Treaty of Georgievsk

The 1783 treaty placed the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti under Russian protection while preserving its ruling dynasty and internal government.

Kartli-Kakheti: An eastern Georgian kingdom formed by the union of Kartli and Kakheti in 1762. The kingdom whose protection and dynastic succession the treaty addressed.
Caucasus: A region between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, including the Greater Caucasus mountain range. Control of this crossroads shaped the treaty’s strategic stakes.
Tbilisi: The capital of Georgia, located on the banks of the Kura River. The city was sacked after the treaty failed to shield Kartli-Kakheti from the 1795 invasion.
Treaty of Amasya: A 1555 agreement that divided spheres of influence in the Caucasus between the Ottoman and Safavid empires. It represents an earlier imperial settlement of the region, unlike Russia’s direct protectorate arrangement.
Heraclius II of Georgia: The king of Kartli-Kakheti from 1762 to 1798, who sought Russian protection against regional threats. He negotiated the treaty to secure his kingdom while retaining its throne.
Qajar Iran: An Iranian dynasty that ruled from 1789 to 1925 and pursued power in the Caucasus. Iranian pressure helped drive Heraclius II to seek Russian protection.
George XII of Georgia: The last king of Kartli-Kakheti, whose reign ended with Russian annexation in 1801. His succession dispute and appeals to Russia preceded the monarchy’s abolition.
Treaty of Turkmenchay: An 1828 treaty ending the Russo-Persian War and transferring further Caucasian territories to Russia. It shows how Russian expansion continued beyond the protectorate established at Georgievsk.
Catherine the Great: Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, whose reign expanded Russian influence in the Caucasus. Her government accepted Russia’s protective role and its obligations under the treaty.
Ottoman Empire: A multiethnic empire centered on Anatolia that lasted from the late thirteenth century to 1922. Ottoman influence in the Caucasus formed part of the regional rivalry behind the agreement.

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