Letter from General I. Paskevich

Letter from General I. Paskevich, Commander of the Separate Caucasus Corps, to Chief of the General Staff I. Dibich Regarding the Conditions for the Return of Mehti-Kuli Khan from Persia

June 12, 1827

Upon dispatching Colonel Abkhazov to Karabakh, among other instructions from Your Excellency and myself, he was tasked with making every possible effort to facilitate the return of Mehti-Kuli Khan from Persia. From my official document, you will see how diligently Prince* Abkhazov carried out the assigned mission.

However, while adhering to his instructions, he pledged an annual allowance of 4,000 ducats to the Khan. Striving as much as possible to avoid excessive expenditures, which in their entirety may prove burdensome to the Treasury, I initially proposed reducing this allowance to 3,000 ducats. However, Prince Abkhazov presented highly compelling reasons to maintain the originally promised amount.

I also considered that halving the expenses might not fully align with the intended goal. Moreover, the Khan’s service in escorting three thousand families out of enemy territory seems to me a sufficient reason to extend greater Imperial benevolence towards him. This compels me to request that Your Excellency petition for the Khan to receive the salary that was previously designated during Your tenure on this side of the Caucasus.

Your Excellency’s most humble servant, Ivan Paskevich

RGVIA, F. 846, Op. 16, D. 4330, L. 8-9.

* Prince ** Text unclear.

Report from Chief of the General Staff I. Dibich to General I. Paskevich, Commander of the Separate Caucasus Corps, on Emperor Nicholas I’s Consent to Grant Mehti-Kuli Khan the Rank of Major General, Provided He Proves His Repentance

June 22, 1827

To General-Adjutant Paskevich,

Following my report to His Imperial Majesty concerning Your Excellency’s dispatch No. 77, dated June 2, I have the honor to inform you that His Imperial Majesty has agreed to Your Excellency’s proposal regarding Mehti-Kuli Khan’s recognition as a Major General, provided that he proves his genuine repentance through action. However, Mehti-Kuli Khan must immediately return within our borders, and his further status will be determined based on his conduct.

Chief of the General Staff, E. Dibich

Certified: Colonel (signature unclear).

RGVIA, F. 846, Op. 16, D. 4330, L. 2. (Highlighted by Y.B.).

Report from General I. Paskevich, Commander of the Separate Caucasus Corps, to Chief of the General Staff I. Dibich Regarding the Former Shushi Khan Mehti-Kuli Khan’s Intention to Join the Russian Forces

June 22, 1827

To the Chief of the General Staff of His Imperial Majesty, Infantry General, Adjutant General, and Knight Baron Dibich

From the Commander of the Separate Caucasus Corps, Adjutant General Paskevich

General Major Pankratov, in his report dated May 26 of this year, stated that while personally inspecting the progress of road construction to Salvarti and surveying locations along the established Communication Line, he noticed no activity from the enemy positioned on the right bank of the Aras River. Consequently, on May 23, he proceeded to Giryusy, entrusting command of the detachment stationed at Dashkesan to General Major Korolkov.

On the eve of his departure, specifically on May 22, Major Luganov reported that former Karabakh ruler Mehti-Kuli Khan intended to defect to our side along with his encampments, which further prompted movement towards Salvarti.

Upon returning to camp, Mehti-Kuli Khan formally informed Colonel Prince Abkhazov, who was accompanying him, of his firm intention to submit himself under the protection of His Imperial Majesty. Alongside this request, he asked that the commander of the Karabakh troops initiate a movement towards the Arachlinsky Gorge, allowing him to relocate into our borders under their protection.

<…>

Reporting this to Your Excellency, I have the honor to add that in the event of Mehti-Kuli Khan’s defection to our side, I consider it necessary to personally meet with him. I therefore proposed to General Major Pankratov that he invite the Khan to Nakhichevan when his detachment moves there to unite with me, and until then, to have him remain at the detachment’s headquarters.

The nomadic groups accompanying him should be settled in a secure location and placed under special protection. As for the Khan himself, based on the explanations of General Yermolov and Your Excellency, he should be granted 3,000 ducats annually for maintenance, a decision which was previously authorized by Your Excellency. Based on this, Colonel Prince Abkhazov, acting under my orders, assured the Khan of receiving this sum, with 250 ducats to be issued to him monthly in advance.

