Nikoloz Cholokashvili
Encyclopedia
Nikoloz Cholokashvili , known in Europe
as Niceforo Irbachi, (1585-1658), was a Georgia
n Orthodox priest, politician and diplomat.
Born into a prominent aristocratic family, he was educated at a Greek
clerical school in Italy
. From 1608 to 1614, he served later a priest at the court of Teimuraz I
, king
of Kakheti
, eastern Georgia
. During the invasion by Shah
Abbas I
in 1614, he left for Jerusalem. In 1625, Teimuraz assigned him to lead an embassy to Europe
in order to get support against the Persian aggression. The mission, however, went in vain; the Europeans at that time were too involved in the Thirty-Years War to be concerned about the fate of a small Christian
kingdom in the Caucasus
. While visiting Rome
, he helped to publish a Georgian dictionary, the first printed book in Georgian
, in 1629. Upon returning in Georgia, he was ordained as a senior priest at Metekhi
Church, Tbilisi
, 1629-1632. In 1632, he was invited by the Mingrelian prince Levan II Dadiani, and appointed him as a minister. From 1643 to 1649, he lived again in Jerusalem, where he served as an archimandrite
of the Georgian Monastery of the Cross
. He returned to Mingrelia in 1649, and was consecrated as Catholicos of Abkhazia (western Georgia) in 1650. After the death of Levan II (1657), Nicholas was arrested by the new prince Vamek III Dadiani, and passed in imprisonment in 1658.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as Niceforo Irbachi, (1585-1658), was a 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...
n Orthodox priest, politician and diplomat.
Born into a prominent aristocratic family, he was educated at a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
clerical school in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. From 1608 to 1614, he served later a priest at the court of Teimuraz I
Teimuraz I of Kakheti
Teimuraz I , of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a Georgian monarch who ruled, with intermissions, as King of Kakheti from 1605 to 1648 and also of Kartli from 1625 to 1633...
, king
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of Kakheti
Kakheti
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...
, eastern 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...
. During the invasion by Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
Abbas I
Abbas I of Persia
Shāh ‘Abbās the Great was Shah of Iran, and generally considered the greatest ruler of the Safavid dynasty. He was the third son of Shah Mohammad....
in 1614, he left for Jerusalem. In 1625, Teimuraz assigned him to lead an embassy to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in order to get support against the Persian aggression. The mission, however, went in vain; the Europeans at that time were too involved in the Thirty-Years War to be concerned about the fate of a small 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...
kingdom 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...
. While visiting Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he helped to publish a Georgian dictionary, the first printed book in Georgian
Georgian language
Georgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
, in 1629. Upon returning in Georgia, he was ordained as a senior priest at Metekhi
Metekhi
Metekhi is a historic neighborhood of Tbilisi, Georgia, located on the elevated cliff that overlooks the Mtkvari river.- History :The district was one of the earliest inhabited areas on the city’s territory...
Church, 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...
, 1629-1632. In 1632, he was invited by the Mingrelian prince Levan II Dadiani, and appointed him as a minister. From 1643 to 1649, he lived again in Jerusalem, where he served as an archimandrite
Archimandrite
The title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
of the Georgian Monastery of the Cross
Monastery of the Cross
The Monastery of the Cross is a monastery near the Nayot neighborhood of Jerusalem, Israel. It is located in the Valley of the Cross, below the Israel Museum and the Knesset.- History :...
. He returned to Mingrelia in 1649, and was consecrated as Catholicos of Abkhazia (western Georgia) in 1650. After the death of Levan II (1657), Nicholas was arrested by the new prince Vamek III Dadiani, and passed in imprisonment in 1658.
External links
- Libreria Alberto Govi (Italian)