Vassif Ahmed

Vassif Ahmed (1738, Baghdad – 1806), an Ottoman historian. He actively participated in the peace negotiations between the Russian and Ottoman Empires. He conducted correspondence between the Russian Empress Catherine II and the Grand Vizier. In 1772, Ahmed compiled the minutes (protocol) of the Bucharest peace negotiations. In 1783, he was appointed the historian of the Sultan's court, assuming the role of the official chronicler. Ahmed had access to all types of documentary and narrative sources. He was both an eyewitness and a direct participant in many significant historical events, which he recounts in detail in his two-volume work, Beautiful Monuments and Trustworthy Accounts (covering the period 1753–1774).

For Vassif, one of the primary sources was Mustafa Çeşmî-zâde's History. He abridged Çeşmî-zâde's information regarding Georgia. In many cases, he does not name the rulers and nobles of Imereti, Guria, and Samegrelo. Volume I contains accounts relating to Georgia from 1766–1769—specifically concerning the Çıldır Eyalet and its relations with Imereti; the Ottoman attacks on Imereti, and the battles of Solomon I, King of Imereti, against the Ottomans, among other related events.

Literature: ბ უ რ ჯ ა ნ ა ძ ე  შ., სოლომონ I-ის მეფობის პირველი პერიოდი (1752–1768 წწ.), «თსუ შრომები», 1950, ტ. 41; შ ე ნ გ ე ლ ი ა  ნ., ოსმალო ისტორიკოსის აჰმედ ვასიფის ცნობები საქართველოს შესახებ, «ქართული წყაროთმცოდნეობა», 1971, [ტ.] 3.

G. Alasania