Surmalu uezd

Uezd in Caucasus, Russian Empire

Surmalu uezd

Сурмалинскій уѣздъ

Uezd

Coat of arms

Location in the Erivan Governorate

Country| Russian Empire
Viceroyalty| Caucasus
Governorate| Erivan
Established| 1828
Abolished| 1918
Capital| Igdyr
(present-day Iğdır)
Area

• Total

| 3,581.58 km2 (1,382.86 sq mi)
Population

(1916)

• Total

| 104,791
• Density| 29/km2 (76/sq mi)
• Rural

| 100.00%

The Surmalu uezd[a] was a county (uezd) of the Erivan Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the governorate's Etchmiadzin and Erivan uezds to the north, the Kars Oblast to the west, Persia to the east, and the Ottoman Empire to the south. The district made up most of the Iğdır Province of present-day Turkey. As part of the Russian Transcaucasus, the Surmalu uezd possessed economic importance for its abundantly rich salt mines in Kulp (Tuzluca), and spiritual importance to Armenians as the location of the culturally significant Mount Ararat. The administrative centre of the county was the town of Igdyr (present-day Iğdır).[3]

## Etymology

[edit]

The Turkic name Sürmalī (سورمه‌لی) and Persian name Surmalū (سرمه‌لو), whencefrom the Russian form Surmalu (Сурмалу) descended, are Turkified forms of the old Armenian city of Surmari's name, which itself evolved from Surb Mari (Armenian: Սուրբ Մարի, lit. 'Saint Mary').[1][4][5] The castle of Surmari still stands today in the village of Sürmeli [tr] near the Armenia–Turkey border within the Tuzluca district of Turkey's Iğdır Province.[6]

## History

[edit]

A part of Persia's Erivan Khanate, Surmalu was annexed by the Russian Empire in the Treaty of Turkmenchay in the aftermath of the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28. The district was first administered as part of the Armenian Oblast and then the Erivan Governorate.[7] In 1829, Baltic German explorer Friedrich Parrot of the University of Dorpat (Tartu) traveled to Surmalu as part of his expedition to climb Mount Ararat. Accompanied by Armenian writer Khachatur Abovian and four others, Parrot made the first ascent of Ararat in recorded history from the Armenian monastery of St. Hakob in Akhuri (modern Yenidoğan).[8]

After the Russian Revolution, Surmalu was briefly governed by the First Republic of Armenia from 1918 to 1920,[9] until it was occupied in 1920 and formally ceded to Turkey by the Treaty of Moscow in March 1921, following Armenia's defeat in the Turkish-Armenian War and its subsequent Sovietization.[10] The cession was confirmed in the Treaty of Kars, signed in October of that same year. During the Kars negotiations, the Soviet side tried to secure "a concession on the salt-mining town of Koghb [Kulp], in Surmalu, for Soviet Armenia." However, the Turkish side rejected this proposal.[11]

## Administrative divisions

[edit]

The subcounties (uchastoks) of the Surmalu uezd in 1913 were as follows:[12]

Name  | 1912 population  | Area

|
|

1-y uchastok (1-й участок)  | 41,149  | 725.65 square versts (825.83 km2; 318.86 sq mi)
2-y uchastok (2-й участок)  | 28,093  | 1,214.24 square versts (1,381.88 km2; 533.55 sq mi)
3-y uchastok (3-й участок)  | 28,090  | 1,207.20 square versts (1,373.87 km2; 530.45 sq mi)

## Demographics

[edit]

### Russian Empire estimate (1886)

[edit]

According to the Russian family lists accounts from 1886, of the total 71,066 inhabitants of the district, 34,351 were Tatars[b] (48.3%), 22,096 Armenians (31.1%), and 14,619 Kurds (20.6%).[15]

### Russian Empire Census

[edit]

According to the Russian Empire Census, the Surmalu uezd had a population of 89,055 on 28 January [O.S. 15 January] 1897, including 47,269 men and 41,786 women. The plurality of the population indicated Tatar[b] to be their mother tongue, with significant Armenian and Kurdish speaking minorities.[16]

Linguistic composition of the Surmalu uezd in 1897[16] Language  | Native speakers  | %

|
|

Tatar[b] | 41,417 | 46.51
Armenian | 27,075 | 30.40
Kurdish | 19,099 | 21.45
Russian | 725 | 0.81
Ukrainian | 620 | 0.70
Polish | 31 | 0.03
Belarusian | 16 | 0.02
German | 13 | 0.01
Georgian | 11 | 0.01
Persian | 9 | 0.01
Jewish | 6 | 0.01
Greek | 3 | 0.00
Lithuanian | 1 | 0.00
Assyrian | 1 | 0.00
Other | 28 | 0.03
TOTAL  | 89,055  | 100.00

