Retrospect of French Literature—History. 695 
and less able to bear the pressure of a 
foreign enemy. Jbengis Khan, there- 
fare, was enabled to traverse the country 
preferring the suggestions of their own 
ambition, to- the love of their country, 
called in the assistance of foreign na- 
tions, for the express purpose of satiating 
their own lust of dominion. 
During this epoch of confusion and 
disaster, Tamerlane obliged nearly all 
the Georgians to submit.to the rites of 
circumcision, and profess the faith of 
Mahomet. But this was not all; for in 
1414, the Czar Alexander I. partitioned 
out the kingdom among his three sons, 
giving Kardwel to one, Kachetia to ano- 
ther, and Imirette to the third and 
youngest. ‘These three branches have 
produced and continued three different 
successions, amidst a melancholy series 
of civil discord, foreign invasion, and re- 
ligious persecutions. Thedethronement, 
and assassination of many of the princes, 
and the bloody civil wars to which these 
events gave rise, naturally weakened the 
strength and power of adivided country. 
This of course invited hostilities on the 
part of the surrounding nations, and we 
accordingly find, that towards the end 
of the sixteenth century, Imirette was en- 
tirely subdued by the Turks; while Kard- 
wel and Kachetia, without so muchas a 
struggle, resigned themselves to the do- 
minion of the Persians. The Czar of 
Kachetia, however, who had consented 
to become their vassal, thought proper 
to withdraw from the yoke of the latter, 
and placed himself under the protection 
of Russia, to the sovereign of which coun- 
try he became tributary. The tribute, 
however, Was not onerous, although it 
might have been dishonourable;; at first it 
consisted of only ten pieces of gold and 
silver cloth and fifty pieces of satin. In 
return for this yearly present, the reigning 
monarch, Theodore Iwanowitsch, agreed 
to protect his vassal from every enemy ; 
and to confirm this promise in 1586, 
transmitted a fine patent, replete with 
offers of assistance, to which a gald seal 
was appended. 
This intercourse, naturally excited the 
jealousy of both the Turks and Persians, 
and in 1653, we find Teymuras, a brave 
priuce, after being assailed on every side 
by enemies, imploring the assistance of 
six thousand Russians, in vain, ry 
At length, the Georgian Czar, Artchiel, 
having repaired to Russia, in the begin- 
‘ning of the eighteenth century, died there 
in 1718, and in his will declared Peter 
Monruty Mace. No, 187, 
the Great heir to all his dominions. 
That monarch, by his brilliant conquests 
on the side of Persia, was enabled to 
protect the Georgians, during the latter 
period of his reign; but, on his death, 
the Turks entered the country; and 
Russia, in the person of one of his suc 
cessors, acknowledged their right of do- 
minion. Persia, however, :not unmind- 
ful of her interests, was still eager to ob- 
tain a nominal sovereignty over the tere 
ritories adjacent to her empire; and by 
the treaty of 1736, the Turks, in their 
turn, were obliged to cede the supreme 
authority over Upper Georgia to Nadir 
Shah, or Thamas Kouli Khan, who con 
ciliated the affections of the inhabitants. 
Some time after the demise of that 
celebrated warrior, the Prince or Czar — 
Heraclius, who died in 1798, threw off 
the Persian yoke; but it was only to sub- 
mit to the more terrible domination of 
Russia: he having agreed to become the. 
vassal of the Empress Catharine, in 
1788. His successor, Prince George; 
after an appearance of consultation with 
the chief personages in his dominions, 
found it prudent to abdicate the sove- 
reignty, and cede the country entirely to 
the Russians. This event, which his 
mother had never been able to accom- 
plish, was reserved for the reign of Paul 
Petrowitz’s person, wo received a de- 
putation of the inhabitants, with great 
ceremony; and was most graciously 
pleased to admit the Georgians of 
Kachetia and Kardwel, to all the rights, 
immunities, franchises, and privileges, of 
Russian subjects. The Emperor Alex- 
ander has since, formed Upper Georgia 
into a province, under the name of 
Gorusia, and has established a regency at 
Tefflis, the capital, for its government.: 
As the inhabitants are attached to their’ 
own laws, these are allowed for the pre~ 
sent to remain in force, and the native’ 
Boyars are to be preferred to Russians, 
in respect to public offices: but as the’ 
revenue is only valued at 101,000 rubles: 
per annum, and nearly the whole of this 
sum will be required for the establish-' 
ment of order; the courtiers of St. Pe-- 
tersburgh are not likely to become can- 
didates for any, even of the greatest 
posts. In respect to Imirette, usually’ 
called Lower Georgia, a descendant of! 
the ancient sovereigns is still permitted? 
to reign there, under the auspices of! 
Russia. ‘: . 
As to literary pursuits, the Georgians’ 
do not seem of late years to have ex- 
celled. Their authors have been chiefly 
4X Theologians, 
Sa" SS ~ ee 
