Assyrians in Georgia
Encyclopedia
Assyrians
in Georgia number over 3,000, and most arrived in the Southern Caucasus
in early 20th century when their ancestors fled present-day Turkey
and Iran
during the Assyrian genocide
.
arrived in Georgia in the 6th century A.D. when 13 Assyrian monks (historically known by the Georgians as the 13 saint Assyrian fathers
) from the city of Edessa
came to Georgia and establish the Shio-Mgvime Monastery
. Scholars have linked their contribution to the Christianization of Georgia, with Saint Nino
leading the way of converts from paganism. Assyrians came in contact with Georgians once again in the 1760s. Assyrians under Ottoman
rule were looking for some kind of protection from religious and ethnic persecution. Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East
Mar Avraam requested of Georgian king Erekle II
protection for Assyrians and the Yezidi of present-day Turkey. In April 1770, Georgian troops, under Russian command, headed towards the city of Akhaltsikhe. At the same time, Assyrian Bishop Isaiah left Tbilisi
and carried letters to Assyrian and Yezidi leaders which the Georgian king invited them to fight together against the Ottomans. The Assyrians and Yezidi were prepared to move against the Ottomans, whenever the support from Erekle II arrived, but Russian General Totleben
changed his mind and turned his detachment back to Kartli.
The plans for military cooperation failed, but during the war that ensued, an Assyrian community of several dozen families appeared in Georgia. They arrived in Makhani
from Persia and the Ottoman Empire
. The second wave of Assyrian immigrants came when Russia signed a Treaty of Turkmenchay
with Persia in 1828, where Assyrians and Kurds from Iran arrived in Georgia as workers. They also arrived in the second half of the 19th century and settled in Tbilisi
and became Russian and later Soviet citizens. By the end of the 19th century, there were over five thousand Assyrians living in Georgia. A fourth and largest wave came in between the years of 1915 and 1917, as Assyrians fled from the Ottoman massacre (see Assyrian genocide
).
President George W. Bush
met with the leaders of Georgia's Assyrians.
The meeting was mostly about the situation of Assyrians in Iraq. Assyrian leaders also gave the American president a letter as well. http://www.furkono.com/modules/upload/appeal_usa/picture_008.jpg
When asked by Edgar Bitbunov, the Member of Assyrian International Congress
"Nowadays American Georgian forces are on Assyrian soil in Iraq. Of course,we aren't indifferent to the fortune of assyrians in Iraq. What's their future like? What can you say about it?" Bush answered: "We consider that every nation is equally responsible to find its own way to develop and achieve its own object. Assyrians are equal in right to any other peoples living in Iraq these days. Assyrians other nations in Iraq first of all should change their way of thinking, should act more persistently, resolutely and bravery to achieve their own objects and prinsiples all these are in their hands. The USA always stands for, defends and supports people fighting for justice, freedom, independence and democracy."
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
in Georgia number over 3,000, and most arrived in the Southern Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
in early 20th century when their ancestors fled present-day Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
during the Assyrian genocide
Assyrian genocide
The Assyrian Genocide refers to the mass slaughter of the Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac population of the Ottoman Empire during the 1890s, the First World War, and the period of 1922-1925...
.
History
Historically, the first AssyriansAssyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
arrived in Georgia in the 6th century A.D. when 13 Assyrian monks (historically known by the Georgians as the 13 saint Assyrian fathers
Thirteen Assyrian Fathers
The Thirteen Assyrian Fathers were, according to Georgian church tradition, a group of monastic missionaries who arrived from Mesopotamia to Georgia to strengthen Christianity in the country in the 6th century...
) from the city of Edessa
Edessa, Mesopotamia
Edessa is the Greek name of an Aramaic town in northern Mesopotamia, as refounded by Seleucus I Nicator. For the modern history of the city, see Şanlıurfa.-Names:...
came to Georgia and establish the Shio-Mgvime Monastery
Shio-Mgvime Monastery
The Shio-Mgvime monastery is a medieval monastic complex in Georgia, near the town of Mtskheta. It is located in a narrow limestone canyon on the northern bank of the river Mtkvari , some 30 km from Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital....
