How Russia Saved Georgia From Total Destruction

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How Russia Saved Georgia From Total Destruction
Major General Lazarev introduces the Jaeger Regiment to Tiflis on November 26, 1799. Artist Franz Roubaud


The myth of the Russian occupation


In modern Georgia, liberals and nationalists have created a myth about the “Russian (Soviet) occupation” of Georgia. The information war of the West, which is waged against Russian civilization with the help of local pro-Western politicians, liberal and nationalist intelligentsia, has led to the fact that the younger generations of Georgians consider Russian invaders and occupiers. This myth is approved in the education system, in the public field. The 2008 war, when the Russian army saved Abkhazia and South Ossetia from invading Georgian troops, only strengthened these sentiments.



But historical the truth is that the Georgian lands at the time of their accession to the Russian Empire were under the threat of complete destruction by Ports and Persia. Georgian peoples were under constant threat of physical destruction (genocide), assimilation and Islamization of the remnants. Only the Russians, with their bayonets, protected and saved historical Georgia and its peoples from complete disappearance from the face of the planet.

At the same time, at that time there was no single Georgian people, but there were several nationalities and tribes that differed greatly in ethnographic and linguistic terms, were at enmity and did not consider themselves a single people. They became the Georgian people already in a favorable period of life as part of the USSR.

In modern Tbilisi, they prefer not to remember that the Georgian kings and princes have repeatedly asked Russia to help, provide patronage and take their lands and tribes under its own hand. That various historical regions of modern Georgia were recaptured from Turkey in a series of difficult wars, Russia paid for them with the lives of thousands of its soldiers.

In addition, one of the reasons for the long and bloody Caucasian war was the highlanders' raids on Georgia. And here the Russian soldiers had to pay with their blood so that there would be peace and order in the Caucasus.

Under the rule of the Russians, separate regions of historical Georgia were united into a single Georgian SSR. And it was under the Russians that the large-scale economic, socio-cultural development of Georgia began. Which eventually led to the formation of the Georgian people.

Modern Georgians have forgotten or do not even know that many generations of their people enjoyed a peaceful life within the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. That they escaped genocide and complete assimilation, which would have turned them into a kind of Turkic Turks. That the Georgian nationalities within Russia quickly began to grow in number, and this is a basic sign of prosperity, favorable living conditions for the people.

The fact that the Russians were not occupiers also confirms the fact that many of the best representatives of the Georgian nationalities became part of the Russian elite in the Russian Empire and the USSR. Suffice it to recall the famous Russian commander of Georgian origin Bagration, the greatest leader of the Russian people Stalin-Dzhugashvili, the best manager of the XNUMXth century Beria, etc. The Georgians, together with the Russians, did one thing, built the Russian Empire, the great Soviet Union, fought against the Nazis. Creative work in the common project brought peace and prosperity to Georgia and Georgians.

Unlike the Western world, which was clearly divided into a metropolitan core and colonies, Russia did not make Georgia its colony by sucking resources out of it. On the contrary, under the tsarist and Soviet rule, Georgia was part of a common creative project, an empire, and not a colony. Therefore, they spent energy, the resources of the empire on Georgia. The economy, transport, social, cultural and educational infrastructure, and healthcare were developing.

There were no phenomena common to Western colonizers - mass terror, genocide, parasitism on the resources and energy of the conquered people, the conversion of local residents into slaves or people of the second or third grade. Georgians were full members of the common empire. At the same time, local features and differences were not suppressed, but, on the contrary, preserved and even developed.

Saving Georgia


In the 1555th century, the Georgian kingdom became an isolated Christian country in a hostile environment. Georgia was in decline and broke up into several state entities, which were under the strong military and political influence of Persia (Iran) and the Ottoman Empire. Part of the historical Georgian territory was occupied by Turkey and Persia. In XNUMX, Porta and Persia signed a peace treaty delimiting their spheres of influence in the Transcaucasus. Imereti went to Turkey, and the kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti - to Persia.

During this period, there were constantly bloody, devastating wars between the Ottoman Empire and Persia for the region. Georgia was a battlefield. Invading armies devastated Georgian lands. The Persians and Ottomans took people away en masse to settle elsewhere or to be sold into slavery. Those who survived and escaped slavery fled far into the mountains, to hard-to-reach places. Part of the population was forced to convert to Islam.

