Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor
Tbilisi/ Georgia
Abstract
As is known from history, the Caucasus region has been one of the main battlegrounds for various types of invaders for centuries. In this regard, due to its convenient geo-strategic location, Georgia was an object of special interest. Therefore, it was always considered a hot spot and, willingly or unwillingly, was involved in global-scale processes, the balancing of which required flexible and careful political steps on the part of the authorities. However, in certain critical situations, individual Georgian kings were forced to radically change the form and face of their political orientation, which was directly related to the situation in the South Caucasus and in general, on the international arena of the Middle East. In such cases, heavy battles and truces, confrontations and peaceful diplomatic relations periodically alternated, which were also accompanied by processes of dialogue of cultures and mutual influence.
In this context, the presentation of the interdependence of Eastern Georgia, in particular Kakheti, and Iran in the first quarter of the 16th century is noteworthy. It is also worth emphasizing that the founder of the Safavid state, Shah Ismail I, immediately after taking the throne, turned his main attention to Georgia, which was followed by a whole cycle of Qizilbash campaigns in different parts of Georgia. This time, attention is focused on the adequate response actions taken by the Kingdom of Kakheti at the final stage of the aforementioned campaigns, in particular, on the powerful anti-Iranian uprisings organized by King Levan in 1521 and 1524, their causes and consequences. The mentioned historical events are of particular interest, as they are directly related to the issue of the presence or absence of Shah Ismail I in Georgia, on which there are differences of opinion in scientific circles.
The issues presented in the work are discussed on the basis of the comparison and critical analysis of data from Georgian, Persian, Turkish and European written sources, as a result of which appropriate conclusions are drawn. The study is based on academic research methods proven in historiography, which involves the search for cause-and-effect relationships, comparative-historical and content-analysis methods in order to draw objective conclusions.
Keywords: Georgia, Kakheti, rebellion, Shah Ismail I, Iran.