1846. After, Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878), Oltu and Ardahan sanjaks were given to Russia except Hopa township, where was bounded to Lazistan sanjak. Ahıska region was bounded to at first Kutaisi governorate, after Tbilisi one in Russian Empire after 1829. Oltu and Ardahan sanjaks were bounded to Kars governorate in 1878.
Area of Çıldır Eyalet is divided to Samtskhe-Javakheti Province and Autonomous Republic of Adjara in Georgia and provinces of Artvin, Ardahan and Erzurum in Turkey now.