### Kavkazskiy kalendar

[edit]

#### 1910

[edit]

According to the 1910 publication of Kavkazskiy kalendar, the Surmalu uezd had a population of 91,535 on 14 January [O.S. 1 January] 1909, of which 41,990 were Shia Muslims (45.87%), 29,734 Armenians (32.48%), and 19,811 Kurds (21.64%).[17]

#### 1917

[edit]

According to the 1917 publication of Kavkazskiy kalendar, the Surmalu uezd had a population of 104,791 on 14 January [O.S. 1 January] 1916, including 55,364 men and 49,427 women, 98,212 of whom were the permanent population, and 6,579 were temporary residents. The statistics indicated Shia Muslims to be the plurality of the population of the uezd, followed closely by Armenians, Kurds and Yazidis:[18]

Nationality  | Number  | %

|
|

Shia Muslims[c] | 44,153 | 42.13
Armenians | 32,686 | 31.19
Kurds | 14,679 | 14.01
Yazidis | 10,869 | 10.37
Sunni Muslims[d] | 1,801 | 1.72
Russians | 429 | 0.41
Jews | 95 | 0.09
Other Europeans | 60 | 0.06
Asiatic Christians | 19 | 0.02
TOTAL  | 104,791  | 100.00

## Settlements

[edit]

According to the 1897 census, there were 51 settlements in the Surmalu uezd with a population over 500 inhabitants. The religious composition of the settlements was as follows:[20]

Name  | Faith  | TOTAL

|
|

Russian  | Romanized  | Armenian Apostolic | Muslim | Eastern Orthodox | Yazidi | Male  | Female  | Both
Аббас-Гел  | Abbas-Gel (Abbasgöl [tr]) | 483  |  |  |  | 274  | 253  | 527
Акарак  | Akarak (Üçkaya [tr]) |  | 924  |  |  | 454  | 470  | 924
Алетлу  | Aletlu (Yüzbaşılar [tr]) | 717  |  |  |  | 365  | 352  | 717
Алиджан  | Alijan (Yukarıalican [tr]) | 835  |  |  |  | 421  | 414  | 835
Аликамарлу  | Alikamarlu (Ali Kamerli, Iğdır) | 1,559  |  |  |  | 826  | 760  | 1,586
Аликизил  | Alikizil (Aşağıtopraklı [tr]) | 523  |  |  |  | 301  | 244  | 545
Арабкирлу  | Arabkirlu (Bayraktutan) |  | 623  |  |  | 321  | 302  | 623
Аралых-Башкенд  | Aralykh-Bashkend (Aralık) |  | 1,948  |  |  | 1,003  | 947  | 1,950
Аралых-Сурб-Оган (Орта-кенд)  | Aralykh-Surb-Ogan (Orta-kend) (Ortaköy, Aralık) |  | 979  |  |  | 510  | 469  | 979
Аратан  | Aratan (Yukarıaratan [tr]) |  | 487  |  |  | 254  | 243  | 497
Аргаджи  | Argaji (Aşağıerhacı [tr]) |  | 1,118  |  |  | 627  | 512  | 1,139
Ахвеис  | Akhveis  | 1,065  |  |  |  | 521  | 544  | 1,065
Ахшамед  | Akhshamed  |  | 718  |  |  | 375  | 343  | 718
Багарлу  | Bagarlu  | 1,199  |  |  |  | 620  | 596  | 1,216
Гасан-Хан  | Gasan-Khan  |  | 509  |  |  | 255  | 254  | 509
