Astrologer of Karabagh or the Establishment of the Fortress of Shushi 1752, The
A Transcaucasian Historical Novel

Written in 1834 by Platon P. Zubov (1796-1857), the early nineteenth century Russian novelist, The Astrologer of Karabagh, is a fascinating historical novel. Shrouded in a passionate love story, it is based on historical developments in eighteenth century Karabagh, which was engulfed in tumult and transformation. This is the first ever English edition of Zubov’s novel. It has only been translated into Armenian in 1882 by the prominent nineteenth century Armenian novelist Raffi. “The historical novel portrays the historic life-experience of a people. It recounts within its limits how a people has lived and toiled. It highlights its customs, traditions and manners; its intellectual and moral characteristics. In other words, it personifies the man of times past in its original and primordial shape, which has evolved over time and become unrecognizable for the present generation. . . . ” These words by the great nineteenth century Armenian novelist, Raffi (1835-1888) most accurately speak to the significance and role of historical facts in nurturing the mind and enrich the imagination of a novelist. The Astrologer of Karabagh, though a work of fiction, reflects the realities of a stormy period in the Caucasus where new values and loyalties replaced the old ones and transformed the region forever. It provides food for thought on the power of history in shaping the present.