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 1578–1628, Ahıska between 1628–1829, and Oltu between 1829–1845.

History

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 Guria, 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. From 1625 onwards the entire eyalet was a hereditary possession of the now-Muslim atabegs of Samtskhe, which administered it as hereditary governors, with some exceptions, until the mid-18th century.
During the Russo-Turkish War, Russians occupied much of the province. The administrative centre was moved from Ahıska, 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 Province. The remaining, smaller inner part was united with the eyalet of Kars in 1845 and coastal parts was united with Trabzon Eyalet in 1829.

Governors

Sanjaks of the Eyalet in the 17th century:
  1. Sanjak of Oulti
  2. Sanjak of Harbus
  3. Sanjak of Ardinj
  4. Sanjak of Hajrek
  5. Sanjak of Great Ardehan
  6. Sanjak of Postkhu
  7. Sanjak of Mahjil
  8. Sanjak of Ijareh penbek
  1. Sanjak of Purtekrek
  2. Sanjak of Lawaneh
  3. Sanjak of Nusuf Awan
  4. Sanjak of Shushad