Gazaria (Genoese colonies)
| Gazaria (Crimea) | |||||
| Colony of Republic of Genoa | |||||
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| Capital |
Caffa 45°2′N 35°22′E / 45.033°N 35.367°ECoordinates: 45°2′N 35°22′E / 45.033°N 35.367°E |
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| History | |||||
| • | Transfer of Caffa from Golden Horde | 1266 | |||
| • | Conquest by the Ottoman forces | 1475 | |||
| Today part of | Disputed between Ukraine and Russia | ||||
Gazara (Gazaria is a Russified version of the name; also Cassaria, Cacsarea, Gazaria, Gasaria) is the name given to the Genoese colonies in Crimea and around the Black Sea from the mid-13th century to the late 15th century.
The word is derived from Khazaria, though the Khazars had ceased to rule over the area by that time.
The colony was officially established with transfer of Caffa by Möngke Khan to the Republic of Genoa, becoming the regional center of the Black Sea colonies. In 1357, Genoeses acquired the colony of Cembalo (today – Balaklava), in 1365 Genoese completely overtook the city of Soldaia (Sudak) from Venetian control.
Aside of Crimea, Genoa possessed several castles on the western coast of Black Sea such as the castle of Maurocastro (Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky) in the estuary of Dniester, the castle of Ginestra near Odessa, the castle of Licostomo (Kiliya), the colony of Constanca, the colony of Caladda (upstream of Danube).
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