Jan Janszoon Struys was the Dutch sailor and sail maker who traveled widely in Asia for almost three decades starting in 1647. In September 1668, he and seventeen other Dutchmen, led by Captain David Butler, decided to travel to Moscow and to enter the Russian service. In Moscow, Struys and his companion acquired a ship and sailed down the Volga River to Astrakhan. However, they could not have chosen a worse moment to reach this city since a Cossack rebellion, led by Stenka Razin, erupted in the region and the Cossacks sacked the town. The Dutchmen fled from Astrakhan and tried sailing to Darband but bad weather forced them to land on the coast of Daghestan, where they were taken prisoner and sold into slavery. The Dutchmen remained in slavery for a year. Struys was taken to Yerevan, where he was sold on June 12 to a Persian, who then took him to Darband, where he was sold again to a Persian who took him to Šamāḵi, where he was sold, at his own request in October 1670, to Bogdan Gurdziecki, an Armenian/Georgian from Georgia who served as the Ambassador of the King of Poland to Persia (for details click here).
Struys and other Dutchmen were ultimately freed through the intercession of the Dutch East India Company, which asked Shah Solayman of Iran for help in freeing the captives. After being freed in November 1671, Struys crossed Iran to reach Bandar Abbas, from where he returned to the Netherlands in October 1673. Three years later he published an interesting memoir, "J. J. Struys Drie aanmerkelijke en seer rampspoedige Reysen," about his travails in the East. The book was highly successful and went through numerous editions, being translated into German, French and English.
While in captivity, Struys came across many Georgians, though few of them left good impressions on him. The selections below are from the 1694 English edition, with minor stylistic changes.
"My Patron had bought not long before 2 Georgian Girls for Slaves, the one of 11, and the other of 12 years old, with whom he lay by turns, which was no small trouble to his Wife, who was herself not above 26 years of Age, and therefore very unwilling to be a Widow with a living husband."
[...]
On 1 November, I was sent for by the Ambassador [of Poland Bogdan Gurdziecki], where being introduced into the Parlor, he speedily bad me sit down, and fell to asking many Questions about my Nation, and my coming to be a Slave. I told him all from the Beginning to the End. He then called for a Bowl of Wine, and bade me drink. Whilst I sat there, two young Georgian Girls were brought to the Door, who being stole by the Dagestan Tartars, of handsome Bodies and tolerable Beauties as also the Ambassador's own Country Women, he had compassion of them and bought them for the value of 100 Crowns. These he kept for Warming Pans, and would upon Occasion, when he made any Feast, cause them to dance: nor did they much seem to be concern'd at the loss of those heavy burthens called Maidenheads [virginity], although the Art is to know where they first got rid of them."
[...]
[In the fall of 1670, Ambassador Gurdziecki became involved in a dispute with fellow Poles.] On November 2 came the Sister of the Ambassador, and his Brother with a great Retinue and Pomp. Their Reception was with an Extravagant Banquet, which continued several days. So long as this banqueting lasted, there was such Gluttony, Drunkness and Prodigality, indeed such beastliness shown, that I almost abhorred the name of a Christian, when on the other side I saw the Mahometans point at them, who are themselves very abstemious and temperate. Yet this only was to gratify the Georgians and Persians, for [the Ambassador] demeaned himself very churlishly [rudely] towards the Polish Gentry who were sent to grace his Person as a Retinue. Scarce were they ever admitted into his presence; he took their allowance in Diet [food] and Habit [clothing].
At last having spent the Money they brought with them out of Poland, the Poles were reduced to such poverty that they went up and down like Beggars, being ashamed to come into honest Company, for besides their costly Attire which he always kept locked up, he would not allow them a sufficiency of Linen to keep themselves clean. If any offered to complain, he threatened to sell them for Slaves, which tended to the great detriment of those his Domestics, and Dishonour of the King and Crown of Poland. This bred in the Polish Gentry such disaffection that they resolved often times to have revenge; but as those who know themselves conscious of such ill demeanor are ever in fear of their Persons, so he who knew himself guilty of such wicked doings, had always a certain number of his own Nation [Georgians] to secure and guard him. However they once finding opportunity, and being already come to the very End of Patience, attacked him with their Swords and Axes, as he was about to leave his Dining-Room, where they chopped and mangled him so that he lay for dead upon the Floor, in the Portic, having received 17 grievous Wounds, and lost three Fingers of his Right hand.
