Vakhtang V of Kartli
Encyclopedia
Vakhtang V (1618–1675) was the king of Kartli
(eastern Georgia
) from 1658 until his death, who ruled as a vassal wali
for the Persian shah
. He is also known under the name of Shah Nawaz, which he assumed on being obliged outwardly to conform to Islam
.
an branch of the house of Bagrationi, and succeeded his cousin, David, as the Lord of Mukhrani (Mukhranbatoni) in 1629. He was adopted, in 1653, by the childless ruler of Kartli, Rostom Khan
, as his heir and successor to the throne. Vakhtang went to Persia, in 1654, to be confirmed by Abbas II
, accepted Islam and took the name Shah Nawaz. He lived for some time in Persia at the court of Abbas, with whom he enjoyed great favour. As regent, he actually ran the government in the last years of Rostom, succeeding him as wali/king of Kartli in 1658.
Vakhtang V (Shahnawaz) followed the policy of his predecessor, managing to maintain a peaceful relationship with his Persian suzerains and to revive the economy of Kartli. Upon his accession, he made efforts to bring other Georgian polities under his control. In 1659, he had Zaal of the Aragvi, an anti-Persian rebel lord and virtual ruler of neighbouring Kakheti
, assassinated, and confiscated a large portion of his estates. Shahnawaz then intervened in bitter power struggles in western Georgia; he allied himself with the princes of Mingrelia, Guria
, and Abkhazia
, and put his son, Archil
, on the throne of Imereti
in 1661, but after the intervention of the Ottomans
was to recall his son and to place him, with the shah’s permission, on the throne of Kakheti in 1664. In 1674, Erekle I, a grandson of the late king Teimuraz I of Kakheti
, returned from exile in Russia
to claim his succession. He was soon summoned to Iran by Shah Suleiman I
. Archil thought that the shah would install Erekle as King of Kakheti and therefore attempted, though vainly, to seize the throne of Imereti. Unsuccessful in his efforts, he then fled, together with his brother, Luarsab, to Ahiska (Akhaltsikhe
) in Ottoman territory. The shah reacted to this by ordering Shahnawaz to Isfahan
. Shahnawaz left his son, George
, to rule Kartli and himself began his journey to Persia. He died, however, on the road at Khoskaro, Ganja, in September 1675, and was buried in Qum, Iran
.
(divorced around 1659, she later became a nun under the name of Catherine and died at Tbilisi in 1691), and then to Mariam (died 1682), widow of his adopted father Rostom.
He had several children:
, The Last years of the Georgian Monarchy, 1658-1832 Kings of Kartli at the Royal Ark
Kartli
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...
(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...
) from 1658 until his death, who ruled as a vassal wali
Wali
Walī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
for the Persian 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:...
. He is also known under the name of Shah Nawaz, which he assumed on being obliged outwardly to conform to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Life
The son of Bagrat Bagration-Mukhraneli, Vakhtang was the first Georgian ruler of the MukhraniHouse of Mukhrani
The house of Mukhrani is a Georgian princely family, a collateral branch of the former royal dynasty of Bagrationi of which it sprung early in the 16th century, and received in appanage the domain of Mukhrani located in Kartli, central Georgia...
an branch of the house of Bagrationi, and succeeded his cousin, David, as the Lord of Mukhrani (Mukhranbatoni) in 1629. He was adopted, in 1653, by the childless ruler of Kartli, Rostom Khan
Rostom of Kartli
Rostom or Rustam Khan was a ruler of Kartli, eastern Georgia, from 1633 until his death. Appointed by a Persian shah as a Wāli of Kartli, he styled himself king of kings and sovereign.- Life :...
, as his heir and successor to the throne. Vakhtang went to Persia, in 1654, to be confirmed by Abbas II
Abbas II of Persia
Shah Abbas II was Shah of Iran from 1642 to 1666. He was the seventh Shah of the Safavid Dynasty. He was the son of Shah Safi I and a Circassian, Anna Khanum, and originally bore the name Sultan Muhammed Mirza before his coronation on May 15, 1642...
, accepted Islam and took the name Shah Nawaz. He lived for some time in Persia at the court of Abbas, with whom he enjoyed great favour. As regent, he actually ran the government in the last years of Rostom, succeeding him as wali/king of Kartli in 1658.
Vakhtang V (Shahnawaz) followed the policy of his predecessor, managing to maintain a peaceful relationship with his Persian suzerains and to revive the economy of Kartli. Upon his accession, he made efforts to bring other Georgian polities under his control. In 1659, he had Zaal of the Aragvi, an anti-Persian rebel lord and virtual ruler of neighbouring 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...
, assassinated, and confiscated a large portion of his estates. Shahnawaz then intervened in bitter power struggles in western Georgia; he allied himself with the princes of Mingrelia, Guria
Guria
Guria is a region in Georgia, in the western part of the country, bordered by the eastern end of the Black Sea. The region has a population of 143,357 and Ozurgeti is a regional capital.-Geography:...
