The Imirettians profess the religion of the Greek church : they have a patriarch, who is usually of the royal family, but who nevertheless can seldom read or write. Their churches are wretched buildings, with a paper cross over the principal entrance, and some paintings of the Virgin Mary and their saints within.
Imiretta is governed by a prince dependent on Russia, with which country it is now incorporated. He is styled Mephe, and is under the controul of a national council, composed of the principal inhabitants, without whose con sent he cannot undertake any important enterprize. The laws of Imiretta are founded on the will of the sovereign ; but since the supremacy of Russia was acknowledged, he is deprived of the power of life and death. His ordi nances were published on Fridays, the market days, by issued crier who ascended a tree, and thence ssued the procla mation. Judicial combats arc practised by the nobles, and the trial by water ordeal prevails. The ievenues of the king amount only to between 50001. and yearly, which arise from a contribution of the peasants in wine, grain, and cattle, and frem the tribute of neighbouring princes. By the census of 1803, it was found that 13,000 families paid taxes.
This country is said to be the ancient Iberia. At the conclusion of the fifteenth century it belonged to Georgia, when King Alexander divided it, along with other states, among his sons. It was af:erwards subdued by the Turks, who were expelled by the Russians in the year 1770. About that period, Solomon, King of Imiretta, threw off the Turkish yoke, and sought the protection of Russia. Ile quelled the civil broils of his country, strengthened its interests, protected it against foreign invasions, and made many internal regulations, among which was the abolition of traffic in slaves. It is said that he ordered
the walls and citadel of Cotatis to be destroyed, observing "the rocks of Caucasus were the only fortifications which were capable of being defended by an undisciplined army of 6000 men, unprovidcd with artillery." Solomon, after a prosperous reign, died in 1786. He was twice married, and appointed Giorgi, his son by the first marriage, to succeed him; but his reign was productive of tumults and dissatisfaction, and a civil war arose, which terminated either by his death or deposition in a year. David, the son-in-law of Solomon, who had married a Georgian princess, succeeded to the kingdom, and reigned till 1793. Berachus, king of Georgia, desirous of seating his grand son Solomon on the throne, then sent an expedition into Imiretta, whereby an insurrection was excited, and David expelled from the country, while his son Constantine was imprisoned in a fortress. After wandering as a fugitive several years, David died at Aghalzighe, a Turkish town of the Caucasian regions. Meantime, the government of Solomon II. was confirmed ; and in 1803, he conquered the province of Lctschum. In 1802, Anna, the widow of David, and mother of Constantine, repaired to Petersburg, and obtained the liberation of her son, who had undergone a confinement of ten years. Solomon II., in order to se cure himself in the government, acknowledged the su premacy of Russia in 1804; and he and his successors were declared the lawful sovereigns of Imiretta. Lat. 33° to 34° N. Long 43° E. (c)