Yet by the great diligence and skill of his surgeon, who was then at hand, he was restored to his former Health and Sanity. This outrage as it could not but engender bad blood, so it rendered the Ambassador much more spiteful than before, and that very night to be revenged, he sent a Georgian Soldier to Paniegros, a Polish Gentleman, who was Assistant in this Embassy, and equally empowered to treat with the Ministers of State at the Persian Court, and therefore reckoned by [Gurdziecki] as an obstruction in the Promotion of his Interest, as well as being ready to represent the Occasion of these Tumults to the [Polish] King, in such manner as might tend to [Gurdziecki's] disadvantage. Yet it ought to be understood of this Gentleman [Paniegros], that he neither gave encouragement, nor knew any thing of that extravagant Action [attempted murder]. The Georgian having obtained entrance [to Paniegros's appartment], ran to his bedside and there most inhumanly murdered him whilst asleep. This Paniegros was a Gentleman of a brave conduct, and withall of a meek temper, having purchased the Love even of those that seemed to be his Lot-enemies for his prudent and civil deportment, He had lived for some years together at Amsterdam, and spoke very good Nether-dutch.
The rest of the Polish Nation were arrested and secured, some whereof were fast in Chains. Nor with this did the Ambassador hold up, but daily revenged himself of the Poles, which he used as Slaves; and the more to oversaw them he enlisted several Georgian soldiers to guard his Body. The Prince of Scamachy now sensible of the Differences and sad disorder of affairs, took upon himself the Office of a Mediator and decided the matter so well that the imprisoned Parties were set again at liberty. Yet they were no better treated [by the Ambassador] than before as to their Sustenance and Maintenance, whereas one Man might easily eat the Allowance he gave for 8. Meanwhile the Ambassador continued banqueting with those of his own Nation [Georgians], that an Ox a day would not have been too much, if it were not for variety and change of Diet. He bought 13 Kine [cows] which he sent out into the Field, and set me to look after them, but finding my elf at a loss for food, I assumed the liberty to tell his Excellency that he must please to send me something to eat in the Field. His answer was: "If you will have any thing, steal a cow from the Persians, and help your self so." But that Commission I took occasion to let alone, being sensible that my masters Order would not excuse me. Thus I suffered more hunger than in all my life, and sore against my will intimated the matter to my former Patron Hadsi Biram [Ḥājji Bayām], who gave me this reply, I told you of it before-hand, what a villain that Georgian is, That he was but a Christian in show, and far too base to be a Musulman. And certainly the Gentleman had good reason on his side: for this Ambassadour well knowing what Beer was brewed for him at the Court in Warsaw, dispatches his Brother to the King at Ispahan, to supplicate that they might both be circumcised, pretending that now knowing better things than he had hitherto done, therefore could not have Peace or Rest in Conscience, but continual Horror and Inquietude, if he were not admitted as a member in Mahometanism [Islam]. But they had such ample and clear Information at [the Safavid] Court of his Life and Behaviour, that they easily perceived upon what account he did it, and consequently declined his Request. Shortly after he also received a Mandate from Ispahan to depart immediately for Poland, which was acceptable news for the Polish Gentry, hoping at once to be rid of that Slavery and Misery they suffered. After my old Patron had discoursed me a little about this affair, took his leave of me, saying, "John, I am very sorry for your condition, please therefore come twice a day to my house and eat, or at what time you are hungry. I shall give my wife order, upon my Absence to give you food." These words were the sweetest music, I must confess, I heard in Persia; and certainly he. who was a Mahometan, far surpassed my Georgian Master in Charity, who had rather feed Dogs he kept for his pleasure, than Christian-strangers, even if these were his own Domestics.
[...]
On [April] 25 a Persian of reputed Sanctity was murdered by a Georgian after a very base degenerate manner. The Murderer was forthwith apprehended and brought before the Prince, where he was accused of the Fact, and consequently delivered to the nearest Allies of the Patient to use at their discretion, as is customary in Persia; for rarely it happens that either the King, Prince, Deputy or the Civil Magistracy take notice of such delinquencies, but turn over the Malefactor to the aggrieved Parties, who if they be Poor oftentimes sell their Vengeance for Money, after which the Law is silent. However in this case the Delinquent had not that Fortune because the Brother of the Murdered Party had neither Poverty nor Mercy, and as soon as permission was granted him, he caused two Men to hold [the Georgian] down while he had stabbed him with the same Weapon, saying, "Go, you drunken Dog, to the Devil to whom you belong;" for the Georgian was a drunken Fellow, and executed in the same fit of Drunkenness wherein he had so far mistaken himself, so that the Murder, Complaint and Execution were all done in the space of three Hours.
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