uri ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁ruled ▁by ▁a ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Sh erv ash id ze ▁family ▁whose ▁one ▁member , ▁Mur zak an , ▁gave ▁to ▁his ▁new ▁f ief dom ▁the ▁name ▁" Sam urz ak ano " ▁( i . e ., ▁" land ▁of ▁Mur zak an "). ▁The ▁upper ▁class ▁of ▁this ▁new ▁princip ality ▁was ▁composed ▁chief ly ▁of ▁the ▁Georg ian - spe aking ▁Ab kh az ▁nob ility , ▁whereas ▁the ▁pe as ants ▁were ▁of ▁both ▁Ab kh az ▁and ▁Georg ian ▁( M ing re li an ) ▁background . ▁In ▁contrast ▁to ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁Ab kh az ia ▁largely ▁Islam ized ▁under ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire , ▁Sam urz ak ano ▁remained ▁ad her ent ▁to ▁the ▁Georg ian ▁Orth odox ▁Christian ity . ▁Event ually ▁the ▁prin ced om ▁came ▁under ▁the ▁M ing re li an ▁possession , ▁but ▁retained ▁a ▁degree ▁of ▁aut onomy ▁even ▁after ▁the ▁expand ing ▁Imperial ▁Russia ▁established ▁its ▁prote ctor ate ▁over ▁M ing rel ia ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 4 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 0 , ▁however , ▁Russia ▁out right ly ▁an nex ed ▁Sam urz ak ano . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s – 7 0 s , ▁the ▁Ab kh az ▁revol ts ▁and ▁the ▁system atic ▁per sec ution ▁of ▁Muslim ▁population ▁at ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁Russian ▁authorities ▁forced ▁many ▁Ab kh az ▁to ▁become ▁Mu h aj irs ▁to ▁the ▁Ott oman