მარიამ გურეშიძე

In a 2025 article that was published in the scholarly journal "Oriental Studies Herald" No. 8(2), I explored the significance of King David the Builder's possession of Tbilisi, the origins of the Sufis who lived there, their tariqat affiliation, and the reasons the Georgian king paid them special attention. Archival documents served as the basis for the article. Tbilisi was a populous, important trade and craft center. This is confirmed by contemporary Georgian, Eastern, and European sources. Caravan routes converged in Tbilisi, through which trade relations were carried out, on the one hand, with the cities of the Eastern Transcaucasia and Iran, and on the other hand, with Constantinople via Erzurum. Thus, it is evident why Tbilisi's upkeep was so crucial to King David the Builder. Since the city has traditionally played a significant role in trade, a wide variety of individuals, including Sufis, have settled there. It is evident that Sufism expanded in the areas, nations, and cities where commercial relations were established. In the 14th century, for instance, the Qadiriyya Sufi Tariqa expanded to Syria and Iraq; in the 15th century, to Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, and Hijaz; and in the 16th century, to Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. Members of the Qadiriyya Tariqa spread over Sudan, Senegal, Guinea, Nigeria, and Mauritania in the sixteenth century. The city served as the social foundation for the Naqshbandi Sufi brotherhood, which had strong ties to business and industrial associations. The Volga region (city of Kazan) was affected in the 18th century by the Naqshbandi brotherhood, which was active in Central Asia. Archival records indicate that Sufis/dervishes were already residing in the capital following David the Builder's retention of Tbilisi. It is important to remember that Tbilisi was owned by Muslims for 400 years prior to its restoration. The report demonstrates that the Sufis/dervishes residing in Tbilisi were adherents of the Bektashi order of Sufism by contrasting archival records with scientific literature. It seems that adherents of the Qadiriyya and Naqshbandi Sufi orders were also Kurdish dervishes, according to research done on archival materials at the National Center of Manuscripts of Georgia. Thus, it is plausible that Tbilisi was also home to Kurdish dervishes who were followers of the Qadiriyya and Naqshbandi Sufi orders.