A Review of Shahverdi Khan's Letter to the Ottoman Empire (with an Emphasis on Relationships with Iran)

This study tries to review the letter sent from Shahverdi Khan, the Khanate of Ganja, to the Ottoman Empire with an emphasis on the relationships with Iran.Methodology/Approach: The data has been collected from documents and analyzed through descriptive-analytic research methods. After the collapse of the Safavid dynasty some states in the Caucasus sought independence. Ganja, which was among these states, became the focus of a contest between Iran and the Ottoman Empire. In that time, the Tsarist autocracy in Russia tried to increase its influence and dominance in the region by sending more ambassadors and legates. This action led to a trilateral contest among the three powers in the region, Iran, Ottoman, and Russia. The fourth power in the region, in that period of time, were the khanates and local landowners. These landowners tried to ally themselves with one of these three great powers to gain their independence and local dominance. The focus of this study is on the content of the letter by the Ganja khanate, "Shahverdi Khan", written to the Ottoman's chancellor. Furthermore, the attempt of Ganja khanates, especially Shafverdi Khan, to establish increasing relationships with the Ottoman Empire is investigated in this study. The khanate's policy with regard to joining Ganja to the Ottoman Empire is further studied in detail. In the final section of the paper, the original letter and a summary of it is translated, explained and reviewed.