Kakheti
|
კახეთი |
|
|---|---|
| Region within Georgia | |
Coat of arms of Georgia |
Flag of Georgia |
 .svg) |
|
| National languages | Georgian and minority languages |
| ethnicities | According to the 2002 census: Georgians (83.9%) Azeri (9.8%) Kisten (1.7%) Ossetians (1.5%) Russians (0.9%) Armenians (0.9%) |
| Religions | according to the 2002 census: Orthodox (86.0%) Muslims (12.6%) |
| Capital | Telavi |
| Biggest cities | Telavi (about 22,000 Ew.) |
| Status within Georgia | region |
| surface | 11,309.5 km² |
| Total population | 319,144 (2014) |
| Population density | 28.2 inhabitants / km 2 |
| governor | |
| website | www.kakheti.gov.ge |
Kakheti ( Georgian კახეთი Kakheti ; completely კახეთის მხარე Kachetis Mchare ) is an administrative region in the east of Georgia and the name of an ancient state in this area on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus .
history
Emergence
The Principality of Kakheti emerged in the middle of the 8th century when it split off from the Emirate of Tbilisi (former Kingdom of Iberia ). The starting point for the formation of the state was the area of the Zanars (today's Chewi) and the surrounding mountainous region, which eluded the Arab demands for tribute. Despite several attempts by the Arabs to bring the area back under their rule, it was able to maintain its independence. A solid state structure of Kakheti could develop up to the beginning of the 9th century. It also became increasingly powerful than the Arab-influenced emirate. Its capital was after expansion to the lowlands only Bododschi, then in the 11th century Telavi .
Rise of the Principality
Around the year 900 under Prince Grigol, Kakheti also ruled the principality of Inner Kartlien. Then a fight broke out for Kartlien , which Grigol lost and could only keep a few areas of Kartlien. From the 1940s onwards, Kakheti supported the Emirate of Tbilisi against the Arabs. In 853 the kachers were able to inflict heavy losses on the Arab troops under Bugha. The Arabs were largely ousted from Georgia, the emirate in Kartlien posed no threat to Kakheti. However, in the devastating campaign of the Arab emir Abul-Kasim against Georgia from 908 to 914, the castles of Udscharma and Botschorma fell into Arab hands. But the campaign ended very lightly for the Kachen.
Kakheti was able to enlarge its territory several times at the expense of Heretia . Thus, in the second half of the 9th century, Kakheti was able to claim western areas of Heretia, which were lost in the 30s of the 10th century. In the 60s of the same century, Heretia was able to conquer some Kakheti areas, as Kakheti also waged a war against the strengthened Egrisi-Abkhazia . At the end of the 10th century, Kakheti succeeded in completely conquering Heretia. It then belonged to the most powerful Georgian states. However, the Kakhetians did not succeed in preventing the occupation of Inner Cartlia by Tao-Klardschetien and the unification of Tao-Klardschetien and Egrisi-Abkhazia to a united kingdom of Georgia 1000 AD.
Association of Georgia
Bagrat III. , King of the whole Kingdom of Georgia since 1008, wanted to complete the unification of Georgia and conquered Kakheti as well as Heretia. But under his son Giorgi I , who ascended the throne in 1014, Heretia and Kakheti broke away from his kingdom. After that, the Georgian kings often tried to conquer Kakheti-Heretia. Bagrat IV in particular undertook several campaigns with varying success. In the 1060s, Bagrat succeeded in conquering Kakheti-Heretia up to the upper reaches of the Alazani . But then the Seljuks invaded the country and the Kakheti king Aghsartani allied himself with them. In this way, Kakheti was able to maintain its independence, even after Bagrat of Georgia had almost conquered Kakheti again in 1067. A force made up of Armenians , Kachi, Seljuks and Tblisians advanced into Georgia in 1068, but was repulsed.
In the unrest after Bagrat's death under Giorgi II , the Kachen were able to occupy the Ksani area in 1072 . But when the Seljuks marched into Georgia, the Kache helped the Georgian king.
King Dawit IV of Georgia was able to finally unite Kakheti-Heretia with the Georgian kingdom in 1104.
Part of Georgia and Mongol Conquest
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Dawit IV incorporated Kakheti into his centralized Georgian state with the support of the local princes. At the time, it was the most powerful in the Caucasus region. After the conquest of Azerbaijan in 1225 by the ruler of Khoresmia , Jalal ad-Din , who was besieged by the Mongols , he wanted to take Georgia as well. But this was prevented for the time being by an uprising in Azerbaijan. A year later, however, he was able to occupy Georgia as far as the Lichi Mountains and thus also Kakheti. Even an alliance of the Georgians and the Islamic states could not defeat him. But the Mongols defeated him in 1230 and conquered his empire, so that Georgia was reunited for a short time. In 1235, when the Mongols approached, the king and many princes fled to western Georgia, and eastern Georgia with Kakheti fell largely into the hands of the Mongols without a fight. So Kakheti became part of the Mongolian Empire, which was specified again in the peace treaty of 1242, and after its division in 1254 to the Il-Chan Empire .