For future funding arrangements, I respectfully request Your Excellency to petition for the Emperor’s formal approval and grant me permission to continue payments. Furthermore, I seek gracious endorsement for restoring his previous rank of Major General, a request I had the honor to submit to Your Excellency on June 2, No. 77.

Adjutant General Paskevich

RGVIA, F. 846, Op. 16, D. 4330, L. 4-5 ob. (Highlighted by Y.B.).

Report from Chief of the General Staff I. Dibich to General I. Paskevich Regarding Emperor Nicholas I’s Approval to Provide Mehti-Kuli Khan with an Annual Salary and Grant Him Control Over 3,000 Families Resettled from Persia to Karabakh

July 8, 1827

To Adjutant General Paskevich

In addition to my previous correspondence No. 228, I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that, following my report to His Imperial Majesty regarding your proposal of June 12, the Emperor has graciously approved an increase in Mehti-Kuli Khan’s annual stipend from 3,000 ducats to 4,000 ducats.

Additionally, His Majesty has entrusted the Khan with the administration of 3,000 families that he successfully led from enemy territory into Karabakh.

Adjutant General Count Dibich Ensign Kobanov

RGVIA, F. 846, Op. 16, D. 4330, L. 10. (Highlighted by Y.B.).

Report from General I. Paskevich, Commander of the Separate Caucasus Corps, to Chief of the General Staff I. Dibich Regarding Mehti-Kuli Khan’s and His Nephew Jafar-Kuli Agha’s Attempts to Obtain the Title of Khan and the Necessity to Reject Jafar-Kuli Agha’s Request to Return to Karabakh

August 23, 1827

In response to Your Excellency’s directive No. 979 of July 22 regarding Colonel Jafar-Kuli Agha of Karabakh, I have the honor to inform you that due to his bravery and lineage, as the son of Mammad-Guseyn Agha, the rightful heir, he held considerable influence within the Karabakh Khanate and was in continuous hostility with his uncle, Mehti-Kuli Khan.

Having fled to Persia, he exploited his knowledge of our troop positions to lead the enemy to a Russian battalion, which was taken by surprise and captured. Later, under General Rtishchev, with the intervention of an official dispatched to Tabriz, Mr. Mogilevsky, he returned under Russian allegiance, securing a sworn promise of pardon on the Gospel.

However, his feud with his uncle persisted, and he naturally wished to secure the title of Khan at the earliest opportunity.

An incident, the true nature of which remains unknown, dramatically altered the dynamics within the Khanate. After a card game at General Major Prince Madatov’s residence, as Jafar-Kuli Agha was returning home, a shot was fired, wounding him in the hand. Prince Madatov immediately claimed that Jafar-Kuli inflicted the wound upon himself, whereas Mehti-Kuli Khan and many others believed it was staged to falsely accuse him of plotting against his relative.

Distrust had long permeated both the local populace toward the administration and the government toward the Khan. Open hostility prevailed within the Khanate’s ruling family. Furthermore, the precedent set by other Transcaucasian rulers who fell under Russian sovereignty demonstrated that none were ultimately allowed to retain hereditary rule over their territories.

With Mehti-Kuli Khan fleeing and Jafar-Kuli exiled to Russia, Mehti-Kuli has now returned from Persia under Russian protection. Thus, allowing his rival nephew to return to the same province would inevitably lead to unrest throughout the region.

RGVIA, F. 846, Op. 16 (VUA), D. 4332, L. 6-7 (Highlighted by Y.G.).

Report from Chief of the General Staff I. Dibich to General I. Paskevich Regarding Nicholas I’s Decree Prohibiting Karabakh and Other Bek Lords from Returning to Their Former Residences Until the End of the War with Persia

October 18, 1827

To Adjutant General Paskevich

Following the memorandum from the Tiflis Military Governor, submitted to Your Excellency on September 30, No. 42, regarding four Bek lords from Sheki, Karabakh, and Shirvan, who arrived from Persia to Colonel Prince Abkhazov, requesting permission to resettle in their former provinces, I presented this matter for Imperial consideration.

His Imperial Majesty concluded that, due to their unreliability, it would be preferable to send them to Astrakhan or another location on this side of the mountains until the war with Persia was concluded. They would receive appropriate financial support from the Treasury, and it should be explicitly communicated to them that this decision is made solely for their protection during military operations.