This did not prevent local rulers and feudal lords from waging wars among themselves. Also, North Caucasian highlanders raided Georgian lands. The slave trade expanded. The once prosperous cities and lands were deserted, the population decreased sharply. Georgian nationalities were on the verge of complete extinction.

Only the appearance of Russia in the Caucasus saved the Georgian peoples from complete extinction, assimilation and Islamization. Georgian rulers in the XNUMXth–XNUMXth centuries. repeatedly appealed to the Russian kingdom with requests to accept their citizenship and provide military assistance against Turkey and Persia.

In 1638, the king of Mingrelia (Mingrelia or Mengrelia - a historical region in Western Georgia) Leon sent a request to the Russian Tsar Michael to transfer to Russian citizenship. In 1641, a letter of commendation was handed over to the Kakhetian king Teimuraz on the acceptance of the Iberian land (Iberia, Iberia - the historical name of Kakhetia) under the protection of the Russian kingdom. In 1657, the Georgian tribes - Tushins, Khevsurs and Pshavs, asked the sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich to accept them into Russian citizenship.

Similar requests were repeatedly repeated in the XNUMXth century. However, Russia during this period could not yet solve the strategic task of including the Caucasus in its sphere of influence. Russia in the XNUMXth and in the first half of the XNUMXth century waged heavy wars to restore the unity of the Russian lands, with the aim of reaching the shores of the Baltic and the Black Sea. A lot of effort, resources and time was spent on solving internal problems.

Tsar Peter successfully began to cut through a “window” to the East, but the great work he had begun was not continued by his successors. The era of the so-called. "Palace coups", internal intrigues and strife slowed down Russia's movement to the South, including the Caucasus.

During the time of Empress Catherine II, a radical change occurred in the eastern policy of Russia. Russia waged wars with the Porte for dominance in the Northern Black Sea region. The Caucasus also fell into the sphere of interests of St. Petersburg. During the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774. The kingdoms of Kartli-Kakheti and Imereti took the side of the Russians against the Ottomans. For the war in the Caucasian direction, a detachment of General Totleben was sent. Totleben's troops managed to take the Turkish fortresses in Imereti and occupy Kutaisi.

Russia defeated Turkey. The Treaty of Kyuchuk-Kainarji of 1774 eased the situation of the Georgian subjects of the Porte, canceled the payment of tribute by Imereti. The fortresses taken by the Russian army were not returned to the Turks.


Georgievsky treatise 1783. Archive of the foreign policy of the Russian Empire of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Entry into Russia


At the end of 1782, King Erekle II of Kartli-Kakheti appealed to the Russian Empress Catherine to accept his kingdom under the protection of the Russian Empire. Petersburg agreed. The corresponding negotiations were held by General Pavel Potemkin (a relative of the famous favorite of the Empress). The representatives from the Georgian side were princes Ivane Bagration-Mukhransky and Garsevan Chavchavadze.

On July 24 (August 4), 1783, in the Caucasian fortress of Georgievsk, an agreement was signed on the patronage and supreme power of the Russian Empire with the united Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (Eastern Georgia). The Georgian tsar recognized the patronage of St. Petersburg and refused an independent foreign policy, which he had to coordinate with the Russian government. Heraclius refused vassalage from other states and undertook to recognize only the power of Russian sovereigns.

Russia promised to protect Georgia from external enemies. Two battalions were allocated to defend the country, they could be reinforced if necessary. Georgians received common rights with Russians in the field of trade, freedom of movement and settlement in Russia. The agreement equalized the rights of Russian and Georgian nobles, clergy and merchants.

Russia began laying communications that connected it with Georgia - the construction of the Georgian Military Highway. Several fortifications were erected along it, including Vladikavkaz.

The agreement was in effect for several years, already in 1787 Russia withdrew its troops from Georgia due to the “flexible” policy of Heraclius, who began secret negotiations with the Turks. Russian victory over Turkey in the war of 1787–1791 improved the position of Georgia. According to the Treaty of Jassy, ​​the Porte renounced claims to Georgia and pledged not to take hostile actions against the Georgians.

