Dvaleti ( ka, დვალეთი; also ''Tvaleti - თვალეთი'') was a historical and ethnographic region in medieval

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. Territory in the central part of the

Greater Caucasus Mountains The Greater Caucasus ( az, Böyük Qafqaz, Бөјүк Гафгаз, بيوک قافقاز; ka, დიდი კავკასიონი, ''Didi K’avk’asioni''; russian: Большой Кавказ, ''Bolshoy Kavkaz'', sometimes translat ...

, between

Mamison Pass Mamison Pass ( ka, მამისონის უღელტეხილი, os, Мамысоны æфцæг amysony æfcæg russian: Мамисонский перевал) is a high mountainous pass in the central Greater Caucasus crest, on t ...

and

Darial Gorge The Darial Gorge ( ka, დარიალის ხეობა, ''Darialis Kheoba''; russian: Дарьяльское ущелье; os, Арвыком, ''Arvykom''; inh, Даьра Аьле, ''Dära Äle''; Chechen: Теркан чӀаж, ''Te ...

was associated with

Dvaleti Dvaleti ( ka, დვალეთი; also ''Tvaleti - თვალეთი'') was a historical and ethnographic region in medieval Georgia. Territory in the central part of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, between Mamison Pass and Darial Gorge ...

. According to Vakhusthi Bagrationi territory of Dvaleti included several gorges, namely: , Zramaga, , , , and . Some authors also mentioned and as being part of Dvaleti, while others disagree. Dvaleti was integral part of the Georgian Kingdoms since IV centuries - III centuries BC. After the Russian annexation of the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, in 1859 Dvaleti was excluded from the

Tiflis Governorate The Tiflis Governorate was a province ('' guberniya'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire with its administrative center in Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi). In 1897, it constituted 44,607 sq. kilometres in area and had a population ...

and incorporated into the

Terek Oblast The Terek Oblast was a province (''oblast'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, roughly corresponding to the central part of Russia's North Caucasian Federal District. Тhe ''оblast'' was created out of the former territories of t ...

. On modern maps historical region Dvaleti can be found in the south of

North Ossetia–Alania The Republic of North Ossetia–Alania; os, Республикӕ Цӕгат Ирыстон — Алани, ''Respublikæ Cægat Iryston — Alani'', ) is a republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe. Its population acco ...

Russian Federation Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

History

Christianity spread in Dvaleti from the middle of the VI century. Later Dvaleti was included in the Episcopal Diocese of Nikozi. Roads from the Transcaucasia to the North Caucasus passed through Dvaleti. In the Middle Ages, the "Road to Dvaleti" was known. The fortification of the Dvaleti valleys from the north was of great importance for Georgia Kingdoms. After the Mongol invasions in XIII century Dvaleti was inhabited by Ossetian refugees from the north. The indigenous population of Dvaleti (Dvalebi), in turn, moved en masse to the south of the Caucasus. Even after the collapse of the unified Kingdom of Georgia in 15th century, Dvaleti was part of the

Kingdom of Kartli The Kingdom of Kartli ( ka, ქართლის სამეფო, tr) was a late medieval/ early modern monarchy in eastern Georgia, centred on the province of Kartli, with its capital at Tbilisi. It emerged in the process of a triparti ...

. At the beginning of the 17th century Dvaleti was ruled by Giorgi Saakadze. Famous Dvali figures include 11th century clergymen: Michael Dvali, John Dvali and Svimon Dvali. Along with Eastern Georgia, Dvaleti also became part of the Russian Empire. Historical monuments of Dvaleti that survived till modern times include forts built at the headwaters of the rivers Ardon and

Fiagdon Fiagdon (russian: Фиагдон, os, Фыййагдон, ''Fyjjagdon'') is a river in North Ossetia–Alania (Russia) west of Vladikavkaz. It flows north between the Ardon and the Gizeldon and joins the Ardon before that river joins the Terek. ...

— Kasris-karma and Khilka. The ruins of Christian temples in the valleys of and

Mamison Mamison Pass ( ka, მამისონის უღელტეხილი, os, Мамысоны æфцæг amysony æfcæg russian: Мамисонский перевал) is a high mountainous pass in the central Greater Caucasus crest, on t ...

().

References

{{Historical regions of Georgia Former provinces of Georgia (country) Historical regions of Georgia (country)

History

See also

References