Гедаклу  | Gedaklu  |  | 540  |  |  | 276  | 264  | 540
Гекджалу  | Gekjalu  |  | 538  |  |  | 299  | 244  | 543
Гюллуджа (Гюлаб)  | Gyulluja  | 1,100  |  |  |  | 564  | 536  | 1,100
Дашбурун  | Dashburun (Taşburun) | 2,103  |  |  |  | 1,100  | 1,026  | 2,126
Джаннар-абат  | Jannar-abat  |  | 903  |  |  | 466  | 437  | 903
Джувтлуг (Байрам-Али-Кенд)  | Juvutlug (Bayram-Ali-Kend)  |  | 598  |  |  | 313  | 285  | 598
Зильфугар  | Zilfugar  |  | 635  |  |  | 356  | 279  | 635
Зор  | Zor  |  | 749  |  |  | 394  | 363  | 757
Игдыр  | Igdyr (Iğdır) | 3,932  |  | 565  |  | 2,689  | 1,991  | 4,680
Игдыр-мова  | Igdyr-mova  | 782  | 834  |  |  | 843  | 782  | 1,625
Казанчи  | Kazanchi  |  | 557  |  |  | 284  | 273  | 557
Казикишляг  | Kazikishlyag  | 326  | 380  |  |  | 359  | 347  | 706
Камышлу  | Kamyshlu  |  | 529  |  |  | 267  | 262  | 529
Каракоюнлу II  | Karakoyunlu II  |  | 1,857  |  |  | 1,013  | 858  | 1,871
Каракуй  | Karakuy  |  |  |  | 533  | 291  | 251  | 542
Кизил-Закир (Закирлу)  | Kizil-Zakir (Zakirlu)  | 194  | 325  |  |  | 307  | 217  | 524
Кульп  | Kulp (Tuzluca) | 3,287  |  |  |  | 1,876  | 1,703  | 3,579
Кюллюк  | Kyullyuk  |  | 1,030  |  |  | 523  | 507  | 1,030
Малаклу  | Malaklu (Melekli) |  | 2,126  |  |  | 1,129  | 1,011  | 2,140
Молла-Камар  | Molla-Kamar  | 577  |  |  |  | 303  | 274  | 577
Муршуд-Али  | Murshud-Ali  | 535  |  |  |  | 288  | 289  | 577
Наджаф-Али  | Najaf-Ali  | 497  | 79  |  |  | 291  | 285  | 576
Оба (Аликамар-Ислам)  | Oba (Alikamar-Islam)  |  | 603  |  |  | 308  | 295  | 603
Паник  | Panik | 1,143  |  |  |  | 593  | 550  | 1,143
Парнаут  | Parnaut  |  | 682  | 125  |  | 477  | 330  | 807
Плюр  | Plyur  | 1,850  |  |  |  | 947  | 903  | 1,850
Сараглу (Гаджи-Ага)  | Saraglu (Gaji-Aga)  |  | 573  |  |  | 311  | 262  | 573
Сулейман-абат (Диза)  | Suleyman-abat (Diza)  |  | 1,828  |  |  | 950  | 878  | 1,828
Сурмалу  | Surmalu (Sürmeli [tr]) |  | 512  |  |  | 282  | 230  | 512
Тейджерлу  | Teyjerlu  | 973  |  |  |  | 499  | 474  | 973
Тоханшалу-Баят  | Tokhanshalu-Bayat  |  | 512  |  |  | 289  | 223  | 512
Тоханшалу-Коджар  | Tokhanshalu-Kojar  |  | 1,063  |  |  | 554  | 509  | 1,063
Халфалу  | Khalfalu  | 986  |  |  |  | 556  | 494  | 1,050
Хош-Хараб  | Khosh-Kharab  | 693  |  |  |  | 367  | 328  | 695
Эвджиляр  | Evjilyar  | 1,531  |  |  |  | 764  | 770  | 1,534
Яйджи  | Yayji  |  | 1,289  |  |  | 664  | 625  | 1,289
TOTAL  | 26,890  | 26,048  | 690  | 530  | 28,919  | 26,058  | 54,977

