Kote Abkhazi
Encyclopedia
Prince Konstantine "Kote" Abkhazi (November 17, 1867—May 20, 1923), was a Georgian
military officer and politician. During the Imperial Russian
rule, he was a general in the tsar
's army, and a recognized leader of the liberal nobility of Georgia. After the Sovietization
of Georgia, he emerged as one of the leaders of an underground anti-Soviet movement. In 1923, he was arrested and executed by the Soviet security police.
, Georgia (then part of Imperial Russia) to a wealthy aristocratic family, the son of Prince Nikoloz (Niko) Abkhazi and Princess Nino née Chavchavadze, the sister of the prominent Georgian writer and public figure Ilia Chavchavadze.
Abkhazi graduated from the Tbilisi Cadet Corps and the St. Petersburg Military Academy and joined the Russian army in 1890. Later, he was actively involved in Georgia's public life and sponsored several social and economic projects, including the construction of the Kakhetian railway between 1906 and 1913. In 1913, he was elected the marshal of nobility of the Tiflis Governorate
, but he was called to an active army service with the outbreak of World War I
in 1914. Being promoted to major general
in 1914, he commanded an artillery brigade from 1914 to 1916. In 1916, he was elected to the State Duma of the Russian Empire
for Tiflis.
in February 1918 and in the proclamation of independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia
in May 1918. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly of Georgia
in 1919, and became a chairman of the National Democratic Party in 1920. Early in 1921, Georgia was occupied by
Soviet Russia's Red Army
, forcing the Georgian government to flee the country. Abkhazi stayed in Georgia, however, and joined the underground movement Committee for Independence of Georgia
where he headed its Military Center. He guided the organization of guerrilla groups in Pshavi
-Khevsureti
, and Kakheti (1921–23). However, in March 1923, Abkhazi and 14 other members of the Military Center (Alexander Andronikashvili
, Varden Tsulukidze
, Colonel Giorgi Khimshiashvili
, Rostom Muskhelishvili, Mikheil Zandukeli, Simon Bagrationi-Mukhraneli, Parnaoz Karalashvili, Iason Kereselidze, Ivane Kutateladze, Simon Chiabrishvili
, Alexandre Machavariani, Elizbar Gulisashvili, Levan Klimiashvili and Dimitri Chrdileli) were arrested by the GPU
, and were shot for anti-Soviet activities on May 20, 1923. He is quoted to have said prior to the execution:
Abkhazi’s son, Nicholas (died 1987) and his Shanghai
-born spouse Peggy Pemberton Carter (died 1994) moved to Canada
and, beginning from 1946, built a well-known "Abkhazi Garden" at Vancouver Island
, Victoria, British Columbia
.
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...
military officer and politician. During the Imperial Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
rule, he was a general in the tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
's army, and a recognized leader of the liberal nobility of Georgia. After the Sovietization
Sovietization
Sovietization is term that may be used with two distinct meanings:*the adoption of a political system based on the model of soviets .*the adoption of a way of life and mentality modelled after the Soviet Union....
of Georgia, he emerged as one of the leaders of an underground anti-Soviet movement. In 1923, he was arrested and executed by the Soviet security police.
Early life and career
Kote (Konstantine) Abkhazi was born in the village of Kardenakhi, KakhetiKakheti
Kakheti is a historical province in Eastern Georgia inhabited by Kakhetians who speak a local dialect of Georgian. It is bordered by the small mountainous province of Tusheti and the Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north, Russian Federation to the Northeast, Azerbaijan to the Southeast, and...
, Georgia (then part of Imperial Russia) to a wealthy aristocratic family, the son of Prince Nikoloz (Niko) Abkhazi and Princess Nino née Chavchavadze, the sister of the prominent Georgian writer and public figure Ilia Chavchavadze.
Abkhazi graduated from the Tbilisi Cadet Corps and the St. Petersburg Military Academy and joined the Russian army in 1890. Later, he was actively involved in Georgia's public life and sponsored several social and economic projects, including the construction of the Kakhetian railway between 1906 and 1913. In 1913, he was elected the marshal of nobility of the Tiflis Governorate
Tiflis Governorate
Tiflis Governorate was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire with its centre in Tiflis . In 1897 it constituted 44,607 sq. kilometres in area and had a population of 1,051,032 inhabitants...
, but he was called to an active army service with the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914. Being promoted to major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in 1914, he commanded an artillery brigade from 1914 to 1916. In 1916, he was elected to the State Duma of the Russian Empire
State Duma of the Russian Empire
The State Duma of the Russian Empire was a legislative assembly in the late Russian Empire, which met in the Taurida Palace in St. Petersburg. It was convened four times between 1906 and the collapse of the Empire in 1917.-History:...
for Tiflis.
