Samurzakano Explained

Samurzakano
Native Name:სამურზაყანო
Settlement Type:Historical region
Pushpin Map:Abkhazia#Georgia (country)
Pushpin Relief:yes
Coordinates:42.6833°N 80°W
Coordinates Footnotes:
An approximate geographical area.
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Mkhare
Subdivision Name1:Abkhazia
Seat:Tbilisi
Seat Type:Capital
Population Density Km2:auto
Parts Type:Districts
Parts Style:para

Samurzakano (Georgian: სამურზაყანო, Samurzak'ano, Samurzaqano) is a historical region in southeastern Abkhazia, in western Georgia.[1] [2] It is populated by Mingrelians.

History

Samurzakano was established as a fief of one of the branches of the Chachba family in the early 18th century. It included the territory of the contemporary Gal district and part of Ochamchira district.

The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia wrote "in 1705 three brothers of the Abkhazian ruling family, surnamed Chachba (in Georgian Shervashidze) divided up their territory, one taking the north (from Gagra to the R. Kodor), the second the central Abzhywa region (from the Kodor to the R. Ghalidzga), and the third, Murzaqan, the southern part (from the Ghalidzga to the R. Ingur), and so this province, which was roughly equivalent to the modern Gal District, became known as Samurzaqano."[3]

Gallery

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Notes and References

  1. Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia, v. 9, p. 37, Tb., 1985.
  2. კახა კვაშილავა, ისტორიული სამურზაყანო (XVII-XVIII სს. მიჯნა – 1840 წ.). საკვალიფიკაციო ნაშრომი ისტორიის დოქტორის /Ph.D/ აკადემიური ხარისხის მოსაპოვებლად, თბილისი, 2009
  3. http://abkhazovedenie.com/ru/history?product=29 Kakha N. Kvashilava. From the Historical Past of Samurzakano (The Turn of XVII-XVIII Centuries – 1840). Tbilisi, 2011 (in Georgian; Summaries in English and Russian)