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^

* Russian: Сурмалинский уезд, pre-reform orthography: Сурмалинскій уѣздъ, romanized: Surmalinskiy uyezd [sʊrməlʲɪnskʲɪj ʊ(j)ɪst]
* Turkish: Sürmeli kazası [syɾmæli kazasɯ]
* Azerbaijani: سورمه‌لی قضاسی, romanized: Sürmalī qaz̤āsı [syɾmæli ɡæzasɯ][1][2]
* Armenian: Սուրմալուի գավառ, classical orthography: Սուրմալուի գաւառ, romanized: Surmalui gawaṙ [suɹmɑluˈ(j)i ɡɑˈvɑr]]

2. ^ a b c Before 1918, Azerbaijanis were generally known as "Tatars". This term, employed by the Russians, referred to Turkic-speaking Muslims of the South Caucasus. After 1918, with the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and "especially during the Soviet era", the Tatar group identified itself as "Azerbaijani".[13][14]
3. ^ Primarily Tatars.[19]
4. ^ Primarily Turco-Tatars.[19]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Javadi, Abbas (2016). ایران و آذربایجان: در بستر تاریخ و زبان [Iran and Azerbaijan: in the background of history and language] (in Persian). H&S Media. ISBN 978-1-78083-536-5. "در سال ۷۷۹ ه.ق. هم (۱۳۷۷-۱۳۷۸) ناحیه «سورماری» (سورب ماری) در جنوب دریاچه «گوکچه گول» این نام را داشت. همچنانکه نام «تریپولی» در آناتولی غربی تبدیل به «توربالی» (توبره‌لو) ترکی شده، «سور ماری» هم بزودی تبدیل به «سورمه‌لی» (سرمه‌لو) شد. منابع دوره تیمور نام این قلعه را معمولاً بصورت ترکی آن قید کرده‌اند."
2. ^ Sâmî, Şemseddîn (1889). قاموس الاعلام: تاریخ و جغرافیا لغاتنی و تعبیر اصحله كافه اسماء خاصه‌یی جامعدر (in Ottoman Turkish). Mihran Matbaası. pp. 840–841 - via Google Books.
3. ^ Tsutsiev 2014, p. 59.
4. ^ De Clavijo, Ruy González (2004). Embassy to Tamerlane, 1403-1406. London: RoutledgeCurzon. p. 186\. ISBN 9780415344890. "Surmari, Sulmari, or Sulmari, the Armenian Surb Mari, that is Saint Mary..."
5. ^ (in Armenian) Danielyan, E. L. (2010). "Հայոց պատմական և քաղաքակրթական արժեհամակարգի պաշտպանության անհրաժեշտությունը [On the Necessity of Protecting Armenian Historical and Civilizational System of Values]". Lraber Hasarakakan Gitutyunneri (in Armenian) (3): 68. ISSN 0320-8117. "...Սուրմալուի (Սուրբ Մարի) գավառը..."
6. ^ Parrot, Friedrich (2016) [1846]. Journey to Ararat. Translated by William Desborough Cooley. Introduction by Pietro A. Shakarian. London: Gomidas Institute. p. ix. ISBN 9781909382244.
7. ^ Tsutsiev 2014, pp. 16, 19, 21.
8. ^ Parrot, p. 139.
9. ^ Tsutsiev 2014, p. 75.
10. ^ Tsutsiev 2014, p. 81.
11. ^ Shakarian, Pietro A. (2025). Anastas Mikoyan: An Armenian Reformer in Khrushchev's Kremlin. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. p. 147\. ISBN 978-0253073556.
12. ^ Кавказский календарь на 1913 год, pp. 172–179.
13. ^ Bournoutian 2018, p. 35 (note 25).
14. ^ Tsutsiev 2014, p. 50.
15. ^ (in Russian) Свод статистических данных о населении Закавказского края, извлечённых из посемейных списков 1886 года, г. Тифлис, 1893 [1]
16. ^ a b "Демоскоп Weekly - Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей". www.demoscope.ru. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
17. ^ Саратанов, В. В. (1910). Кавказский календарь на 1910 год [Caucasian calendar for 1910] (in Russian) (65th ed.). Tiflis: Tipografiya kantselyarii Ye.I.V. na Kavkaze, kazenny dom. p. 518\. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022.
18. ^ Кавказский календарь на 1917 год, pp. 214–221.
19. ^ a b Hovannisian 1971, p. 67.
20. ^ Troinitsky, N. A. (1905). Населенные места Российской империи в 500 и более жителей с указанием всего наличного в них населения и числа жителей преобладающих вероисповеданий, по данным первой всеобщей переписи населения 1897 г. [Populated areas of the Russian Empire with 500 or more inhabitants, indicating the total population in them and the number of inhabitants of the predominant religions, according to the first general population census of 1897] (in Russian). Saint Petersburg: Tipografiya Obshchestvennaya polza. pp. 52–56\. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Bournoutian, George A. (2018). Armenia and Imperial Decline: The Yerevan Province, 1900–1914. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-06260-2. OCLC 1037283914.

* Hovannisian, Richard G. (1971). The Republic of Armenia: The First Year, 1918–1919. Vol. 1\. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520019843.
* Кавказский календарь на 1913 год [Caucasian calendar for 1913] (in Russian) (68th ed.). Tiflis: Tipografiya kantselyarii Ye.I.V. na Kavkaze, kazenny dom. 1913. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022.
* Кавказский календарь на 1917 год [Caucasian calendar for 1917] (in Russian) (72nd ed.). Tiflis: Tipografiya kantselyarii Ye.I.V. na Kavkaze, kazenny dom. 1917. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021.
* Tsutsiev, Arthur (2014). Atlas of the Ethno-Political History of the Caucasus (PDF). Translated by Nora Seligman Favorov. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300153088. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 June 2023.

* v
* t
* e

Administrative divisions of the Erivan Governorate

* Alexandropol
* Etchmiadzin
* Erivan
* Nakhichevan
* Nor Bayazet
* Ordubad
* Sharur-Daralayaz
* Surmalu

Italics indicates uezds abolished before 1917.

39°55′15″N 44°02′40″E﻿ / ﻿39.92083°N 44.04444°E﻿ / 39.92083; 44.04444
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