Emirate of Tbilisi
Encyclopedia
The Emirs of Tbilisi ruled over the parts of today’s eastern
Georgia
from their base in the city of Tbilisi
, from 736 to 1080 (nominally to 1122). Established by the Arabs during their invasions of Georgian lands, the emirate
was an important outpost of the Muslim
rule in the Caucasus
until recaptured by the Georgians under King David IV
in 1122. Since then, the city has been the capital of Georgia to this day.
(Caucasian Iberia
of the Classic authors), in 645. It was not, however, until 735, when they succeeded in establishing their firm control over a large portion of the country. In that year, Marwan II
took hold of Tbilisi and much of the neighbouring lands and installed there an Arab emir
, who was to be confirmed by the Caliph of Baghdad or, occasionally, by the ostikan
of Armīniya.
During the Arab period, Tbilisi (al-Tefelis) grew into a center of trade between the Islam
ic world and northern Europe
. Beyond that, it functioned as a key Arab outpost and a buffer province facing the Byzantine
and Khazar dominions. Over time, Tbilisi became largely Muslim
, but the Islamic influences were strictly confined to the city itself, while the environs remained largely Christian
.
Tbilisi was a large city with a strong double wall pierced by three gates. It lay on both banks of the Kura River
, and the two parts were connected by a bridge of boats. The contemporary geographers especially mention its thermal springs, which supplied the baths with constant hot waters. On the river were water-mills. The houses were primarily built, to the surprise of contemporary Arab travelers, of pine wood. In the first half of the ninth century, Tbilisi is said to have been the second largest, after Derbend, city in the Caucasus
, with its at least 50,000 inhabitants and thriving commerce.
As the Caliphate
weakened after the destruction of Baghdad
in 813, the Abbasid
power was much troubled by the secessionist tendencies among peripheral rulers, those of Tbilisi not excluded. At the same time, the emirate became a target of the resurgent Georgian Bagratids
who liberated several Georgian lands from the Arab grasp. The Emirate of Tbilisi grew in relative strength under Ishaq ibn Isma'il (833-853), who was powerful enough to quell the energies of the Georgian princes and to contend the Abbasid authority in the region. He withheld his annual payment of tribute to Baghdad, and declared his independence from the Caliph. To suppress the rebellion, Caliph al-Mutawakkil
dispatched, in 853, a punitive expedition
led by Bugha al-Kabir al-Sharabi (also known as Bugha the Turk) who burned Tbilisi to the ground and had Is’hak decapitated, terminating the city’s chances to become the center of an independent Islamic state in the Caucasus. The Abbasids chose not to rebuild the city extensively, and as a result the Muslim prestige and authority in the region began to wane.
Beginning in the 1020s, the Georgian
kings pursued contradictive but generally expansionist policy against the emirs of Tbilisi
, this latter city coming sporadically under Georgian control. The territories of the emirate shrank to Tbilisi and its immediate environs. However, the Seljuk invasions of the 1070s-1080s thwarted the Georgian advances and deferred the Bagratid plans for nearly a half of a century. The last line of emirs of Tbilisi went back, presumably, to circa 1080, and the city’s government was run thereafter by the merchant oligarchy known to Georgian annals as tbileli berebi, that is, the elders of Tbilisi. David IV
’s victories over the Seljuk Turks inflicted a final blow to Islamic Tbilisi, and a Georgian army triumphantly entered the city in 1122, ending four hundred years of foreign domination.
The office of emir (amira, ამირა) — now an appointed Georgian royal official — survived in Tbilisi, as well as other big cities of Georgia, into the 18th century, being substituted by the office of mouravi
.
Eastern Georgia
Eastern Georgia commonly refers to the eastern part of the nation of Georgia, which in historic times included the kingdom of Iberia in the Caucasus. The present-day term refers to the territory of Georgia which lies to the east and south of the Likhi and Meskheti Ranges, but excludes the region...
Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
from their base in the city of 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...
, from 736 to 1080 (nominally to 1122). Established by the Arabs during their invasions of Georgian lands, the emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
was an important outpost of the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
rule in the 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...
until recaptured by the Georgians under King David IV
David IV of Georgia
David IV "the Builder", also known as David II , of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Georgia from 1089 until his death in 1125....
in 1122. Since then, the city has been the capital of Georgia to this day.
History
The Arabs first appeared in Georgia, namely in KartliKartli
Kartli is a historical region in central-to-eastern Georgia traversed by the river Mtkvari , on which Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, is situated. Known to the Classical authors as Iberia, Kartli played a crucial role in ethnic and political consolidation of the Georgians in the Middle Ages...
(Caucasian Iberia
Caucasian Iberia
Iberia , also known as Iveria , was a name given by the ancient Greeks and Romans to the ancient Georgian kingdom of Kartli , corresponding roughly to the eastern and southern parts of the present day Georgia...
of the Classic authors), in 645. It was not, however, until 735, when they succeeded in establishing their firm control over a large portion of the country. In that year, Marwan II
Marwan II
Marwan ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan or Marwan II was an Umayyad caliph who ruled from 744 until 750 when he was killed. He was the last Umayyad ruler to rule from Damascus.In A.H. 114 Caliph Hisham appointed Marwan governor of Armenia and Azerbaijan. In A.H...
took hold of Tbilisi and much of the neighbouring lands and installed there an Arab emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
, who was to be confirmed by the Caliph of Baghdad or, occasionally, by the ostikan
Ostikan
Ostikan was the title of various oriental provincial governors.-Arab caliphate:After the prophet Mohammed and his testator heir and successor Abu Bakr has established the theocratic rule of Islam on most of the sparsely populated Arabian peninsula, the armies of the next caliphs victoriously...
of Armīniya.