To expedite implementation, I have issued Imperial approval to Adjutant General Sipyagin. However, should Your Excellency find this measure unfeasible for any reason, His Imperial Majesty desires that you provide an alternative proposal justifying why their deportation cannot be executed as planned and suggesting an appropriate location for their settlement instead.

This has also been communicated to Adjutant General Sipyagin.

RGVIA, F. 846, Op. 16 (VUA), D. 4336, L. 3, 3 ob. (Highlighted by Y.G.).

Report from the Tiflis Military Governor Sipyagin to Chief of the General Staff I. Dibich Regarding the Desire of Khans Who Betrayed Russia and Fled to Persia to Return to Their Former Residences

October 25, 1827

<…> Most of the fugitive khans and beks request permission to return to their former residences. This is being considered with great caution and will be permitted only after verifying that their departure was not accompanied by any serious transgressions. In Karabakh, though they do not hold genuine goodwill towards us, they—given the successes of our military—seek to assure me of their loyalty to our government. Nevertheless, the situation here remains entirely peaceful.

RGVIA, F. 846, Op. 16 (VUA), D. 4336, L. 8, 8 ob. (Highlighted by Y.B.).

Report from Chief of the General Staff I. Dibich to General I. Paskevich Regarding Emperor Nicholas I’s Directives on the Conditions for the Return of Khans and Beks to Their Former Residences and Their Acquisition of Estates

November 15, 1827

To the Commander of the Separate Caucasus Corps, Adjutant General Paskevich

His Imperial Majesty has graciously ordered that when reviewing petitions from khans and beks requesting permission to return to Russian territories, Your Excellency should consider the circumstances surrounding their flight and prolonged stay in Persia.

Those who openly rebelled, actively participated in the war, and remained with the enemy until its conclusion, returning solely due to lack of alternatives, must be firmly denied, unless there are compelling reasons for clemency.

Conversely, those who expressed repentance early in the war, sought Russian protection, and did not engage in any notable hostilities during the Persian invasion, may be permitted to return to our provinces—though they must remain under special supervision. Their estate ownership should only be reinstated after verifying their genuine repentance, and only after the war’s full conclusion, except in extraordinary cases.

In conveying this Imperial decree, I have the honor to add that His Majesty grants Your Excellency full discretion to make appropriate adjustments based on your own judgment.

RGVIA, F. 846, Op. 16 (VUA), D. 4336, L. 12-12 ob. (Highlighted by Y.B.).

Letter from General I. Paskevich, Commander of the Separate Caucasus Corps, to Archbishop Nerses Ashtaraketsi Regarding the Return of Armenians from Persian Territories to Provinces Transferred to Russia by Treaty

January 25, 1828

In response to Your Eminence’s letter dated December 27 of last year regarding the resettlement of Armenians from Persian territories to Russian provinces, I have the honor to report the following:

1. Since my arrival in Tabriz, Armenian and Greek representatives from various Azerbaijani districts—some of which had not yet fallen under Russian control—approached me seeking permission to relocate to Russian territories. I assured them that they could freely do so while our forces remained in Persia and that they would receive the full protection of Russian law in our provinces. Encouraged by this assurance, they returned home to prepare for migration. I do not believe their requests were insincere.
2. Your Eminence proposes that the Persian government should take ownership of the lands and estates abandoned by Armenian migrants—such as orchards, houses, and mills—compensating them or allowing private Persian citizens to purchase them at reasonable prices. However, given Persian administrative practices, it is unclear whether their government would agree to this arrangement. Regarding private sales, the treaty explicitly allows migrants of all social classes a five-year window to sell their immovable property.
3. As long as Russian forces remain in Azerbaijan, Armenian migrants will not face any mistreatment or persecution upon their arrival in Russian-controlled areas. Though the treaty guarantees the unrestricted departure of those wishing to resettle, we cannot fully ensure that the Persian authorities will uphold this provision in its entirety. Therefore, I have urged all those intending to migrate to do so before our troops withdraw from Persian provinces.

AKAK, Volume VII, Doc. 546. Published in the collection: “The Annexation of Eastern Armenia to Russia, Volume II (1814–1830),” Yerevan, 1978, Doc. No. 243 (Highlighted by Y.B.). 200

Yuri Barsegov “Nagorno-Karabakh in International Law and Global Politics”

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