In the years that followed, there were frequent revolts against Mongol rule in the area of Kakheti, but all of them were unsuccessful.
From the newly acquired independence until today
In the 1460s, Kakheti again became an independent kingdom. In 1762 it was united with the Kingdom of Kartlien and thus formed one of the largest of the Georgian states of that time. Weakened by the ongoing Persian invasions at the end of the 18th century, the Kingdom of Kartlien-Kakheti was annexed to the Russian Empire in 1801 .
From 1918 to 1921 Kakheti was part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia , from 1922 to 1936 the Transcaucasian SFSR and from 1936 to 1991 the Georgian SSR . It has been an administrative region of Georgia since 1991. The capital is Telavi. It is divided into eight municipalities (munizipaliteti) , which are named after their administrative centers Akhmeta , Dedopliszqaro , Gurdschaani , Lagodechi , Qwareli , Sighnaghi , Sagaredscho and Telavi.
economy
Kakheti, a very structurally weak region in Georgia, is heavily dominated by agriculture. The service and industrial sectors are practically idle. An exception is tourism , which, like the modernization of the transport infrastructure, which has been driven forward with great effort, has been recognized as the sector with the greatest potential.
Agriculture
The capital Tbilisi receives daily supplies of fruit and vegetables grown in Kakheti, primarily in the Alasani Basin . This is also where the viticulture takes place, which characterizes this extremely fertile part of Georgia. Wine is produced in Kwareli , Telawi and Tsinandali in particular , which can also survive internationally and is repeatedly awarded with relevant prizes.
tourism
Kakheti is the most visited region of Georgia by tourists. In terms of transport, it is very well connected to the capital, so that the numerous tourist destinations are also attractive for day-trippers. In the touristically developed areas there is a gastronomic infrastructure developed for Georgian conditions outside the capital, both with regard to accommodation (hotels, guest houses, bed & breakfasts) and with regard to culinary supply (restaurants). The most popular destinations in Kakheti are the cities of Sighnaghi , which the government of the incumbent Georgian President Saakashvili has extensively renovated and developed for tourism, at least in the center, and the capital Telavi . Tourism in Kakheti can be divided into three categories subdivide: tourism interested in culture, nature and culinary delights, which is primarily oriented towards the tourist customs of the country, but is increasingly geared towards more affluent foreign groups with their different demands.
Cultural tourism
On the slopes of the central Gombori ridge facing the Alazani valley , there are numerous sacred buildings of great art-historical importance, often in a secluded location, whose tourist development is promoted with great priority. In the southwest, in the border area with Azerbaijan and partly on its territory, lies the oldest monastery in Georgia, Dawit Gareja .
Nature tourism
Kakheti also has attractive offers for nature tourists. In the north, in the main ridge of the Greater Caucasus, is the Tusheti region , which is quite well developed for mountain hiking. Mostly small organizers offer trekking and riding tours here. In the middle east lies the Lagodechi National Park with its unique Caucasian fauna and flora. Its very desirable and promoted tourist use for hikers on foot and on horseback is strictly organized and monitored by the park administration. In the southeast of Kakheti, on the border with Azerbaijan, there is the Vashlovani National Park , which is characterized by a completely different landscape character . Its tourist use is in the more or less careful development; Ecotourism in particular is the focus of tourism developers in this still young national park.
Culinary tourism
Wine tastings are very popular in Kakheti and are therefore offered to a significant extent for tourists. There is a separate infrastructure for this, ranging from wine tastings at individual winemakers to those in halls set up especially for this purpose at more industrial wine-growing companies.
See also
literature
- Heinz Fähnrich : History of Georgia from the beginnings to Mongol rule . Shaker, Aachen 1993, ISBN 3-86111-683-9 .
Web links
- Information from the Statistical Office of Georgia (Georgian, English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ethnic groups in Georgia according to the 2002 National Census (pdf) ( Memento from August 31, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Religions according to the National Census 2002 (pdf) ( Memento from August 31, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from May 1, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c Fähnrich, 1993, p. 103 ff.
- ↑ Fähnrich, 1993, p. 122 ff.
- ↑ a b Fähnrich, 1993, p. 124 ff.
Coordinates: 41 ° 45 ' N , 45 ° 45' E