Georgia Governorate in the context of "Yerevan"

The country of Georgia became part of the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Throughout the early modern period, the Muslim Ottoman and Persian empires had fought over various fragmented Georgian kingdoms and principalities; by the 18th century, Russia emerged as the new imperial power in the region. Since Russia was an Orthodox Christian state like Georgia, the Georgians increasingly sought Russian help. In 1783, Heraclius II of the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti forged an alliance with the Russian Empire, whereby the kingdom became a Russian protectorate and abjured any dependence on its suzerain Persia. The Russo-Georgian alliance, however, backfired as Russia was unwilling to fulfill the terms of the treaty, proceeding to annex the troubled kingdom in 1801, and reducing it to the status of a Russian region (Georgia Governorate). In 1810, the western Georgian kingdom of Imereti was annexed as well. Russian rule over Georgia was eventually acknowledged in various peace treaties with Persia and the Ottomans, and the remaining Georgian territories were absorbed by the Russian Empire in a piecemeal fashion in the course of the 19th century.

Until 1918, Georgia would be part of the Russian Empire. Russian rule offered the Georgians security from external threats, but it was also often heavy-handed and insensitive to locals. By the late 19th century, discontent with the Russian authorities led to a growing national movement. The Russian Imperial period, however, brought unprecedented social and economic change to Georgia, with new social classes emerging: the emancipation of the serfs freed many peasants but did little to alleviate their poverty; the growth of capitalism created an urban working class in Georgia. Both peasants and workers found expression for their discontent through revolts and strikes, culminating in the Revolution of 1905. Their cause was championed by the socialist Mensheviks, who became the dominant political force in Georgia in the final years of Russian rule. Georgia finally won its independence in 1918, less as a result of the nationalists' and socialists' efforts, than from the collapse of the Russian Empire in World War I.

Ganja (/ˈɡændʒə/; Azerbaijani: Gəncə [ɟænˈdʒæ] ) is Azerbaijan's second largest city, with a population of around 335,600. The city has been a historic and cultural center throughout most of its existence. It was the capital of the Ganja Khanate until 1804; after Qajar Iran ceded it to the Russian Empire following the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813, it became part of the administrative divisions of the Georgia Governorate, Georgia-Imeretia Governorate, Tiflis Governorate, and Elizavetpol Governorate. Following the dissolution of the Russian Empire and the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, it became a part of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, followed by Azerbaijan SSR, and, since 1991, the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Abotsi (Armenian: Աշոցք, Georgian: აბოცი), ancient historical-geographical province of Armenia and Georgia. located south to Javakheti, in modern-day Armenia. In the late medieval period, as a result of influx of Turkoman tribes Abotsi was called Kaikuli, which was later one of the Sadrosho of Kartli Kingdom, ruled by Mouravi. In 1801, when Russia annexed eastern Georgia (Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti), Kaikuli (Abotsi) was included into Lori district of Georgian Governorate. In 1849, district was transferred to newly established Erivan Governorate.

Georgia-Imeretia Governorate (Russian: Грузино-Имеретинская губерния, Georgian: საქართველო-იმერეთის გუბერნია) was a short-lived governorate (guberniya) of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, administered from Tiflis (Tbilisi). Roughly corresponding to modern Georgia and parts of Armenia and Azerbaijan, it was created in 1840 from the territory of the Georgia Governorate and the oblasts of Imereti and Armenia.

It was established on the basis of the law on administrative reform, approved by Emperor Nicholas I on 10 April 1840 under the title "Establishment for the administration of the Transcaucasian region", by uniting the territories of the abolished Georgian province, Armenian and Imereti regions. It was divided into 8 counties: Akhaltsikhe, Belokan (in 1844 it was separated into a separate Jar-Balakan district), Guria, Gori, Elizavetpol, Kutaisi, Telavi and Erivan.