Meanwhile, Persia decided to restore its sphere of influence in the Caucasus. There, after many years of civil strife, Agha Mohammad Shah from the Turkic Qajar tribe seized power. He became the founder of a new dynasty - the Qajars and began to actively restore the empire. In 1795, a huge Persian army marched through Georgia with fire and sword. The small Georgian army fell to the ground in a three-day battle on the outskirts of Tbilisi. The Persians defeated Tbilisi, slaughtered most of the population, drove thousands of women and children into slavery.

Russia responded by organizing the Persian campaign in 1796 (How Russia saved Georgia from Persia; Punishment of "non-peaceful" Persia - campaign of 1796). Also, Russian troops were brought into Georgia to protect it.

The campaign was victorious, Russian troops occupied Derbent, Cuba and Baku, went to the northern regions of Persia. The entire western coast of the Caspian was under Russian control. The Derbent, Baku, Cuban, Karabagh, Shamakhi and Ganja khanates passed into Russian citizenship. It only remained to consolidate this success with a political agreement with the defeated Persian Shah.

The unexpected death of Catherine the Great mixed up all the cards. Tsar Paul I decided to start foreign policy from scratch and ordered the withdrawal of troops from the Transcaspian region and Georgia.

But soon negotiations between Russia and Georgia resumed. The king of Kartli-Kakheti, George XII, understood that Georgia could survive only under the auspices of the Russian Empire. He asked to renew the 1783 agreement. In April 1799, the Russian sovereign Paul I renewed the treaty of patronage, the Russian troops returned to Tbilisi.

The situation in Eastern Georgia was complicated by internecine strife, personal and narrow group interests of the Georgian feudal lords. The feudal lords crowded around the numerous princes who claimed the throne. George XII was seriously ill, and a squabble for the throne began. Local princes were ready to betray national interests, to agree with the Persians and Turks for personal gain. The pro-Russian party, led by Tsar George, decided that it was necessary to revise the Treaty of Georgievsk, strengthening Russian power in Georgia.

In the summer of 1800, Emperor Paul accepted the proposal of the Georgian tsar to strengthen the powers of the Russian government: now it was not only about control over Georgia's foreign policy, but also about domestic policy issues. In the autumn of 1800, the Georgian delegation proposed a project for even closer unification of Georgia with Russia. Paul accepted it. The Russian emperor announced that he was accepting Tsar George XII and all the Georgian people into eternal citizenship. Russian troops in Georgia were reinforced, which made it possible to successfully repel the raid of the Avar Khan.

The Georgian dynasty could not ensure the stability and existence of the Georgian statehood. Russia needed order and stability in Georgia, the empire's strategic foothold in the Caucasus. Therefore, it was decided to introduce direct Russian control, eliminating the possibility of an uprising, collapse and interference by external forces.

At the end of 1800, the Georgian king George XII fell seriously ill. During his illness, the supreme power passed into the hands of the plenipotentiary minister of the Russian government under the Georgian tsar - Kovalensky and the commander of the Russian troops in Georgia - General Lazarev. On January 18, 1801, the manifesto of Paul I on the accession of the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti to Russia was published in St. Petersburg. In mid-February of the same year, this manifesto was also announced in Tbilisi. After the assassination of Paul, this act was confirmed by the government of Alexander.

The Russian "occupation" saved historical Georgia from complete destruction, and the people from extermination, assimilation and Islamization. Under Russian rule, most of historical Georgia was reunited. The shameful slavery was abolished, when their own Georgian feudal lords sold children and girls into slavery.

Georgia received a long period of peacetime - several generations during the tsarist, and then during the Soviet era. This led to a significant increase in the Georgian population. In 1801, there were about 800 thousand Georgians, in 1900 - 2 million, in 1959 - 4 million, in 1990 - 5,4 million people. The extinction and flight abroad of the population of Georgia began in the 1990s, when the Russian Empire was collapsed.

Russia did not plunder the already impoverished Georgia, on the contrary, it took upon itself a great responsibility and burden for its development. A lot of money has been invested in the Georgian outskirts, Ukraine, and a lot of work has been done. The Georgian land prospered under the rule of Russian tsars and general secretaries. The empire developed its outskirts.


