Georgia within the Russian Empire

Substate | Defunct

1801 CE to 1918 CE

The country of Georgia becomes part of the Russian Empire in the nineteenth century.

Throughout the early modern period, the Muslim Ottoman and Persian empires had fought over various fragmented Georgian kingdoms and principalities; by the eighteenth century, Russia had emerged as the new imperial power in the region.

Since Russia was an Orthodox Christian state like Georgia, the Georgians increasingly sought Russian help.

In 1783, Heraclius II of the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti had forged an alliance with the Russian Empire, whereby the kingdom became a Russian protectorate and abjured any dependence on its suzerain Persia.

The Russo-Georgian alliance, however, backfires as Russia is unwilling to fulfill the terms of the treaty, proceeding to annex the troubled kingdom in 1801, and reducing it to the status of a Russian region (Georgia Governorate).

In 1810, the western Georgian kingdom of Imereti is annexed as well.

Russian rule over Georgia is eventually acknowledged in various peace treaties with Persia and the Ottomans, and the remaining Georgian territoriesare absorbed by the Russian Empire in a piecemeal fashion in the course of the nineteenth century.

Until 1918, Georgia will be part of the Russian Empire.

Russian rule offers the Georgians security from external threats, but it is also often heavy-handed and insensitive to locals.

By the late nineteenth century, discontent with the Russian authorities leads to a growing national movement.

The Russian Imperial period, however, brings unprecedented social and economic change to Georgia, with new social classes emerging: the emancipation of the serfs frees many peasants but does little to alleviate their poverty; the growth of capitalism creates an urban working class in Georgia.

Both peasants and workers find expression for their discontent through revolts and strikes, culminating in the Revolution of 1905.

Their cause is championed by the socialist Mensheviks, who becaome the dominant political force in Georgia in the final years of Russian rule.

Georgia finally wins its independence in 1918, less as a result of the nationalists' and socialists' efforts, than from the collapse of the Russian Empire in the First World War.

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