During the Arab period, Tbilisi (al-Tefelis) grew into a center of trade between the Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic world and northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
. Beyond that, it functioned as a key Arab outpost and a buffer province facing the Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and Khazar dominions. Over time, Tbilisi became largely Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, but the Islamic influences were strictly confined to the city itself, while the environs remained largely Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
.
Tbilisi was a large city with a strong double wall pierced by three gates. It lay on both banks of the Kura River
Kura River
Kura is a river, also known from the Greek as the Cyrus in the Caucasus Mountains. Starting in north-eastern Turkey, it flows through Turkey to Georgia, then to Azerbaijan, where it receives the Aras River as a right tributary, and enters the Caspian Sea...
, and the two parts were connected by a bridge of boats. The contemporary geographers especially mention its thermal springs, which supplied the baths with constant hot waters. On the river were water-mills. The houses were primarily built, to the surprise of contemporary Arab travelers, of pine wood. In the first half of the ninth century, Tbilisi is said to have been the second largest, after Derbend, city in the 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...
, with its at least 50,000 inhabitants and thriving commerce.
As the Caliphate
Caliphate
The term caliphate, "dominion of a caliph " , refers to the first system of government established in Islam and represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah...
weakened after the destruction of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in 813, the Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
power was much troubled by the secessionist tendencies among peripheral rulers, those of Tbilisi not excluded. At the same time, the emirate became a target of the resurgent Georgian Bagratids
Bagrationi Dynasty
The Bagrationi dynasty was the ruling family of Georgia. Their ascendency lasted from the early Middle Ages until the early 19th century. In modern usage, this royal line is frequently referred to as the Georgian Bagratids, a Hellenized form of their dynastic name.The origin of the Bagrationi...
who liberated several Georgian lands from the Arab grasp. The Emirate of Tbilisi grew in relative strength under Ishaq ibn Isma'il (833-853), who was powerful enough to quell the energies of the Georgian princes and to contend the Abbasid authority in the region. He withheld his annual payment of tribute to Baghdad, and declared his independence from the Caliph. To suppress the rebellion, Caliph al-Mutawakkil
Al-Mutawakkil
Al-Mutawakkil ʻAlā Allāh Jaʻfar ibn al-Muʻtasim was an Abbasid caliph who reigned in Samarra from 847 until 861...
dispatched, in 853, a punitive expedition
Punitive expedition
A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a state or any group of persons outside the borders of the punishing state. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavior, but may be also be a covered revenge...
led by Bugha al-Kabir al-Sharabi (also known as Bugha the Turk) who burned Tbilisi to the ground and had Is’hak decapitated, terminating the city’s chances to become the center of an independent Islamic state in the Caucasus. The Abbasids chose not to rebuild the city extensively, and as a result the Muslim prestige and authority in the region began to wane.
Beginning in the 1020s, the Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
kings pursued contradictive but generally expansionist policy against the emirs of 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...
, this latter city coming sporadically under Georgian control. The territories of the emirate shrank to Tbilisi and its immediate environs. However, the Seljuk invasions of the 1070s-1080s thwarted the Georgian advances and deferred the Bagratid plans for nearly a half of a century. The last line of emirs of Tbilisi went back, presumably, to circa 1080, and the city’s government was run thereafter by the merchant oligarchy known to Georgian annals as tbileli berebi, that is, the elders of Tbilisi. David IV
David IV of Georgia
David IV "the Builder", also known as David II , of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Georgia from 1089 until his death in 1125....
’s victories over the Seljuk Turks inflicted a final blow to Islamic Tbilisi, and a Georgian army triumphantly entered the city in 1122, ending four hundred years of foreign domination.
The office of emir (amira, ამირა) — now an appointed Georgian royal official — survived in Tbilisi, as well as other big cities of Georgia, into the 18th century, being substituted by the office of mouravi
Mouravi
Mouravi was an administrative and military officer in early modern Georgia, normally translated into English as seneschal, bailiff, or sometimes as constable. Mouravi was an appointed royal official who had a jurisdiction over particular town or district. In towns, mouravi was assisted by a police...
.
Shuabid emirs of Tbilisi
- Isma'il b. Shuab (the first known emir, r. until 813)
- Mohammed b. Atab (813-829)
- Ali b. Shuab (829-833)
- Ishaq b. Isma'il b. Shuab (833-853)
Shaybanid emirs of Tbilisi
- Mohammed b. Khalil (853-870)
- Isa b. ash-Sheikh ash-Shayban (870-876)
- Ibrahim (876-878)
- Gabuloc (878-880)
Jaffarid emirs of Tbilisi
- Jaffar I b. Ali (880-914)
- Mansur b. Jaffar (914-952)
- Jaffar II b. Mansur (952-981)
- Ali b. Jaffar (981-1032)
- Jaffar III b. Ali (1032–1046)
- Mansur b. Jaffar (1046–1054)
- Abu’l-Haija b. Jaffar (1054–1062) (the last known emir)