Commemorative medal of 1790. Made by Timofey Ivanov at the St. Petersburg Mint
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  1. +11
    8 August 2023 04: 31
    ***
    ... "How, dejected by his crown,
    Such a king, in a certain year,
    I handed Russia my people.
    ---
    And God's grace has come down
    To Georgia! She bloomed
    Since then, in the shadow of their gardens,
    Without fear of enemies
    Beyond friendly bayonets "...
    ---
    M. Yu. Lermontov. Mtsyri.
    -------------------------------------

    ͟ “͟S͟O͟L͟N͟Ts͟e͟ ͟d͟l͟y͟h͟r͟u͟z͟i͟i͟, ͟ ͟i͟ ͟u͟e͟ ͟d͟a͟n͟n͟, ͟ ͟ ͟ ͟ С͟͟x͟d͟y͟t͟ ͟s͟ ͟e͟v͟r͟r” ”
    Edward Shevardnadze
    (April 1971 XXIV Congress of the CPSU).





    ***
    1. +2
      8 August 2023 08: 26
      Quote: Vladimir Vladimirovich Vorontsov
      Such and such a king, in such and such a year, handed over his people to Russia.

      Erekle II, 1783, Treaty of St. George.
  2. +12
    8 August 2023 04: 48
    I am very sorry that the Russian soldiers saved Georgia from death at the cost of their lives.
    Don't do good, you won't get evil...this proverb is fully applicable to Georgia.
    1. +10
      8 August 2023 05: 52
      Quote: Lech from Android.
      I am very sorry that the Russian soldiers saved Georgia from death at the cost of their lives.
      Don't do good, you won't get evil...this proverb is fully applicable to Georgia.

      There was an undoubted political interest in the advancement of the Russian Empire. The entry of the Russian Empire into Transcaucasia expanded its opportunities to influence both Turkey and Iran. The coincidence of interests of Georgia and the Russian Empire in this case was a pleasant bonus.
    2. +4
      8 August 2023 08: 53
      I am very sorry that the Russian soldiers saved Georgia from death at the cost of their lives.
      Yes, it was necessary for the Persians to slaughter the entire population, then drive the Persians away, why slaughter them? And populate Georgia with Russian peasants... Or even better, resettle all the Balts there... smile
  3. +19
    8 August 2023 05: 02
    Almost all the countries that Russia saved and liberated cannot forgive her for this. Some Russians, and suddenly they saved a great country ...... (insert as appropriate).
    1. -3
      8 August 2023 13: 45
      I don't think it's worth posing the question exactly like that. In Russian history there have been both victories and defeats, both nobility and meanness. Everything is the same for everyone else. And the position that we are the whitest and fluffiest and all around there is darkness and gloom is harmful precisely for those who think so.
    2. +1
      8 August 2023 16: 02
      Not to feed the horse .. One word .. However, having scattered to different apartments, they could not establish their own economy.
  4. +10
    8 August 2023 05: 32
    Once I read a textbook on the history of Georgia - it is somewhat reminiscent of the history of Dypkaina - the most ancient, the greatest, the most glorious, and further down the list. I read under a beer and I had fun ... wink
    1. +3
      8 August 2023 07: 05
      Quote: Luminman
      the most ancient, the greatest, the most glorious and so on

      Iveria (Georgia) - the first destiny of the Mother of God, her apostolic lot, Georgia is under the special protection of the Queen of Heaven herself.
    2. PPD
      +2
      9 August 2023 09: 10
      I read under a beer and I had fun ...

      This is with you for beer, and those who read in schools read seriously.
      They don't know how it happened.
      We know this - they don't.
      A terrible thing is such textbooks.
      That's what they'll think is true.
      Prove to them and their children later...
  5. +13
    8 August 2023 06: 09
    Everything that was then passed, everything was overgrown. We need to overcome our inferiority complex.
    They don’t like us, but we saved them, fed them, etc. In addition to Georgia, it is also Bulgaria.
    So many years have passed and we and they have become completely different. At this time, these are ardent enemies of Russia, but we are like in that joke about the mother who stands on the balcony and smiles at everyone.
    We need to erase these countries from our heads, just to know that they are. In general, stop relations with them, leave it to future generations, if they need it, they will restore it.
    And now volunteers from Georgia and Bulgaria are fighting against Russian troops with particular bitterness.
    In Bulgaria, arms factories work around the clock. Only shells are sent in hundreds of thousands or even millions, plus fuel for military equipment to Ukraine. soldier
    1. 0
      16 August 2023 23: 58
      . At the moment, these are ardent enemies of Russia

      I don’t know about Georgia, but you are terribly mistaken about Bulgaria. Where did you get your information from?
  6. +15
    8 August 2023 06: 10
    V.V. Zhirinovsky from the podium once said that the reason for the love of Armenians for Russia is in their hostile environment in the Caucasus, if Armenia were in the place of Estonia, then there would be no more Russian-hating state. The same is true about Estonia, if it were in the place of Armenia, then it would be the country that loves Russia the most. Same for Georgia...
  7. +5
    8 August 2023 06: 11
    Russia then saved itself, too, by strengthening and securing the borders. It was beneficial to Russia in the first place!!

