Crown
Prince
solemnly
besieged
the
Shushi
fortress.
As
some
begs
and
meliks
of
Karabagh,
lived
far
from
the
fortress
and
could
not
take
refugethere,
they
humbly
came
to
swear
loyalty
and
serve
to
Abbas
Mirza
and
Mahdi-qoliKhan.
Vani
Atabegov
of
Jraberd,
Melik
Aslan
of
Dizak,
Sarkis
Catholicos
(Khalifa)
ofGandzasar
and
the
Tekellu,
Mughanlu
tribes
were
among
them.
A
great
crowd
of
Karabaghinhabitants
gathered
there.
When
Abbas
Mirza
saw
such
a
throng
and
multitude
ofsubjects,
which
he
never
had
dreamed
of,
called
Amir
Khan
Sardar
and
Mahdi-qoliKhan,
then
told
them:
-From
this
day
on
no
one
dares
to
argue
with
me
and
have
ideasdiffering
from
those
of
mine.
Thanks
to
God,
this
year
we'll
drive
the
Russians
awayfrom
the
Caucasian
borders,
spend
the
winter
in
Qizliar
and
go
thence
to
conquer
Russia.
And
they
had
to
agree
and
confirm:
-Undoubtedly
we'll
invade
the
Russian
Empire
and
the
poor
menstill
in
Caucasus
will
have
to
leave
it.
When
Melik
[Vani]
was
honored
with
[Abbas
Mirza]
reception,
thelatter
appealed
to
him
saying:
-Melik
Vani,
previously,
when
I
had
almost
beaten
the
Russians
in
thebattles
of
Askeran
and
Tarnakiut,
You
lent
them
a
hand
and
saved
them.
So,
I
swore
topunish
you
severely.
But
when
you
came
by
your
will
and
swore
an
oath
of
loyalty,
I
pardonyou.
Although
Abbas
Mirza
spoke
such
pompous
words
he
was
uneasy
thatRussians
of
Shushi
might
attack
at
night
and
throw
their
army
in
confusion.
Once
he
wroteto
Amir
Khan
and
asked
him:
-
Sardar,
I
need
an
advice,
keep
the
transport
and
supplies
nearus,
or
send
them
to
Avetaranots,
and
stay
in
our
camps
without
them?
Sardar
wrote
him
in
answer:
-His
Majesty
better
knows
the
Qizilbashs.
They
do
not
fight
at
night,
but
they
fight
bravely
at
daytime.
If
the
carts
stay
in
Avetaranots,
whenever
the
Russiansmake
a
night
attack,
everybody
will
run
to
the
loads,
but
if
they
have
it
with
them,
theywill
show
fortitude
and
defend
their
possessions.
Thus
by
Sardar's
counsel
[Abbas
Mirza]
ordered
tokeep
the
loads
nearby.
[Qizilbashs]
started
raiding
the
country
and
plundering
those,
whohad
not
joined
them.
After
having
robbed
the
things
left
by
the
Russians
at
Avetaranots,
the
crowd
of
[Qizilbash]
army
due
to
Mahdi-qoli
Khan's
instructions,
set
fire
to
theGeneral
[Madatov's]
house
and
the
buildings
of
Russian
staff
on
the
bank
Chanakhchi.
They
destroyed
it
and
outraged
the
graves
of
General's
ancestors.
