Duchy of Aragvi

Duchy of Aragvi არაგვის საერისთავო
Principalityof theKingdom of Kartli
1335-1743
Capital	Dusheti
Area
• Coordinates	42°09′49″N44°42′14″E
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Established	1335
• Disestablished	1743
Succeeded by Kingdom of Kakheti
Today part of	Georgia

TheDuchy of Aragvi(Georgian:არაგვის საერისთავო) was an important fiefdom in medieval and early modernGeorgia,strategically located in the upperAragvi valley,in the foothills of the easternGreater Caucasuscrest, and ruled by a succession oferistavi( "dukes") from c. 1380 until being transferred to the royal crown in 1747.

History

The first known dukes of Aragvi belonged to theHouse of Shaburisdzewhich flourished in the 13th century. From this house, the duchy passed to those of Tumanisdze and, finally, in the 16th century, to theHouse of Sidamoni.This latter change of power took place sometime after 1569, when an obscure nobleman of the Sidamoni clan, with the aid of thedukes of the Ksani,massacred the Tumanisdze family and took control of their possessions. In the process of time, the tenure of a duke of Aragvi became hereditary, and the eristavi ranked asmtavari,one of the "undivided" princely houses of Georgia.

The dukes of Aragvi had their residences atDushetiandSioni,and the main fortress atAnanuri.Bodornawas their familial abbey and a burial ground.Their possessions extended from the main ridge of the Great Caucasus in the north to the left bank of theMtkvari(Kura) in the south, and from theLiakhvi Riverin the west to the mountains ofAleviandGremiin the east – which formed the watershed between the valleys of theKsaniand theAragvi.As of the 1770 census, the duchy's population amounted to 3,300 households. The duchy controlled a vital road to theNorth Caucasus,which would later become theGeorgian Military Road,as well as the fertile area ofBazaleti.

Ananuri was a castle and seat of theeristavis(Dukes) of Aragvi.

The energetic 17th-century dukes of Aragvi –Nugzar,Zurab,and Zaal – waged a relentless struggle to achieve more autonomy from the royal authority ofKartlias well as to subdue the free mountainous communities ofPshavi-KhevsuretiandErtso-Tianeti.

In 1743, the rebellious Aragvians killed their duke Bezhan and surrendered the duchy toTeimuraz II,a Georgian king of Kartli. Teimuraz converted the duchy into a royalappanageand gave it to his grandson PrinceVakhtang.The surviving members of the ducal family were later removed by Teimuraz's sonErekle IItoKakhetiand granted a smaller estate. Vakhtang died in 1756 and was succeeded by his brothers, first byLevan(died 1781), and then byVakhtang-Almaskhan,who was sent into exile by theRussians,once theytook control of Georgia,in 1803. Later, the descendants of the dukes of Aragvi attempted to restore their titles and patrimonial estates in the Aragvi valley, but to no avail. In 1828, theRussian Senateruled their claims to be groundless.

List of dukes of Aragvi

Shaburidze

• c. 1380: Mihai
• c. 1430: Shanshe I
• c. 1440: Nugzar I
• c. 1465–1474: Vameq I

Sidamoni

• 1558–1580: Jason I
  • Founder of Sidamoni dynasty, recognized asEristav of Aragviby King Simeon of Georgia 1558
• 1580–1600: Avtandil I
  • Son of Jason I
• 1600–1611:Nugzar I
  • Grandson of Jason I by brother of Avtandil I, Baadur
• 1611–1619: Baadur I
  • Son of Nugzar I
• 1619–1629:Zurab I
  • Son of Nugzar I
• 1629–1635: David I
  • Son of Nugzar I
• 1635–1660: Zaal I
  • Son of Nugzar I
• 1660–1666: Otar I
  • Grandson of Nugzar I by brother of Baadur I; George
• 1666–1687: Revaz I
  • Son of Nugzar I
• 1687-1687: Jason II
  • Grandson of Nugzar I by brother of Baadur I; George (brother of Otar I)
• 1687–1696: Baadur II
  • Son of Otar I
• 1696–1723: George I
  • Son of Otar I
• 1723–1724: Otar II
  • Son of George I
• 1724–1730: Teimuraz I
  • Son of Jason II, first cousin once removed of Otar II
• 1730–1735: Revaz II
  • Son of George I
• 1735–1739: Bardzim I
  • Son of George I

Pretenders/Anti-Eristavi

• 1729-1742: Revaz III
• 1742-1743: Bezhan I

(Both installed by the Turks)

Non-dynastic

• 1743–1747:Givi II,PrinceAmilakhvari
• 1747: Annexion by the Kingdom of Kakheti

Bagrationi appanage

• 1747–1756:Prince Vakhtang of Georgia
• 1756–1766: Vacant (royal domain)
• 1766–1781:Prince Levan of Georgia
• 1782–1801:Prince Vakhtang-Almaskhan of Georgia
• 1801: annexation by Russia.