Speri
Ancient Region of Anatolia
The region of Speri, shown within the borders of historical Meskheti, depicted within its traditional borders, divided into three sections: Kvemo (Lower) Speri, Zemo (Upper) Speri, and Shua (Middle) Speri.
Location	NortheasternAnatolia

Speri (Georgian:სპერი;lit. 'Speri'),[1]^[2][3] also known asSper (Armenian:Սպեր;lit. 'Sper or Sber') is a historical region now part of theEastern Anatolia region ofTurkey. It was centered in the upper reaches of the valley of theÇoruh River, its probable capital was the town ofİspir, or Syspiritus as indicated on the map next to the Byzantine-Sassanid border, and it originally extended as far west as the town ofBayburt and the Bayburt plains.

The name Speri is thought by some to be derived fromSaspers.^[4] According to the most widespread theory, they were aKartvelian tribe.^[5][6][7][8] However, their origins have also been attributed toScythian people.^[9]

Beyond the Persians, to the north, are the Medes; and next to them are the Saspires [Σάσπειρες]. Contiguous to these, and where the Phasis empties itself into the northern sea, are the Colchians.^[10]

In the 5th century BC Saspers fell under the influence ofAchaemenid Persia, the Sasperi formed the eighteenth satrapy while other Proto-Georgian tribes ofMushki, Tibal,Macrones,Mossynoeci and Mares were included in the nineteenth.^[11][12] This tribes would later in 302 BC formGeorgianKingdom of Iberia.^[13]

Late antique Sper was part of Armenia and is probably the Syspiritis of classical authors.^[14] Syspiritis is mentioned inStrabo'sGeographica: one of two areas (the other beingAcilisene) settled by followers of "Armenus ofArmenium", the eponymous founder of the Armenian race. Strabo also mentions "mines of gold in the Hyspiratis".^[15][16][A]

After the 380s partition of Armenia into Roman andSasanian client states, Sper was one of nine districts forming the territory of the Armenian kingdom ofArshak III. Sper at that period was a principality, the ancestral domain of theBagratuni clan. Their capital was the fortress of Smbatavan or Smbataberd, which may have been located either at Bayburt or Ispir. In the northern part of the principality was a territory lived in by non-Armenian people calledChalybes, whose name was preserved in the alternative Armenian name for the Sper valley: Khaghto Dzor (Chaldian Valley).^[18] After Arshak's death, in 390 his kingdom was annexed by Rome and turned into a Roman province called Inner Armenia.

During the time of Justinian this province was incorporated into Armenia Magna ("Greater Armenia"). In theGeography ofAnania Shirakatsi, a 7th-century text, Sper is listed as being part ofBardzr Hayk ("High Armenia" or "Upper Armenia"). Hewsen speculates that "Bardzr Hayk" may simply be a translation of the Roman/Byzantine name for the province.^[19] The border betweenByzantine-ruled and Sasanid Persian-ruled Armenia crossed the Choruh valley somewhere betweenİspir andYusufeli.^[20]

Sper was a Bagratid domain in the fourth to sixth centuries but at some point they lost direct control of Bayburt to the Byzantine empire, possibly soon after 387. Bayburt was refortified by the Byzantines in the period of Justinian and was eventually incorporated into itstheme ofChaldia.^[20]

In 1203,Rukn ad-din Suleiman II ofRum decided to capture the southern shores of theBlack Sea and rule overAsia minor. He invaded theKingdom of Georgia with 400 000 Muslim warriors from the emirates and sultanates of Erzinca, Abulistan, Erzerum and Sham (Syria) and took control over several southern Georgian provinces including Speri. In the same year, by winning in theBattle of Basiani, Georgia managed to banish theTurks and liberate the region of Speri again.

During thirty one years the blessedTamar, with the wisdom of Solomon, and the courage and care of Alexander, held her kingdom (firmly) in her hands, which stretched from thePontic Sea to the sea ofGurgan, from Speri toDaruband, and all the lands on this side of the Caucasus Mountains, as well as Khazaria and Scythia on the other side. She became the heiress of what was promised in the nine Beatitudes.

In the 15th century Sper was controlled by theAk Koyunlu confederation. In 1502, after the defeat and collapse of the confederation, its territory passed into the hands ofSafavid Persia;^[20] however, localised Ak Koyunlu rule continued in Sper until, taking advantage of the dissolution of the Ak Koyunlu state following the death of Yakub, it was taken by Mzechabuk, theAtabeg of Samtskhe. The name of Mzechabuk's lieutenant in charge of Ispir during all or part of this period is known thanks to a colophon added in 1512 to an Armenian manuscript that tells of the "principality over Sper of Baron Kitevan, from the Georgian nation". Mzechabuk pursued a policy of appeasement with theOttoman Empire and surrendered Ispir fortress to Sultan Selim in October 1514.^[21] The Ottoman Empire had taken all of Sper from Mzechabuk probably by 1515.^[20]

In 1520 Sper became akaza within the Ottoman Empire; in 1536 speri became asanjak.^[21] The Ispir valley was still almost completely Armenian Christian in the early 16th century: the Ottoman census recorded no Muslims.^[20] Muslims would increase in later centuries and eventually become the majority.^{[citation needed]}

In 1548, during theOttoman–Safavid War (1532–55), the towns of Ispir and Bayburt were taken and destroyed by the Safavid ShahTahmasp.^[21]

DuringWorld War I, in 1916 the region wastaken by Russians forces and retaken by the newly formedTurkish Republic in 1918.

40°24′N41°00′E / 40.4°N 41.0°E /40.4; 41.0

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