The Caucasian Viceroy Michael Vorontsov and his Fraction

V. P. Butkov never left letters from the aged ex-viceroy unattended. Some letters to the chief administrator of the Caucasian committee M. S. Vorontsov began with a telling phrase: “My good man Vladimir Petrovich, you spoiled me so much with your constant benevolence and your efficient actions in the Caucasian matters that I write to you with no remorse.. " Letter exchange between V. P. Butkov and M. S. Vorontsov... // RSHA. Fund 1250. Record 2. Docu-ment 12. Sheet 30.. That is exactly how Michael Semyonovich's letter of 7 February 1856, where he asked V. P. Butkov for assistance in yet another case of the Orbeliani princes, began. Under the court decision, the Georgian princes were to pay 80 thousand roubles in silver, which could completely devastate their finances. M. S. Vorontsov bought off their debt for 22 thousand roubles, but asked for V. P. Butkov's help in order for the case to be decisively solved in favour of the Orbeliani. “Although I surely would be happy to have my 22 thousand roubles returned to me, I wish this case a just solution for the good of the Orbeliani themselves; I love many of them and I only mean them well", wrote M. S. Vorontsov Ibid. Sheet 36..

Makariy Fomich Orbeliani was the closest member among all the Orbeliani family to M. S. Vorontsov Gogitidze M. Georgian generalship (1699-1921). Handbook of biographies. Kyiv, 2001. P 129., whom the latter addressed simply `Mamuka' in his diary and letters. A. M. Fadeyev spoke of him as a favourite of the viceroy, having also characterized him as a “brave, clever, very amiable Georgian man" Fadeyev A. M. Memoirs 1790-1867. P 356.. In August 1853, a mail coach was robbed of a large sum of government money in Elizavetapolskiy uyezd. Head of the uyezd, F. M. Orbeliani, sent the expensive cargo without being appropriately convoyed. Robbers successfully took advantage of that fact. The incident could have brought about no consequences for F. M. Orbeliani given his informal relationships with the viceroy. However, a detailed report of the incident was received by the Caucasian committee. The members of the Committee found the grounds for accusations trustworthy, and the viceroy's favourite was to recover the full sum in the form of sequestration of land property of the family.

In his letter to S. V. Safonov of 3 August 1854, M. S. Vorontsov pointed out that this case had “touched” him “to the bottom of his heart” Letter exchange between V P Butkov and M. S. Vorontsov. // RSHA. Fund 1250. Record 2. Docu-ment 12. Sheet 22.. The viceroy emphasized that the injustice towards “kind Mamuka and his amiable family” made “all Georgian nobility feel sad and heartsore”. Michael Semeoynovich asked for A. I. Chernyshev's help, and S. V. Safonov received the following instructions from M. S. Vorontsov: “.have a talk with our honourable Vladimir Petrovich (Butkov. -- A. U., Z. S.) as soon as you can, you know everything that pertains to Mamuka, his family affairs and the Georgian nobility on the whole” Ibid.. M. S. Vorontsov noted that he asked S. V. Safonov to make every possible effort and, if successful, he would deserve gratitude not only from his acquaintances, but also from the whole of Georgia.

M.F. Orbeliani blissfully avoided the potentially devastating payment; Vorontsov's protection redeemed the Georgian family from serious trouble. The Orbeliani succeeded in retaining their influence under other viceroys as well. In 1859, prince G. D. Orbeliani took charge of the Counsel of the Caucasian viceroy A. I. Baratyanskiy; he was responsible for the development of the land reform project for the Northern Caucasus, which was consequently carried out in the region starting from 1863 North Caucasus as part of the Russian Empire. Moscow, 2007. P 217..

