Treaty of Kurekchay

DRAFT TREATY In the name of Almighty God. We, namely Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh, and the General of Infantry of the All-Russian forces, Inspector of Infantry of the Caucasian Inspection and so forth, Prince Pavel Tsitsianov, acting under the full power and authority granted to me by His Imperial Majesty, my most gracious great Sovereign Emperor Alexander Pavlovich, having with God's help undertaken the matter of the admission of Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh, with all his family, descendants and possessions, into the perpetual allegiance of the All-Russian Empire and of the now happily reigning great Sovereign Emperor Alexander Pavlovich and his august successors, have concluded, determined and signed the following articles:

I, Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh, in my own name and in the names of my heirs and successors, solemnly and forever renounce every form of vassalage or dependence, under whatever title, upon Persia or any other power. I hereby declare before the whole world that I recognise over myself and my successors no other sovereign authority than the supreme authority of His Imperial Majesty, the All-Russian great Sovereign Emperor, and his august heirs and successors to the All-Russian Imperial throne, promising fidelity to that throne as its faithful subject and servant; in confirmation of this I must take an oath upon the Holy Quran according to custom.

His Imperial Majesty, accepting so sincere a promise from His Highness, likewise promises and assures by his Imperial word, for himself and his successors, that their favour and care shall never be withdrawn from His Highness Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh and his successors as their faithful subjects. In proof thereof, His Majesty gives his Imperial guarantee for the preservation of the integrity of the present possessions of His Highness and his successors.

In return for the sincerity with which His Highness Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh recognises the supreme and sole authority of the All-Russian Emperors over himself and his successors, it is determined that the said Khan, and after him his eldest son and thereafter the hereditary successors in order of seniority of the family line, upon succeeding to the khanate, shall receive through the Chief Administrator of Georgia the Imperial confirmation in the khanate, with investiture consisting of a charter authenticated by the state seal. On receiving it, the new Khan shall solemnly swear fidelity in allegiance to the Russian Empire and acknowledge the supreme and sole authority of the All-Russian Emperors over himself and his successors. The form of the oath is annexed to this treaty so that the presently ruling Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh may also perform this ceremony in the presence of the Chief Administrator of Georgia, who concludes this agreement, General of Infantry Prince Tsitsianov.

I, Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh, in proof that my intentions concerning my own and my successors' faithful allegiance to the All-Russian Empire and acknowledgement of the supreme and sole authority of that Empire's most illustrious sovereigns are sincere and unblemished, promise not to maintain relations with neighbouring rulers without the prior consent of the Chief Administrator of Georgia. When envoys arrive or letters are sent from them, I shall forward those concerning matters of greater importance to the Chief Administrator and request his decision, and shall communicate and consult about matters of lesser importance with the person who is to reside with me on behalf of the Chief Administrator of Georgia.

His Imperial Majesty, graciously accepting the acknowledgement of his supreme and sole authority over the possessions of Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh, promises in his own name and those of his successors: 1) to regard the peoples of those possessions as his faithful subjects, making no distinction whatsoever between them and the inhabitants of the vast Russian Empire; 2) invariably to maintain His Highness Ibrahim Khan and the heirs and descendants of his house in the khanate of Shusha; 3) to leave to His Highness's full discretion the authority connected with internal government, jurisdiction and the administration of justice, as well as the revenues of his possessions; 4) for the protection of His Highness's person and household and all his possessions, to station in Shusha fortress 500 men of the All-Russian forces with cannon and their field and company officers; and, should greater defence be required, the Chief Administrator of Georgia shall, according to the circumstances and need, reinforce that detachment and defend by military force the possessions of His Highness as belonging to the All-Russian Empire.

I, Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh, as a sign of my loyal devotion as a subject, undertake: 1) both initially and thereafter to procure for the aforesaid troops the necessary quantity of wheat and millet groats at a moderate price approved by the Chief Administrator, since their transport from Elisavetpol is difficult or must be deemed altogether impossible; 2) to assign the aforesaid troops houses for quarters in Shusha fortress, selected by their commander, and supply them with the necessary quantity of firewood; 3) to make the approach to Shusha fortress from Elisavetpol convenient and prepare the road for passage by carts; 4) should the government see fit to construct a road leading from Shusha fortress to Javad, to provide the necessary workers at the price fixed by the government.

His Imperial Majesty, as a sign of his increased favour and benevolence towards His Highness Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh, most graciously grants him and his successors a banner bearing the arms of the All-Russian Empire. It shall remain with him and, after him, with the ruling Khan as the sign of the khanate and of the authority most highly bestowed over that possession. No one except the Khan himself may take it to war, should this be required.

I, Ibrahim Khan of Shusha and Karabakh, having His Imperial Majesty's most high permission to enjoy my customary revenues, undertake to pay as tribute into His Imperial Majesty's treasury at Tiflis 8,000 chervonets a year, in two instalments: one half on 1 February and the other on 1 September, beginning with payment of the first half, namely 4,000 chervonets, upon His Imperial Majesty's confirmation of this treaty. Furthermore, according to Asiatic custom, besides the oath of fidelity, I must give as a pledge thereof Shukur Ullah, the second son of my eldest son Mamed Hasan Agha, to reside permanently at Tiflis.

His Imperial Majesty, out of his particular compassion, most graciously grants for the maintenance of His Highness's grandson, who is to reside at Tiflis as a pledge of fidelity, 10 silver roubles in Russian currency per day.

This agreement is made for all time and shall not be subject to any changes henceforth and forever.

His Imperial Majesty's confirmation of this treaty by his most high charter, authenticated with the state seal, shall be delivered within six months of its signature, or sooner if possible. In witness whereof the undersigned have signed these articles and affixed their seals to them, in the camp of the Elisavetpol district by the River Kurak, in the year of the Nativity of Christ 1805 (and 1220 according to the Mohammedan reckoning), on the 14th day of the month of May (Safar).