    Saving Georgians is a side effect. But any good deed must be continued and brought to fruition...... But there is no such continuity. Why are the benefits and meaning of good deeds rejected according to a wild and ancient tradition? This is natural madness or mass mental illness. ....

    So the question is: where does an army of dangerous cretins come from in Russia throughout all centuries, who can even seize power?
    There is no end to any "Fedorchuk's campaigns", troubles, betrayals like Yeltsin's ......
    1. +2
      8 August 2023 10: 07
      But any good deed must be continued and brought to mind ......
      One of the tsarist officials wanted to resettle the Cossacks to Georgia, by the way, at that time when the Georgians were being slaughtered there... But for some reason they refused, only Molokans and Tolstoyans were resettled there...
  8. +3
    8 August 2023 06: 39
    Quote: ivan2022
    Therefore, the question is: where does an army of dangerous cretins come from in Russia in all ages, which can even seize power?
    There is no end to any "Fedorchuk's campaigns", troubles, betrayals like Yeltsin's ......

    A counter question, where do all sorts of dangerous cretins like Saakashvili come from in neighboring republics and there is no end to them?
  9. +12
    8 August 2023 07: 09
    [quoteIn modern Georgia, liberals and nationalists have created a myth about the "Russian (Soviet) occupation" of Georgia. The information war of the West, which is being waged against Russian civilization with the help of local pro-Western politicians, liberal and nationalist intelligentsia, has led the younger generations of Georgians to consider Russian invaders and occupiers.] [/ Quote]

    It just needs to be clarified that this myth also existed in Soviet Georgia. During my military service in the SA, most often the talk that Russia was robbing them and that they needed to separate was conducted by Ukrainians and Georgians.
    I have never met a single Georgian who felt gratitude towards Russia. And such conversations were constantly taking place. Including attempts at theoretical criticism of the Treaty of Georgievsk. All my objections, including stories about how Georgians had previously been robbed and killed by Turks, highlanders of the North Caucasus, and Persians from different sides, were completely dismissed.
    The fact that Georgia needs to separate was an axiom for them. Abundant life at the expense of Russia in Soviet Georgia gave rise not to gratitude, but to arrogance.
    I will say carefully that the Mimino commercial, by which naive Russians are accustomed to judge Georgians, has a very, very distant relation to their real mentality. Shevardnadze and Saakashvili did not appear out of nowhere. And Kikabidze, with his attitude to Russia and Russians, is quite typical.
    And I was not at all surprised by the general trajectory of Georgia's development after 1991. Including the events of 2008.
    The moral is simple: you need to think about your own people first.
    1. +9
      8 August 2023 08: 56
      [quote = billybones] Russia is robbing them
      That's because .. Georgians are all lazy and rude. They can only trade in watermelons. And one Colchis is worth something ... We were begged, "Guys, please replace this fucking Colchis with ZIL-130."
      1. +4
        8 August 2023 09: 02
        "Colchis" is generally a legend with a minus sign.
        1. +4
          8 August 2023 09: 14
          Quote: billybones
          "Colchis" is generally a legend with a minus sign.

          Revenge for Stalin
          Pride of Georgia, tears of Russia
          Klasha
          1. Eug
            +10
            8 August 2023 11: 26
            There was also the Tbilisi Aviation Plant, which produced the MiG-21 and Su-25. A colleague familiar with their products would grab his head and exclaim "wah-wah-wah" when they were mentioned, and even recite a poem something like "the only thing worse than the MiG from Tbilisi is the KAZ from Kutaisi", but I don't remember exactly.
  10. +7
    8 August 2023 08: 02
    Thank you!
    Interestingly written.

