▁In ▁ 1 5 0 2 , ▁the ▁first ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁E riv an ▁Province ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁then ▁inc umb ent ▁King ▁( Sh ah ) ▁Is mail ▁I ▁( 1 5 0 1 – 1 5 2 4 ), ▁and ▁royal ▁Saf avid ▁ed ict s ▁make ▁mention ▁of ▁the ▁province ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 5 0 5 ▁and ▁ 1 5 0 6 . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁Peace ▁of ▁Am as ya ▁of ▁ 1 5 5 5 , ▁the ▁Saf av ids , ▁then ▁under ▁King ▁T ah m asp ▁I ▁( 1 5 2 4 – 1 5 7 6 ) ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁c ede ▁the ▁western ▁part ▁of ▁historic ▁Armen ia ▁to ▁the ▁expand ing ▁Ott om ans . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 7 8 , ▁the ▁Ott om ans ▁inv aded ▁the ▁Saf avid ▁Empire , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 5 8 3 ▁they ▁were ▁in ▁possession ▁of ▁the ▁E riv an ▁province . ▁In ▁ 1 6 0 4 , ▁Saf avid ▁King ▁Abb as ▁I ▁( 1 5 8 8 – 1 6 2 9 ) ▁exp elled ▁them ▁and ▁re - est ab lished ▁the ▁Saf avid ▁s way . ▁ ▁Ar ound ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁real izing ▁the ▁vulner ability ▁of ▁the ▁province , ▁King ▁Abb as ▁I ▁ordered ▁for ▁the ▁mass ▁deport ation ▁and ▁re location ▁of ▁the ▁Armen ians ▁from ▁his ▁Armen ian ▁territ ories ▁( which ▁thus ▁included ▁the ▁E riv an