THE STRUGGLE OF GEORGIAN KINGS AGAINST THE AFGHANS IN THE FIRST THIRD OF THE 18TH CENTURY. ACCORDING TO SEKHNIA CHKEIDZE’S "THE LIVES OF KING".
Abstract
Among the sources of the socio-economic and political history of the Safavid state, in addition to the narrative composed in the Persian language itself, the writings of foreigners are also of great importance; For the history of the first quarter of the 18th century, not a single important work can be found in the Persian language. This is not a coincidence, as Safavid Iran was experiencing a general political, economic and cultural decline. The decline of culture could not prevent the development of historiography. In the history of the Safavid state, Soltan-Hossein was the first shah who did not have his own historian. The temporarily dominant Afghans in Iran would be less able to fill this void, as they had severed all ties with Iranian society. In addition, as Prof. V. Gabashvili notes, "Persian writers were reluctant to write the history of Iran's "national shame" (Gabashvili, 1955:35). For the history of Iran of this period, we have sources compiled mainly in Western European, Armenian and Georgian languages. It is also worth noting that the authors of these essays had to stay in Iran for a long time and described the events they saw with their own eyes. In this regard, Sekhnia Chkheidze's historical work "The Life of Kings", which covers the period from 1653 to 1739, is very interesting. Sekhnia Chkheidze, Papuna Orbeliani and Oman Sekheulidze provide a coherent narrative of the history of Georgia in the 17th-18th centuries, which, separately and together, makes their contribution to Georgian historiography very important. Iv. Javakhishvili, D. Gvritishvili, Sh. Khantadze, M. Gobejishvili, G. Anchabadze, N. Nakashidze, V. Gabashvili and others, but many things are still to be studied and presented in this regard. The article discusses the importance of Sekhnia Chkheidze's writings for the study of the history of the second half of the 17th century and the first half of the 18th century, and not only Georgia (we mean Iran, Afghanistan...). In the province of Eastern Iran, the Afghan and Baluchi tribes clashed. Shah Sultan-Hussein assigned Georgians, in particular, Giorgi XI, who appointed him as the commander of the army and the governor of Kandahar, to repulse the Marbi troops. Sekhnia has described in detail the military operations in the territory of Kirman and Sistan. The article focuses on these long and difficult wars, in which many Georgians were sacrificed, as well as on the tragic fate of King Giorgi and then KaikhaaAosro.
I think the public should know more about the struggle of the Georgian kings against the Afghans in the first third of the 18th century. More information about these events can be found in “The Lives of Kings” by S. Chkheidze, presented to us.
Key words: Kartli; Iran; Isfahan; Afghans (Ghilzais, Baluchis); Kandahar; rebellion; Georgian cavalry; Beglabeg.