    But RI defended its interests. And our ancestors did not fight out of pure humanism. And now humanism is only one of the results of the struggle for the interests of the state.
  11. +1
    8 August 2023 08: 39
    Bagration

    Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration (1765--1812) - general from infatheria, was one of Suvorov's favorite students, because the latter presented him with his sword in 1799, which Pyotr Ivanovich did not part with until his death. I want to note that he began his service ordinary Astrakhan infantry regiment. Participated in many wars and battles (from the Russian-Turkish 1787-1791 to the Patriotic War inclusive).
  12. +2
    8 August 2023 08: 48
    Information war of the West,

    Unfortunately, it is directed against us, and, unfortunately, the advantage is with the West, which is rewriting history. It's unfortunate.
  13. +4
    8 August 2023 09: 01
    And how did Georgian nationalism originate, if everything was so blissful? Not in Soviet times, in Romanov times .. Let me remind you that after the October Revolution of 1917, Georgia became independent, it was headed by the Mensheviks, who actively collaborated with the Germans, by the way, they invited them like Petliurists , in Ukraine. Actively, they did not help the white movement, and even claimed Russian lands, Sochi, Tuapse .. As soon as Georgia became Soviet, the "damned internationalist" Ordzhonikidze, in a dispute about the construction of the USSR, filled the face of a nationalist - a communist ..
  14. +4
    8 August 2023 09: 04
    Quote: Luminman
    Once I read a textbook on the history of Georgia - it is somewhat reminiscent of the history of Dypkaina - the most ancient, the greatest, the most glorious, and further down the list. I read under a beer and I had fun ... wink

    I completely agree that once at school there were (studied in Tbilisi) and continuous wars with each other.
  15. +8
    8 August 2023 09: 50
    the famous Russian commander of Georgian origin Bagration, the greatest leader of the Russian people Stalin-Dzhugashvili, the best manager of the XNUMXth century Beria

    At the same time, it is interesting that both Bagration and Comrade Stalin preferred to be considered Russians ..
  16. 0
    8 August 2023 13: 51
    Quote: Aron Zaavi
    The entry of the Republic of Ingushetia into the Transcaucasus expanded its opportunities to influence both Turkey and Iran.
    But what, did we have a bad influence on Turkey and Iran from the North Caucasus, when Georgia was divided between Turkey and Iran?
    In my mind it was even better. Since we could always threaten Turkey and Iran by sending troops to Georgia, where a population loyal to Russia lives.
    And after Georgia joined us, we lost this trump card.
  17. +3
    8 August 2023 14: 56
    It's not about the USSR or Tsarist Russia. More precisely, they can only be reproached for thoughtless liberalism towards others at the expense of the indigenous population.
    ..............
    From Pobedonostsev's letters to Alexander 3.
    Quotes only. In connection with the murder of the rector of the gymnasium.
    June 6, 1886 and later.
    “The bitter experience that Russia has to endure with all the saved and blessed foreign nationalities is repeated here. It turns out that the Georgians almost prayed for us when the danger from the Persians threatened. When the thunderstorm began to pass under Yermolov, signs of alienation already appeared. Then "when Shamil appeared, everything calmed down again. This danger also passed - the Georgians again began to go mad, as we were sympathetic to them, pampered them and taught them generous favors at the expense of the treasury and state property. This system of courting foreigners brought to the present state. Any attempt to bring them to order excites absurd passions and claims. The terrible event with the rector of the seminary echoed in the circle of foreigners not with indignation at the murderous beast, but with gloating. By all appearances, they will not stop there. At the funeral of the rector, the exarch said an ardent word in which he expressed all sorrow and all indignation at the committed atrocity. This speech seemed offensive to the insane supporters of the murderer, and now the Kutaisi marshal of the nobility writes a stupid and impudent letter to the exarch, with a veiled threat, advising him to leave the Caucasus.
    ...
    received a telegram with news from Ozurget about a new trick of an 18-year-old unfit student of the local religious school, expelled for bad behavior. He attacked the superintendent of the school and beat him to the blood with a stick on the head ... All these are phenomena that prove that a common strict system of measures is needed in this region to establish order and respect for authority.
    ...
    It is impossible to equate the local government with other parts of the empire: here it is necessary to arm the chief commander with a great authority of power,
    ...
    Here I met a respectable man, Markov, director of the Tiflis gymnasium, who has been keeping this populous and diverse institution in excellent order for a long time. He is a tireless and sensible teacher, but he told me what it has cost him to keep the institution in recent years, thanks to his decisiveness of character and physical strength. He is forced to keep a revolver in his pocket, and more than once, with his determination, has managed to stop daring attacks and criminal attempts. He is threatened with murder, as well as the trustee of the district, Yanovsky. Both of them, however, are exhausted and cannot wait to leave this region. This is how many of the most serious of the local leaders argue.
    Following the assassination of the rector, it was deemed necessary to dissolve the seminary immediately, although the time for examinations had already arrived. This was also necessary because the unfit part of the pupils hoped to act on the examiners with terror in order to ease the examinations. So, exams are postponed until mid-August. There is no doubt that even here it will not do without attempts to intimidate mentors.
  18. BAI
    +2
    8 August 2023 18: 39
    When Georgia was part of Russia, there were 300. When they left the USSR - 000. Now - 7.
  19. +4
    8 August 2023 22: 38
    Quote: Vladimir Vladimirovich Vorontsov
    ͟ “͟S͟O͟L͟N͟Ts͟e͟ ͟d͟l͟y͟h͟r͟u͟z͟i͟i͟, ͟ ͟i͟ ͟u͟e͟ ͟d͟a͟n͟n͟, ͟ ͟ ͟ ͟ С͟͟x͟d͟y͟t͟ ͟s͟ ͟e͟v͟r͟r” ”
    Edward Shevardnadze
    (April 1971 XXIV congress