Revolution
Returning to Georgia, he was reelected the marshal and helped find the National Democratic Party of Georgia in 1917. Under his leadership, Georgian nobility declared its property national. Abkhazi was involved in the establishment of Tbilisi State UniversityTbilisi State University
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University , better known as Tbilisi State University , is a university established on 8 February 1918 in Tbilisi, Georgia. TSU is the oldest university in the whole Caucasus region...
in February 1918 and in the proclamation of independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia
Democratic Republic of Georgia
The Democratic Republic of Georgia , 1918–1921, was the first modern establishment of a Republic of Georgia.The DRG was created after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917...
in May 1918. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly of Georgia
Constituent Assembly of Georgia
The Constituent Assembly of Georgia was a national legislature of the Democratic Republic of Georgia which was elected in February 1919 to ratify the Act of Independence of Georgia and enact the Constitution of 1921...
in 1919, and became a chairman of the National Democratic Party in 1920. Early in 1921, Georgia was occupied by
Red Army invasion of Georgia
The Red Army invasion of Georgia also known as the Soviet–Georgian War or the Soviet invasion of Georgia was a military campaign by the Soviet Russian Red Army against the Democratic Republic of Georgia aimed at overthrowing the Social-Democratic government and installing the Bolshevik regime...
Soviet Russia's Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, forcing the Georgian government to flee the country. Abkhazi stayed in Georgia, however, and joined the underground movement Committee for Independence of Georgia
Committee for Independence of Georgia
The Committee for the Independence of Georgia or the Parity Committee was an underground anti-Soviet organization active in the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic in the early 1920s. It is commonly known as "Damkom"...
where he headed its Military Center. He guided the organization of guerrilla groups in Pshavi
Pshavi
Pshavi is a small historic-geographic area in Georgia, included in today’s Mtskheta-Mtianeti region and laying chiefly on the southern foothills of the Greater Caucasus mountains along Aragvi River and the lower Iori River. The Pshavs, who are locally called the Pshaveli, speak a Georgian dialect...
-Khevsureti
Khevsureti
Khevsureti/Khevsuria is a historical-ethnographic region in eastern Georgia. They are the branch of Kartvelian people located along both the northern and southern slopes of the Great Caucasus...
, and Kakheti (1921–23). However, in March 1923, Abkhazi and 14 other members of the Military Center (Alexander Andronikashvili
Alexander Andronikashvili
Alexander Andronikashvili also known as Andronikov was a Georgian military commander and anti-Soviet resistance leader.Of an old noble family, Andronikashvili served in the Imperial Russian army and was promoted to the rank of general in World War I. He then served for the General Staff of the...
, Varden Tsulukidze
Varden Tsulukidze
Varden Tsulukidze was a Georgian military commander and anti-Soviet resistance leader.Of a noble family, Tsulukidze served in the Imperial Russian army and was promoted to the rank of major-general in World War I...
, Colonel Giorgi Khimshiashvili
Giorgi Khimshiashvili
Colonel Giorgi Khimshiashvili was member of Khimshiashvili Dynasty and nephew of Sherip KhimshiashviliThe Committee for the Independence of Georgia or the Parity Committee was an underground anti-Soviet organization active in the Georgian Soviet Socialist...
, Rostom Muskhelishvili, Mikheil Zandukeli, Simon Bagrationi-Mukhraneli, Parnaoz Karalashvili, Iason Kereselidze, Ivane Kutateladze, Simon Chiabrishvili
Simon Chiabrishvili
Simon Chiabrishvili , was a Georgian politician, and public figure, national-democrat. Member of anti-Soviet national-liberation movement in Georgia, he was arrested and executed by the Soviet security services....
, Alexandre Machavariani, Elizbar Gulisashvili, Levan Klimiashvili and Dimitri Chrdileli) were arrested by the GPU
State Political Directorate
The State Political Directorate was the secret police of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1934...
, and were shot for anti-Soviet activities on May 20, 1923. He is quoted to have said prior to the execution:
- I’m dying with joy, because I’m given an honor to be sacrificed for Georgia. My death will bring victory to Georgia!
Abkhazi’s son, Nicholas (died 1987) and his Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
-born spouse Peggy Pemberton Carter (died 1994) moved to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and, beginning from 1946, built a well-known "Abkhazi Garden" at Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
.
Literature
U. Sidamonidze. Abkhazi, Konstantine. Encyclopedia "Sakartvelo", vol. I, Tbilisi, 1997: pp. 256–257 Journal "Samshoblo", No: 21-22, Paris, 1937 Journal "Mkhedari", Paris, No: 2, 1929, pp. 22–23- Mikaberidze, Alexander (ed., 2007). Abkhazi, Constantine. The Dictionary of Georgian National Biography.