ESAYI HASAN JALALEANTS` "A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AGHUANK’ REGION"
AZG Armenian Daily
25/06/2009
History
A History of Karabagh and Ganje from 1702-1723
Introduction and Annotated Translation by George A. Bournoutian
Armenian Studies Series #15
Esayi Hasan Jalaleants’ was the Kat’oghikos, that is, the Supreme
Patriarch of the Holy See of Aghuank’ (Karabagh-Artsakh and
Ganje-Utik’) located in the Monastery of Gandzasar. His tenure, from
1702 to 1728, coincided with the temporary decline of the Mother See of
Armenia, at Holy Ejmiatsin. Taking advantage of this, Esayi managed
to establish close ties with the Russians and the Georgians and was
instrumental in encouraging Peter the Great to invade Transcaucasia
and Iran in 1722.
Esayi’s Brief History of the Aghuank’ Region, that is, the historic
Armenian provinces of Artsakh and Utik’, concentrates on the
Armeno-Georgian efforts against the incursions by Lezgi tribesmen
and their hope in the arrival of the Russian army to liberate them
from Muslim rule. The work covers the years 1702 to 1723 and sheds
light on a corner of the Persian Safavid Empire during its decline
and final collapse. This, the first English translation of Esayi’s
important primary source, also confirms the large Armenian presence in
the Karabagh-Artsakh region long before its conquest by the Russians
in the nineteenth century.