Russian Military Historian V. Potto on the Essence of the Treaty of Turkmenchay

History
Russian Military Historian V. Potto on the Essence of the Treaty of Turkmenchay

February 10, 1828 <…> It was a restoration and a call to new life for an ancient people who had carried their spiritual identity through centuries of suffering and oppression… The restoration of the rights of the Armenian people extended not only to those regions that came under the protection of a kindred monarchy. By assuming the title of King of Armenia, the Russian Tsar also took upon his imperial shoulders the great mission of protecting those Armenians who still remained under the rule of Muslim states. The European powers, motivated also by political competition, joined in the defense of the sacred rights of the Armenian people’s faith and freedom. Since then, commitments directed toward this goal have been consistently included in treaties with Turkey.

V.A. Potto, “The Caucasian War,” in five volumes; Vol. 3: “The Persian War of 1826–1828,” Stavropol: “Kavkazsky Krai,” 1993, p. 528 [Strizhamient: Historical Heritage. Literary and Artistic Supplement to the newspaper “Kavkazsky Krai,” Issue 3]. (Emphasis added by Y.B.)

COAT OF ARMS of the Armenian Province Most Graciously Approved on February 27, 1883. The original is signed in the Hand of His Imperial Majesty Himself: Let it be so. Emperor Nicholas I

THE GREAT COAT OF ARMS OF THE EMPIRE Note: The State Emblem of Russia existed in three forms, known as the Great, Medium, and Small State Coats of Arms. Of these, the first was approved on July 24, 1882, and the last on February 23, 1883. An illustration of the Great Coat of Arms is reproduced in the Complete Collection of Laws, Vol. II (1882), under No. 1035. A description of the emblem can be found in the Code of Laws of the Russian Empire, Vol. I, Part I, Code of Fundamental State Laws, 1906 edition, Appendix 1. The Coat of Arms of Armenia features a crimson crowned lion in a golden shield, incorporated into the arms of the Kingdom of Georgia. The lion is a symbol of sovereign power.

THE MEDIUM COAT OF ARMS OF THE EMPIRE An illustration of the Medium Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire is reproduced in the Complete Collection of Laws, Vol. III (1883), under No. 1402. A description of the emblem is included in the Code of Laws of the Russian Empire, Vol. I, Part I, Code of Fundamental State Laws, 1906 edition, Appendix I. 203

REPORT OF COLONEL L. LAZAREV TO GENERAL I. PASKEVICH, Commander of the Separate Caucasian Corps, on the Organization of the Resettlement of Armenians into the Territories of Historic Armenia Transferred from Persia to Russia Turkmanchai, February 14, 1828

Upon entering Persian territory, Russian troops were greeted by Armenians as compatriots. This people took heartfelt part in the successes of our arms and repeatedly expressed the most sincere desire to remain forever under the beneficent rule of our great sovereign, despite the natural difficulty any person feels in parting with their native land for good. Armenians, in nearly every place visible to the esteemed eye of Your Excellency, sincerely expressed their wish to abandon their homes and cultivated lands in order to resettle in territories now belonging to Russia.

It may be that these unfortunate people lack only the necessary aid and means to fulfill their intentions. Your Excellency’s deeds in the East have brought the glory of Russian arms to the highest heights: fortresses once deemed impregnable have been conquered, and two vital provinces acquired. Other wars have brought ruin to states—your campaigns have enriched them. You have humbled the pride of the autocrats of the East! Now, the honor lies before you of becoming the restorer of the Armenian people, who have placed their hopes in you and, out of trust in our people, have chosen me to convey their heartfelt sentiments to Your Excellency.

As you have honored me with your confidence, together with Mr. N. S. Ustimovich on this matter, I take the liberty of submitting for your consideration my thoughts on the swiftest and most convenient means of resettling the Armenians into Russian territory:

  1. I deem it necessary to receive from Your Excellency a document granting me authority to manage the resettlement of Armenians who so desire. This document should clarify the articles of the peace treaty concerning resettlers, specify the government’s special aid, and finally, grant an exemption from all duties for a set number of years.
  2. I request permission to appoint, at my discretion, the necessary number of staff and junior officers who speak Armenian and whose names I shall present to Your Excellency. Their duties will be outlined below.
  3. If circumstances permit, I believe that in places where harsh climates may hinder immediate departure, it would be prudent to temporarily station our troops present there or nearby. These troops would thereafter serve as an escort for the Armenian resettlers and offer them every possible protection—Your Excellency has already taken the appropriate measures in this regard.
  4. For the poorest resettlers, I propose a monetary allowance, the administration of which should be entrusted to Your Excellency’s wise judgment. If there is no forage along the way for the livestock belonging to the resettlers, instructions should be given to provide them with fodder, as far as possible. Likewise, if they possess grain or flour they cannot transport, it should be accepted into the state treasury and reimbursed at their resettlement location, either in kind or in money.

