Childir Eyalet


The Eyalet of Childir or Akhalzik was an eyalet of the Ottoman Empire in the Southwestern Caucasus. The area of the former Çıldır Eyalet is now divided between Samtskhe-Javakheti and the Autonomous Republic of Adjara in Georgia and provinces of Artvin, Ardahan and Erzurum in Turkey. The administrative center was Çıldır between 1578 and 1628, Ahıska between 1628 and 1829, and Oltu between 1829 and 1845.

History

Samtskhe was the only Georgian principality to permanently become an Ottoman province. In the eighty years after the Battle of Zivin, the region was gradually absorbed into the empire.
The Ottomans took the Ahıska region from the Principality of Meskheti, a vassal state of Safavid dynasty. In 1578, when the new province was established, they appointed the former Georgian prince, Minuchir as the first governor. This eyalet expanded after taking the Adjara region from the Principality of Guria in 1582. From 1625 onwards the entire eyalet was a hereditary possession of the now-Muslim Jaqeli atabegs of Samtskhe, which administered it as hereditary governors, with some exceptions, until the mid-18th century. After 1639, the Jaqeli Pashas of Childir were charged with reining in the kings of Imereti.
During the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829), Russians occupied much of the province. The administrative centre was moved from Akhaltsikhe, which was ceded to Russia, to Oltu.
By the Treaty of Adrianople, much of the pashalik was ceded to Russia, and became part of the Russian Akhalzik uezd of Kutaisi Governorate. The remaining, smaller inner part was united with the eyalet of Kars in 1845 and its coastal areas were united with Trabzon Eyalet in 1829.

Governors

Administrative divisions

Sanjaks of the Eyalet in the 17th century:
  1. Sanjak of Oulti (Oltu)
  2. Sanjak of Harbus
  3. Sanjak of Ardinj (Ardanuç)
  4. Sanjak of Hajrek (Hanak)
  5. Sanjak of Great Ardehan
  6. Sanjak of Postkhu
  7. Sanjak of Mahjil (Macahel)
  8. Sanjak of Ijareh-penbek
  • Hereditary sanjaks:
  1. Sanjak of Purtekrek (Yusufeli)
  2. Sanjak of Lawaneh (Livane/Artvin)
  3. Sanjak of Nusuf Awan
  4. Sanjak of Shushad (Şavşat)
Sanjaks of Childir Eyalet in 1682-1702
  1. Sanjak of Nısf-ı Livâne and Pertekrek
  2. Sanjak of Oltı
  3. Sanjak of Ardanuc
  4. Sanjak of Şavşad
  5. Sanjak of Pertekrek
  6. Sanjak of Great Ardahan
  7. Sanjak of Nısf-ı Livâne
  8. Sanjak of Mahcil
  9. Sanjak of Petek
  10. Sanjak of Upper Adjara
  11. Sanjak of Lower Adjara
  12. Sanjak of Emir Hoy
  13. Sanjak of Astere
  14. Sanjak of Posthov
  15. Sanjak of Hartus
  16. Sanjak of Altun Kale
  17. Sanjak of Astıha
  18. Sanjak of Çıldır
  19. Sanjak of Ahalkelek
  20. Sanjak of Keskim
  21. Sanjak of Hacerek
  22. Sanjak of Adjara
Sanjaks between 1721 and 1740:
  1. Sanjak of Nısf-ı Livâne and Pertekrek
  2. Sanjak of Oltı
  3. Sanjak of Şavşad
  4. Sanjak of Pertekrek
  5. Sanjak of Great Ardahan
  6. Sanjak of Mahcil
  7. Sanjak of Upper Adjara
  8. Sanjak of Emir Hoy
  9. Sanjak of Posthov
  10. Sanjak of Hartus
  11. Sanjak of Altun Kale
  12. Sanjak of Astıha
  13. Sanjak of Mamervan
  14. Sanjak of Çıldır
  15. Sanjak of Ahalkelek