INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN GEORGIA AND TURK-SELJUK STATE AS DESCRIBED IN THE GEORGIAN HISTORICAL SOURCES (UP TO 70-IES OF THE XI CENTURY)
Abstract
Many significant documentary materials can be found among the Georgian historical sources on interrelations between Georgia and Turk Seljuk State. The historical sources which are discussed in the represented work consider the interrelations between the Georgians and Seljuk Turks within the XI century. Among the historical sources which are discussed in this work the earliest is the document dated by the year 1029 in which the Georgian king Bagrat IV delivers the details of the fight against the Turkish sultan.
The details of the invasion of Turk Seljuks in 1057 can be found in the old historical writings. They are also described in one of such writings which are named also as the deed, delivered by Bagrat IV to Shio Mghvimeli Lavra. This deed concerns the serious damages caused by the wars inspired by the Turk Seljuks fighting against Georgia, the facts of ruining the estates of the Lavra and also, how the king of Georgia delivered some estates to the Lavra as donations.
Two historical scripts were found in the historical regions of Georgia: in Javakheti (known as the script of Mirashkhan) and in the inside part of the region of Kartli (in Georgian: Shida Kartli) known as the script of Trekhvi. Both of them consider the battles headed by Turkish warrior Alf Arslan aiming to occupy the Kartli region which represents quite a large part of Georgia.
The XI century hagiographical piece of work “The life of Giorgi Mtatsmindeli” gives us the description of circumstances of life in Georgia in the 60-ies of the XI century; one of the most important and interesting issue of the mentioned work is the description of the hard times for the town Akhalkalaki which became absolutely devastated during the above mentioned times, by Alf-Arslan, the sultan of Turk Seljuks.
In the process of studying the interrelations between Georgia and Seljuks State the historical work of the XI century “Historical Review of Georgia” (in Georgian “matiane kartlisa”) is of great historical importance. The author of this work apparently is familiar with the political circumstances of those times in Georgia, namely of the 40-ies - 70-ies of the XI century. The important historical events of the Turk Seljuks times are described and discussed.
The last source which is discussed in the represented paper is the work which is titled as “Description of the Georgian Kingdom” (in Geo: “aghtsera sameposa sakartvelosa”) is written by Georgian historian of those times, Vakhushti Batonishvili. The author discussing the interrelations of Georgia and Turk Seljuks points out the dates and the interesting facts which were taking place in those times. The mentioned historical work is unique because of its historical importance, namely, giving the historical events in details and supported by real facts and sources.
The authors of the mentioned sources (except Vakhushti Batonishvili) were the contemporaries’ of the described events. This makes the preserved historical facts to be more believable. The Georgian historians not only described the historical facts but quite often they analyzed those events as well and gave them the appropriate evaluation.
Keywords: Georgia; Turk Seljuks; historical sources; Alf Arslan; Bagrat IV.
