278 Journal of a Tour through Georgia, [June, 



ere he could reach the scene of action, Zuboff had already abandoned 

 his conquests. 



Ibrahim Khuleel Khan, the chief of Karabagh, had hitherto suc- 

 ceeded in holding the fort of Shesha against Aga Mahommed Khan ; 

 but its inhabitants, wearied by the yearly plunder of their country, rose 

 against their chief, compelled him to retire to Daghestan, and surren- 

 dered Shesha into the hands of the Shah, who was advancing with a 

 sweeping army to invade Georgia. On his arrival at Shesha, he was 

 murdered by one of his servants, whom he had threatened to put 

 to death ; and his successor, the present Shah, was too much occu- 

 pied in establishing his authority to pursue the bold policy of his 

 predecessor. 



In 1798, Heraclius died, and left his crown to his son, whose short 

 reign was disturbed by a rebellious brother, who, backed by the Les- 

 guys, endeavoured to seize the kingdom. He was however completely 

 defeated, and escaped into Persia. In 1 800, the Emperor Paul, incor- 

 porated Georgia with the Russian empire, and in 1801, the son of 

 Heraclius was no more, and Paul assassinated. On the accession of 

 Alexander, this act was confirmed, and shortly after, General Seeseea- 

 noff was appointed Governor General and Commander-in-chief of Geor- 

 gia. He captured Ganja,and advancing to Irivan, encountered the Persian 

 forces : an action ensued, in which the Persians were entirely routed. 

 Seeseeanoff then invested Irivan, which the governor refused to sur- 

 render ; but the Russians were in want of supplies, and consequently 

 made a hasty retreat when the enemy hovered over their flanks, and 

 committed great havoc by their nocturnal attacks. This was the 

 first time in which these armies had met in a general action. It may 

 be said to have commenced the war for the possession of Georgia. 

 About a year after this, Karabagh submitted to Russia, and in 1806, 

 Seeseeanoff was assassinated at Bakou. 



, The war continued till 1814, when by the mediation of Sir Gorb 

 Ouselet, the ambassador extraordinary from the king of Great Britain, 

 a treaty of peace was concluded. Persia ceded to Russia all her ac- 

 quisitions south of Mount Caucasus, and agreed to entertain no navy 

 on the Caspian ; while Russia engaged to aid the heir to the Persian 

 throne against all competitors. Upon Constantine's abdication in favor 

 of Nicholas, it was whispered at the Court of Teheran that violent dis- 

 turbances had arisen at St. Petersburgh ; that in fact a civil war had 

 broken out, and that the mountaineers of Caucasus had risen to assert 

 their independence. It was known also that the interference of the 

 Russians with the religious prejudices of the Mahommedan subjects had 

 produced feelings of the most serious discontent. Proposals had been 



