A Truthful History

Հեղինակ

Բաժին

Թեմա

RUSSIAN ARMY'S ADVANCEMENT TOWARDS GANJE AND THEIR CONQUEST

When prince Tsitsianov subjugated the rebels of Jar and returnedTiflis, he wrote a letter to Javad Khan of Ganje demanding his submission to the powerfulRussian State and abstention from quarrel and war. Javad Khan refused to obey the HighCommander's demand and revolted. Thus, the High Commander decided to invade Ganjewith an army recruited from tavads, the cavalries of Qazakh and Shamshaddinlutribes, conquer it, and punish Javad Khan. In 1803/1220 he advanced with a huge armytowards Ganje.

When Javad learned about Tsitsianov's advancement, he summoned hishigh noblemen and retainers to assemble. Everybody including akhunds and seids agreed to war, saying:

-How can Russians conquer the fortress of Ganje, when Nadir Shahhimself, with all his courage and power, was unable to do that?

When the Russian army arrived at the vicinity of Ganje, Javad Khan sawthat they were not great in number and proceeded with his troops to war. The rival troopsmet near Quluqubi and started the fight. After a short skirmish Javad Khan retreated andsettled in his fortress. He fortified his position there and began defending himself. (107b) The Russian army entered the town and blocked up all the ways to and out of thefortress. Soon the gun cartridge and the dim became the only supplies of the fortress. After a month's siege, during which the inhabitants suffered a great deal, theAdministrator-in-Chief made preparations for an attack. In the night of the festiveoccasion of Fetr, the Russian army by H. Ex. 's order attacked it from its four sides. The Russian victorious groups climbed up the stronghold from its two sides. Javad [Khan]defended himself with brave strikes and feats of valor giving a hard battle until MajorLisanevich, a Russian officer, killed him with the bullet of his gun. Then the fortresswas conquered: [Russian] soldiers invaded it from every side turning the holiday of Fetrinto the dark night of sacrifice.

Commander [Tsitsianov] ordered to slaughter its population. Swords andlances were functioning for three hours. After three hours H. Ex. Commander ordered tostop the massacre. The prisoners were brought to his reception, Javad Khan's wivesand sons, the whole family were taken to the Friday mosque to be kept under the guard ofoutposts. [Tsitsianov] organized the government of the region, appointed a commandant andopened law-courts there. Soon after he changed the name of the town Ganje into Elizavetpolafter the respected Empress. (108a) [Tsitsianov] made other arrangements, too: heestablished good and acceptable rules. After regulating the affairs of Ganje and calmingdown the population of the country, he returned Georgia.

There are many verses composed on account of the events in Turkish andArmenian. Some of them I am going to note down on this page, so that the readers wereaware of the hardships of the people of Ganje suffered before their submission to theGreat Empire.