. Scholars have linked their contribution to the Christianization of Georgia, with Saint Nino
Saint Nino
Saint Nino , ), Equal to the Apostles in and the Enlightener of Georgia, was a woman who preached Christianity in Georgia....
leading the way of converts from paganism. Assyrians came in contact with Georgians once again in the 1760s. Assyrians under Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule were looking for some kind of protection from religious and ethnic persecution. Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East
Assyrian Church of the East
The Assyrian Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East ʻIttā Qaddishtā w-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi d-Madnĕkhā d-Āturāyē), is a Syriac Church historically centered in Mesopotamia. It is one of the churches that claim continuity with the historical...
Mar Avraam requested of Georgian king Erekle II
Erekle II
Erekle II was a Georgian monarch of the Bagrationi Dynasty, reigning as the king of Kakheti from 1744 to 1762, and of Kartli and Kakheti from 1762 until 1798. In the contemporary Persian sources he is referred to as Erekli Khan, while Russians knew him as Irakli...
protection for Assyrians and the Yezidi of present-day Turkey. In April 1770, Georgian troops, under Russian command, headed towards the city of Akhaltsikhe. At the same time, Assyrian Bishop Isaiah left Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
and carried letters to Assyrian and Yezidi leaders which the Georgian king invited them to fight together against the Ottomans. The Assyrians and Yezidi were prepared to move against the Ottomans, whenever the support from Erekle II arrived, but Russian General Totleben
Gottlieb Heinrich Totleben
Gottlob Curt Heinrich Graf von Tottleben, Herr auf Tottleben, Zeippau und Hausdorf im Saganschen was a Saxon-born Russian Empire general known for his adventurism and contradictory military career.- Early career :Totleben was born in Tottleben, Thuringia, and served at the court of Augustus III,...
changed his mind and turned his detachment back to Kartli.
The plans for military cooperation failed, but during the war that ensued, an Assyrian community of several dozen families appeared in Georgia. They arrived in Makhani
Makhani
Makhani is a Hindustani word meaning "with butter". It is used in the names of several dishes from Punjabi cuisine:*Dal makhani, made from beans and pulses*Paneer makhani, made from the white cheese paneer, also known as "paneer butter masala"...
from Persia and the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. The second wave of Assyrian immigrants came when Russia signed a Treaty of Turkmenchay
Treaty of Turkmenchay
The Treaty of Turkmenchay was a treaty negotiated in Turkmenchay by which the Qajar Empire recognized Russian suzerainty over the Erivan khanate, the Nakhchivan khanate, and the remainder of the Talysh khanate, establishing the Aras River as the common boundary between the empires, after its...
with Persia in 1828, where Assyrians and Kurds from Iran arrived in Georgia as workers. They also arrived in the second half of the 19th century and settled in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
and became Russian and later Soviet citizens. By the end of the 19th century, there were over five thousand Assyrians living in Georgia. A fourth and largest wave came in between the years of 1915 and 1917, as Assyrians fled from the Ottoman massacre (see Assyrian genocide
Assyrian genocide
The Assyrian Genocide refers to the mass slaughter of the Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac population of the Ottoman Empire during the 1890s, the First World War, and the period of 1922-1925...
).
Today's Assyrian community in Georgia
On May 15, 2005, United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
met with the leaders of Georgia's Assyrians.
The meeting was mostly about the situation of Assyrians in Iraq. Assyrian leaders also gave the American president a letter as well. http://www.furkono.com/modules/upload/appeal_usa/picture_008.jpg
When asked by Edgar Bitbunov, the Member of Assyrian International Congress
"Nowadays American Georgian forces are on Assyrian soil in Iraq. Of course,we aren't indifferent to the fortune of assyrians in Iraq. What's their future like? What can you say about it?" Bush answered: "We consider that every nation is equally responsible to find its own way to develop and achieve its own object. Assyrians are equal in right to any other peoples living in Iraq these days. Assyrians other nations in Iraq first of all should change their way of thinking, should act more persistently, resolutely and bravery to achieve their own objects and prinsiples all these are in their hands. The USA always stands for, defends and supports people fighting for justice, freedom, independence and democracy."
Sources
- The Yezidi Kurds and Assyrians of Georgia, Journal of the Central Asia & the Caucasus, Iraklii Chikhladze, Giga Chikhladze. (3/21/2003)
- The Assyrians of Georgia: Ethnic Specifics Should be Reserved