Abandoned Villages

At the moment, this collection presents the contents of a list of sites abandoned in 1778 by various elements of the Christian population of the Crimean Khanate.

Between July and September 1778, a grand total of 31,098 people (half the Christian population of the khanate) deserted Crimea and moved to Russian territory on the shores of the Sea of Azov. Empress Catherine II and a handful of powerful men on the ground clearly engineered this relocation, which has been described as everything from an episode of deportation to one of voluntary migration. 

Catherine II's government spent 130,000 rubles in the process, but the results were priceless. The loss of thousands of Greeks, Georgians, and Armenians dealt a heavy blow to the khanate's economy (they tended lucrative gardens and orchards, cultivated vineyards, and dominated maritime trade through the Black Sea and beyond). Sahin Girey Khan's position was weakened beyond repair (already perceived as a lackey of the empress, his inability to halt the migration made clear Russia's lack of concern for the khan's ability to rule).

An anxious Ottoman government deployed a fleet to Aktiar (the future site of Sevastopol) in August, only to be repulsed. Negotiations for a new peace settlement between St. Petersburg and the Porte got underway soon thereafter.

The resulting Treaty of Ainali-Kavak secured the independent status of the khanate and required the removal of all Russian troops. This was no favor to the khan however. His position was tenuous at best; without the support of the empress's troops, he had precious little support. It wasn't long before the political situation in Crimea deteriorated, necessitating the return of Prince Potemkin and, by April 1783, the annexation of the khanate to Russia.

1,643 Greeks, 24 Georgians, and 5,511 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

Writing in 1815, Bronevskii explained that “Feodosiia shows no sign of its former greatness – the destroy town of Kefe no longer exists, and for the construction of the…

2 Catholics, 1,139 Greeks, 27 Georgians, 1,375 Armenians with 9 Georgian slaves, and 4 Wallachians abandoned this area in 1778.

1,004 Greeks, 8 Georgians, 7 Wallachians, and 2,809 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

172 Greeks, 2 Catholics, 1,304 Armenians together with 70 Georgian slaves, and 1 Wallachian abandoned this area in 1778.

259 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

109 Greeks and 160 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

70 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

82 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

113 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

307 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

Nearly two centuries later, inhabited by Crimean Tatars, the village was abandoned a second time: this time as a result of Stalin's summary deportation of Crimean Tatars in May 1944.

38 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

1,228 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

49 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

128 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

21 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

215 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

32 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

77 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

151 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

686 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

In the wake of their departure, the Tatar population of the village grew in time. The village thrived generation after generation until May 1944, when the Tatars were summarily deported.

In August 1945…

831 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

190 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

57 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

354 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

372 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

124 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

289 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

107 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

51 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

97 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

244 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

103 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

124 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

126 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

743 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

154 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

68 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

4 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

5 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

74 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

According to Bronevskii, Kozy had been emptied by emigration. A few Tatars remained and a few Mariupol Greeks had returned. “The Greek church," he wrote, "standing in between two mosques (the best example of…

76 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

33 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

331 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

102 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

1 Catholic and 82 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

1 Catholic and 186 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

1 Catholic and 240 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

1 Catholic and 230 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

1 Catholic and 174 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

2 Catholics and 167 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

41 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

75 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

222 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

149 Wallachians abandoned this area in 1778.

19 Georgians abandoned this area in 1778.

Bronevskii's companion showed him the spot where the village manor house used to be. It was destroyed in 1786. “In the space where the houses and gardens used to be, there were now only ditches, mounds of…

41 Georgians abandoned this area in 1778.

212 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

72 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

121 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

224 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

15 Catholics and 357 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

46 Greeks and 40 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

96 Greeks and 38 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

103 Greeks and 10 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

15 Georgians and 57 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.

12 Catholics and 465 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

5 Catholics and 225 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

10 Catholics and 763 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

6 Catholics and 406 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

28 Catholics and 1,395 Greeks abandoned this area in 1778.

8 Catholics, 346 Greeks, and 4 Georgians abandoned this area in 1778.

13 Catholics, 1 Georgian, and 406 Armenians abandoned this area in 1778.