Rostom Sharvashidze ( ka, როსტომ შარვაშიძე) was a ruler of the

Principality of Abkhazia The Principality of Abkhazia ( ka, აფხაზეთის სამთავრო, tr) emerged as a separate feudal entity in the 15th-16th centuries, amid the civil wars in the Kingdom of Georgia that concluded with the dissolution of th ...

of the 18th century, who ruled c. 1700–1730. A member of House Sharvashidze, he governed only a third of the principality, the rest of

Abkhazia Abkhazia, officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a List of states with limited recognition, partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It cover ...

being divided among his two brothers. During his reign, he had to face an increasing Ottoman influence, while engaging in a losing struggle against

Samegrelo Mingrelia or Samegrelo ( ka, სამეგრელო, tr ; ) is a historic province in the western part of Georgia, formerly known as Odishi. It is primarily inhabited by the Mingrelians, a subgroup of Georgians. Geography and climate Mingre ...

and a war against

Imereti Imereti ( Georgian: იმერეთი, ) is a region of Georgia situated in the central-western part of the republic along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni River. Imereti is the most populous region in Georgia. It consists of 11 mun ...

Biography

Rostom Sharvashidze was the oldest son of Prince Zegnak of Abkhazia. Born in the second half of the 17th century, little information is known on the life of Rostom, contemporary Abkhaz sources being scarce. He was born into the ancient House Sharvashidze, a Georgian princely family that ruled over

on behalf of the

Kings of Georgia This is a list of kings and queens regnant of the kingdoms of Georgia (country), Georgia before Georgia within the Russian Empire, Russian annexation in 1801–1810. For more comprehensive lists, and family trees, of Georgian monarchs and ruler ...

since the Middle-Ages. Around 1700, he acceded the Abkhaz throne after his father's death, but was forced to divide his territories with his two younger brothers, Jikeshia and Kvapu. Jikeshia was granted the lands of northern Abkhazia, between the rivers Kodori and Ghalidzga, while Kvapu took over the southern region of the principality till the

Enguri river The Enguri ( ka, ენგური, tr , , , ''Egry'') is a river in western Georgia. It is long, and has a drainage basin of . Rostom only controlled the territories of the Bzyb Valley, including

Sokhumi Sukhumi or Sokhumi is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the Capital city, capital and largest city of Abkhazia, a partially recognised state that most countries consider a part of Georgia (country), Georgia. The ...

, but was recognized suzerain of the entire principality, as the elder brother. He may have maintained good ties with both of his brothers, as evidenced in his decision to gift Kvapu dominion over the Abkhaz noble families of

Anchabadze The House of Achba ( Abkhazian:Ачба, ka, ანჩაბაძე), is a Georgian and Abkhazian family, and the oldest surviving noble house originating in Abkhazia. History The Anchabadze family is supposed to have its roots in the e ...

, Emukhvari, Inal-ipa, Maan, Zvanba, Lakyrba and Akirtava. Moreover, Rostom was recognized as lord of a multitude of clans that ruled over the decentralized regions of Abkhazia, including the Marshans of Tsabal and the Gechbas of Jiketi. He spent his reign seeking to balance the influences of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

and the Principality of Samegrelo, both considering themselves the suzerains of Abkhazia. In 1701, Sokhumi was formally annexed by the Ottomans, who built a fortress there, while Rostom moved to

Lykhny Lykhny ( ka, ლიხნი; ) is a village in the Gudauta District of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. History In medieval Georgian sources the village is also known as ''Zupu'' (''ზუფუ''). The village lies along the ...

. In the winter of 1702, probably at the instigation of Istanbul, he launched an assault of Samegrelo with his brother Kvapu. The Abkhazians ravaged the region, killing and capturing several Georgians and occupying the border marches. In response, King

George VI of Imereti Giorgi-Malakia Abashidze ( ka, გიორგი-მალაქია აბაშიძე, died 15 October 1722) was a Georgian nobleman and King of Imereti as George VI (or George V) from 1702 to 1707. He was a member of the prominent Hou ...

agreed to help Prince George IV of Samegrelo and invaded Abkhazia, defeating Rostom's weak troops. The latter agreed to recognize the Georgian domination over Abkhazia, while returning the Mingrelian hostages captured during their raids and the territories they conquered, while paying a large tribute. Before leaving Abkhazia, King George VI made sure to formalize a peace agreement between Rostom and George of Samegrelo. In 1723, Sultan

Ahmed III Ahmed III (, ''Aḥmed-i sālis''; was sultan of the Ottoman Empire and a son of sultan Mehmed IV (r. 1648–1687). His mother was Gülnuş Sultan, originally named Evmania Voria, who was an ethnic Greek. He was born at Hacıoğlu Pazarcık, ...

sent a Turkish robe to Rostom, a symbol of his recognition of Abkhazia as a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire. The

Sublime Porte The Sublime Porte, also known as the Ottoman Porte or High Porte ( or ''Babıali''; ), was a synecdoche or metaphor used to refer collectively to the central government of the Ottoman Empire in Istanbul. It is particularly referred to the buildi ...

also dispatched a large amount of salt to the subjects of Rostom, solidifying the Empire's influence over Abkhazia. However, this did not prevent two anti-Ottoman revolts in 1725 and 1728 that led to the destruction of the Turkish fortress of Sokhumi. Following his death c. 1730, he was replaced as Prince of Abkhazia by his nephew Hamid Bey Sharvashidze, a son of Jikeshia.

Bibliography

* * {{Cite book , title=Abkhazia in Russia-Ottoman Relations , last=Tsurtsumia , first=Zaza , publisher=State University of Sokhumi , year=2009 , location=Tbilisi , url=http://www.nplg.gov.ge/dlibrary/collect/0002/000389/Zaza%20Tsurtsumia.%20Avtoreferati%20inglisuri.pdf

References

Princes of Abkhazia