Having implemented all these proposals, the appointed officers will go to various regions of Azerbaijan, compile detailed lists of all those wishing to relocate, and promptly encourage them to set out according to the movements of the Russian troops stationed there or in the vicinity. I shall consider it my absolute duty to inform Your Excellency of both the number of families who have signed up for resettlement and those who have already set out.

I am fully aware of the challenges of my duty and dare not guarantee success, but I will devote all my abilities to fulfilling so important a task. Russia, thereby, will gain a considerable number of faithful and devoted subjects of like faith, who may later richly repay any expenses incurred for their resettlement.

In conclusion, allow me to assure Your Excellency that it is my love for this nation and the desire to realize your beneficent intentions that have compelled me to submit this memorandum for your consideration.

AKAK, Vol. VII, doc. 553. Published in: “The Annexation of Eastern Armenia to Russia.” Vol. II (1814–1830), Yerevan, 1978, doc. No. 249. (Emphasis added by Y.B.)

REPORT OF GENERAL I. PASKEVICH, Commander of the Separate Caucasian Corps, to Chief of the General Staff I. DIBICH, on the Inadmissibility of Mehti-Kuli Khan’s Claim to Reinstatement in Karabakh, Given That the Transfer of Karabakh to Private Hands as a Hereditary Khanate Contradicts Russian Policy February 25, 1828

For a long time, I refrained from informing Your Excellency about Mehti-Kuli Khan concerning the honors most graciously bestowed upon him, as I had not yet delivered them to him. The reasons were as follows.

Mehti Khan came over to us in the spring of last year, expressing unconditional readiness to seek the mercy of His Imperial Majesty. This was his declared intention to Prince Abkhazov, and it was clearly how he felt. However, once he realized the Government truly required his services, and encouraged by the beks around him, he attempted to impress upon the authorities that to make him useful, he must be granted extensive resources in money and estates.

The lifelong pension of 4,000 ducats, most graciously granted to him, seemed insufficient in his eyes for sustaining his rank, and ultimately, he addressed me with a written petition requesting that I present to His Imperial Majesty his wish to be reinstated in Karabakh with the full rights of a ruling khan. I found it improper to burden His Majesty with such a matter—particularly as such a course would contradict our policy of not entrusting a khanate, now under direct Russian administration, to private hands. I also wished to verify whether any extraordinary promises had been made to the Khan by Prince Abkhazov when summoning him from Persia.

It was later established that nothing in Prince Abkhazov’s prior dealings with him had given Mehti-Kuli Khan cause for such hopes or inappropriate demands. Rather, it was his weak character that allowed his attendants—who aspired to rule Karabakh in his name—to exert undue influence over him.

Meanwhile, I had already received from Your Excellency the announcement of His Majesty’s will regarding the restoration of the rank of Major General to Mehti-Kuli Khan, as well as communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the bestowal of a diamond pen, which was soon thereafter delivered here. Since I had been granted discretion in how to present these distinctions, I initially refrained from informing him of these sovereign honors until he could demonstrate by his conduct his true zeal and loyalty to Russia.

In order to extinguish all hope in him of regaining Karabakh, I instructed Colonel Prince Abkhazov to request from him a written retraction of the aforementioned petition, impressing upon him that such claims were ill-advised and would not serve him well.

Before my departure for Turkmanchai, Colonel Prince Abkhazov delivered to me a letter from Mehti-Kuli Khan in which he requested the withdrawal of his prior appeal. With no further reason for delay, I notified Mehti-Kuli Khan—through Colonel Prince Abkhazov—of the sovereign rewards conferred upon him: the rank of Major General and the gracious bestowal of the diamond pen. I also entrusted Prince Abkhazov to explain that it is not by making such inappropriate demands, but solely through unconditional humility and submission to the will of His Imperial Majesty, that he might earn favor.

I have informed the Minister of Foreign Affairs for report to His Imperial Majesty and now have the honor to present this to Your Excellency.

RGVIA, f. 846, op. 16 (VUA), d. 4330, fols. 13–14. (Emphasis added by Y.B.) 207

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

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