Lazistan

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Lazistan (Lazona - ლაზონა in Laz, ლაზეთი - lazeti or ჭანეთი - č’aneti in Georgian) was the Ottoman administrative name for the sanjak (under vilayet of Trabzon) comprising the Laz or Lazuri-speaking population on the southeastern shore of the Black Sea. However, its boundaries did not coincide with the Laz-speaking area. It covered the land of contemporary Rize Province and the littoral of contemporary Artvin Province.

In ancient times, the region was a part of the Kingdom of Colchis. In the Middle Ages, this region was a part of Georgia until 1578 when it was conquered by Turks. In 1878, the eastern portion of Lazistan (including Batum) became part of the Russian Empire and the centre of the sanjak was moved from Batum to Rize. [1] After the occupation of the Democratic Republic of Georgia by Bolshevik Russia (since 1922), the territory has been divided between Turkey and the Soviet Union. The sanjak and name was abolished by the new Turkish Republic in 1925.

Kingdom of Egrisi, known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as Lazica was known to Persians as Lazistan.

[edit] See also

• Laz language
• Anatolia
• Lesser Armenia
• Western Armenia (Ottoman Armenia)
• Kurdistan
• Pontus
• Ajaria