, and Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
, and put his son, Archil
Archil of Imereti
Archil , was a Georgian prince of the Bagrationi Dynasty and poet. He ruled as king of Imereti in western Georgia and of Kakheti in eastern Georgia...
, on the throne of Imereti
Imereti
Imereti is a province in Georgia situated along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni river. It consists of the following Georgian administrative-territorial units:#Kutaisi #Baghdati region#Vani region#Zestafoni region...
in 1661, but after the intervention of the Ottomans
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...
was to recall his son and to place him, with the shah’s permission, on the throne of Kakheti in 1664. In 1674, Erekle I, a grandson of the late king Teimuraz I of Kakheti
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...
, returned from exile in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to claim his succession. He was soon summoned to Iran by Shah Suleiman I
Suleiman I of Persia
Suleiman I was a Safavid shah of Persia who reigned between 1666 and 1694. He was the elder son of the previous shah Abbas II and a Circassian slave, Nakihat Khanum....
. Archil thought that the shah would install Erekle as King of Kakheti and therefore attempted, though vainly, to seize the throne of Imereti. Unsuccessful in his efforts, he then fled, together with his brother, Luarsab, to Ahiska (Akhaltsikhe
Akhaltsikhe
Akhaltsikhe is a small city in Georgia's southwestern region of Samtskhe-Javakheti. It is situated on the both banks of a small river Potskhovi, which separates the city to the old city in the north and new in the south. The name of the city translates from Georgian as "new fortress".- History...
) in Ottoman territory. The shah reacted to this by ordering Shahnawaz to Isfahan
Isfahan (city)
Isfahan , historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan or Hispahan, is the capital of Isfahan Province in Iran, located about 340 km south of Tehran. It has a population of 1,583,609, Iran's third largest city after Tehran and Mashhad...
. Shahnawaz left his son, George
George XI of Kartli
George XI was a Georgian monarch who ruled Eastern Georgia from 1676 to 1688 and again from 1703 to 1709. He is best known for his struggle against the Safavid Persia which dominated his weakened kingdom. Being an Eastern Orthodox Christian, he converted to Islam prior to his appointment as...
, to rule Kartli and himself began his journey to Persia. He died, however, on the road at Khoskaro, Ganja, in September 1675, and was buried in Qum, 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...
.
Family and children
Vakhtang was married twice, first to Rodam nee Qaplanishvili-OrbelianiHouse of Orbeliani
The Orbeliani was a Georgian noble family , which branched off the Baratashvili family in the 17th century and later produced several lines variously called Orbeliani, Orbelishvili , Qaplanishvili , and Jambakur-Orbeliani...
(divorced around 1659, she later became a nun under the name of Catherine and died at Tbilisi in 1691), and then to Mariam (died 1682), widow of his adopted father Rostom.
He had several children:
- ArchilArchil of ImeretiArchil , was a Georgian prince of the Bagrationi Dynasty and poet. He ruled as king of Imereti in western Georgia and of Kakheti in eastern Georgia...
, sometime king of Kakheti, and Imereti - GeorgeGeorge XI of KartliGeorge XI was a Georgian monarch who ruled Eastern Georgia from 1676 to 1688 and again from 1703 to 1709. He is best known for his struggle against the Safavid Persia which dominated his weakened kingdom. Being an Eastern Orthodox Christian, he converted to Islam prior to his appointment as...
(Gurgin Khan), king of Kartli - Alexander (Iskander Mirza in Persia) (died ca 1699), who served in 1667 as a darogha (prefect) of the Persian capital Isfahan.
- LevanLevan (son of Vakhtang V)Prince Levan , also known by his Persian name Shah-Quli Khan was a Georgian prince and the fourth son of the king of Kartli Shahnawaz .In 1675, he was confirmed as a janisin of Kartli during the absence of his reigning brother, George XI Prince Levan (ლევან ბატონიშვილი, Levan Batonishvili), also...
(Shah-Quli Khan), regent of Kartli - Luarsab (1660-1698)
- Solomon (Suleiman Mirza) (1671-1703)
- A daughter (anonymous) who married, in 1655, Duke Zurab of Aragvi
- A daughter, Anuka, who was married twice, first (1660) to the Persian shah Abbas II, and second (1668), after his death, to a Persian prince Shah-Verdi Khan of Luristan.
- A daughter, Tamar (died 1694), who married, in 1686, the Georgian nobleman, Givi Zedginidze-Amilakhvari, and became a nun, in 1696, in her widowhood.
- An anonymous daughter who was married to the Persian shah Sultan Hoseyn IHusayn (Safavid)Sultan Husayn was a Safavid king of Iran . He ruled from 1694 until he was overthrown in 1722 by Shah Mahmud Hotaki, an Afghan warrior of Pashtun ethnic background...
.
External links and references
Political history of Georgia 1658-1703, excerpt from David Marshall LangDavid Marshall Lang
David Marshall Lang , was a Professor of Caucasian Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He was one of the most productive British scholars who specialized in Georgian, Armenian and ancient Bulgarian history.David M...
, The Last years of the Georgian Monarchy, 1658-1832 Kings of Kartli at the Royal Ark