Finance of Tiflis and of the whole of Transcaucasia were in the hands of Armenian merchants. General M. Y. Ol'shevskiy remembered: “The richest men of Tiflis and its main owners are Armenians; all trade is in their hands” Olshevskiy M. Y. The Caucasus 1841 through 1866.. “Guide and companion for a travel across the Caucasus” gave the following data: “It is almost unbelievable, but is nevertheless true, that in 1803, there were up to 2 700 households in Tiflis, out of which only four 4 households belonged to Georgians proper and 15 to Georgian princes, while the rest were Armenian; therefore, the Georgian capital belonged back then, on the whole, to Ar- menians” Vladykin M. Guide and companion for a travel across Caucasus. Moscow, 1885. P. 223.. According to the statistics of the “Caucasian calendar”, there were 1926 artisans in Tiflis in the year of 1847, of which 1448 were Armenians Caucasian calendar for 1847. Tiflis, 1846. P. 163.. M. S. Vorontsov began building rapport with the Armenian elite upon his arrival in Tiflis. This was facilitated by his old liaisons with Armenian patriarch Nerses V, the relationship with whom had been was founded in 1803 when the young count M. S. Vorontsov was serving under P. D. Tsit- sianov, and archimandrite Nerses was a negotiator of the khan of Erivan. In 1828-1843, Nerses occupied the position of the head of the eparchy of the region of Bessarabia and had regular meetings with the governor general of Novorossiya, M. S. Vorontsov, in Odes- sa Zakharova O. Y. Filedmarshal general, his serene highness prince M. S. Vorontsov. Cavalier of the Russian Empire. Moscow, 2001. P. 352.. The informal relationship with patriarch Nerses V made mutual understanding between the viceroy and influential Armenian merchants significantly easier.

Ivan Mirzoev, who was engaged in fishing and sericulture, commanded the most sizable respect among the Armenian merchants. The Caucasian viceroy asked V. P. Butkov in a letter to the latter of 6 October 1852, for his assistance in successful review of Ivan Mirzoev's award recommendation for order of St. Anne, 2nd degree: “I ask your excellency earnestly not to reject the request to decorate him with the order that I am asking for him” Letter exchange between V. P. Butkov and M. S. Vorontsov. // RSHA. Fund 1250. Record 2. Document 12. Sheet 12.. We would like to note that by the time the viceroy recommended Ivan Mirzoyev, Mirzoyev had already been a cavalier of St. Stanislav, 4th degree, for several years. Along with the letter to V. P. Butkov, M. S. Vorontsov sent a note to A. I. Chernyshev, with recommendation to award the Armenian merchant, in which the viceroy stated, “Over the seven years of my administering the Caucasus, I have always found in Mirzoyev a man not only ready to assist the government each time I asked for assistance, but also a man who has proved to be useful in terms of advice, self-denying and always eager to help me in the country's interest... Whoever that is who is in my place, be it me or someone other, let Mirzoyev always be turned to for advice and his weight in the eye of the public opinion” Ibid. Sheets 15-16..

Before leaving for a health vacation in spring 1854, M. S. Vorontsov left detailed instructions to general N. A. Read, who stepped up to temporarily occupy the position of the viceroy. Having emphasized the importance of the Armenian merchants for successful development of the Caucasian region, M. S. Vorontsov especially recommended Ivan Mirzoyev: “He rendered us very great services by taking over many affairs for which there were no eager performers, or by finding such.. .” ACA. Tiflis. P. 97.

Vorontsov's recommendations were not left without due attention. Mirzoev not only received new awards, but also remained close to the imperial administration under A. I. Baryatinsky. M. S. Vorontsov also recommended other Armenian merchants for awards, including such influential ones as Arshakuni and Mirimanov. However, it is obvious that the greatest trust of the viceroy was enjoyed by Ivan Mirzoyev.

* * *

“Semper immota fides” (“Eternal unshrinking loyalty”) is the motto on the Vorontsov family coat of arms. M. S. Vorontsov was undoubtedly loyal to the Romanov dynasty and served the Russian empire for his whole life. However, there was also another kind of loyalty -- loyalty to his party. The Caucasian viceroy consistently advocated the interests of his employees, supported their careers, provided protection during periods of official headwinds. He succeeded in developing a well-knit patronage network in the Caucasus, which excluded opposition and was at the basis of the regional autocracy of the viceroy. Forming a loyal fraction was also necessary in the context of opposing bureaucracy of ministries, connections of which with the local institutions were cut short or made utterly formal. Promotions, awards and supporting clients' material wealth ensured their loyalty. The system laid out by M. S. Vorontsov proved to be long-lasting. His successors also relied upon the Caucasian committee and its head in the capital, and within the viceroyalty territory -- on same corporations and particular individuals that were patronized by the first Caucasian viceroy.

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