General Mazniashvili and the 1918 Occupation of Abkhazia

  • History
Giorgi Mazniashvili [Mazniev] (1870-1937), a key figure in the 1918 occupation of Abkhazia.

The early 20th century witnessed a mosaic of tumultuous events reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the Caucasus, among which the 1918 occupation of Abkhazia by Georgian forces under General Giorgi Mazniashvili (Mazniev) stands out as a pivotal moment. This incursion not only altered the course of Abkhazian history but also cast a long shadow over the region's future relations and the legacy of a controversial figure.

Read more …General Mazniashvili and the 1918 Occupation of Abkhazia

Repression of Greeks in Abkhazia by Khristofor Kesanidis

  • History
Photo: from the archives of the Iosifidi family

In this profound exploration, Dr. Khristofor Goniadis-Kesanidis delves into the historical narrative of the Greeks in Abkhazia, a subject marked by depth and complexity. The article, "Repression of Greeks in Abkhazia," presents a detailed account of the Greeks as an integral part of Abkhazia's cultural and social fabric, tracing their contributions from the late 19th century through the tumultuous era of the Soviet Union.

Read more …Repression of Greeks in Abkhazia by Khristofor Kesanidis

On the Political and Ethnic History of Myrzakan (Samurzakano) in the 19th Century, By Denis Gopia

  • History
Myrzakan (Samurzakan) Abkhazians (1880-90).

Academy of Sciences of Abkhazia

Abkhaz Institute of Humanitarian Research Named after D.I. Gulia, AbIGI 2022

Аҧсуаҭҵаара / Abkhaz Studies. No.12. Sukhum. 2022. pp. 99-111

 The article is also available in PDF format in both Russian (original) and English.

Read more …On the Political and Ethnic History of Myrzakan (Samurzakano) in the 19th Century, By Denis Gopia

Doukas's Insight: Circassians and Abkhazians in Timur's Conquest

  • History
Timur included Circassians and Abkhazians in his army, as reported by Byzantine historian Doukas.

Doukas (c. 1400 – after 1462), a Byzantine historian who flourished under Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last Byzantine Emperor, reported in his work "History of Byzantium" that before the Battle of Ankara in 1402, the famous medieval commander Timur (Tamerlane) journeyed from Persia to the regions of the Don. There, he gathered the Scythians along with the Zykhians (Circassians) and Abasgians (Abkhazians).

Doukas writes ("Doukas, The Decline and Fall of Byzantium to the Ottoman Turks," translated by Harry J. Magoulias, Wayne State University Press, 1975, p.90):

Read more …Doukas's Insight: Circassians and Abkhazians in Timur's Conquest

Sukhum and the Abkhazians in the Light of 16th Century Ottoman Documents, by Habat Şogan 

  • History
Black Sea Map from the 'Kitab-ı Bahriye (Book of Navigation), by Piri Reis' 1525  | Abkhazia = 'Memleket-i Abaza'.

This article first published on Apsuara.org in Turkish and titled "16. Yüzyıl Osmanlı Belgeleri Işığında Sohum ve Abazalar"

The Sukhum [Sohumkale in Ottoman -ed.] fortress, referred to as the "key to the Black Sea" along with Faş (Poti) and Batum in Ottoman archival documents [1], has always maintained a significant role in the Ottoman Empire's interactions with the Caucasus. Since the 16th century, Sukhum and its environs, frequently mentioned in numerous Ottoman records in conjunction with the Abkhazians [Ottomans called the Abkhazians as ‘Abaza’ -ed.], have been of great military and commercial importance to the Ottoman state.  

Read more …Sukhum and the Abkhazians in the Light of 16th Century Ottoman Documents, by Habat Şogan 

Country

News

Articles & Opinion

Publications

Abkhaz World

Follow Us