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.