    Why do you need to ... remember this at all? Although this characterizes him as a two-faced and deceitful person!
  20. +3
    9 August 2023 00: 09
    Among other kakabids was the writer Constantine Gamsakhurdia, treated kindly by the Soviet authorities, who published and sang praises of the friendship of the Russian and Georgian peoples in his historical novels. His son, Zviadi, became the main Georgian fascist of the post-perestroika period. Everything became possible, and what dad really thought, the son began to embody.
  21. +1
    9 August 2023 00: 24
    If Russia needed territory, this is one thing, but why save someone from something ??? Everyone whom Russia saved after they threw it, I hope the future rulers understand this.
  22. 0
    9 August 2023 10: 30
    Gentlemen, to the question of historical gratitude / ingratitude.

    If for garlic, then tsarist Russia (specifically, court nobles, satraps, officials, governors, all sorts of excellencies) often set up the annexed peoples, especially the lower classes, local peasants against themselves.

    Often it turned out according to Soviet school history textbooks - a double oppression appeared in the annexed lands: on the one hand, the commoners continued to pinch their "native" local feudal lords, and now with the full support of the Russian army and royal gendarmes. It was on the local greedy and stupid princelings, kings, bais, all sorts of mullahs, etc. etc. and made a bet in St. Petersburg.
    On the other hand, new obligations appeared already before the central Russian authorities - regular recruitment kits, new taxes, etc.

    Russian (the name is conditional) officials came in droves - the delights of the Russian corrupt bureaucracy began. They came here to earn money - it's far from the Tsar, but high up to God...
    And in Soviet schools they explained in an accessible way - "Tsarist Russia is a prison of peoples!" (I myself read this in a history textbook + I still remember cool pictures on this topic from the "Children's Encyclopedia" and children from the former Soviet republics immediately understood everything ...).

    By the way, in Georgia, the royal sages from St. Petersburg came up with the idea of ​​secularizing (confiscating) all the property of the Georgian ORTHODOX church in favor of the Russian treasury. More details here: https://travelgeorgia.ru/177/.

    But I admit and agree with the author of the article - in Soviet times, the wealth of Georgians was included in proverbs, in jokes (our bazaars - carnations in winter for 5 rubles a little thing - I bought it myself, tangerines, ripping off at resorts, etc. etc.) . Full chiki-piki! Only Armenians were considered cooler for the same reasons. In short, "Flourish under the sun, my Georgia!..." - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlzH0N-sC9A
    And now independent Georgia has blossomed...

    With Bulgaria, everything is even more complicated. The Russian liberators from the Turks for some reason put the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha dynasty in power there. Obviously, the distant kinship with them obliged the Russian tsars, our people - we will settle accounts ... They did not settle accounts and Russia placed its bets on Serbia, which has had centuries-old territorial disputes with the Bulgarians - mutual grievances and claims to this day. The Balkan wars of 1912-1913 began, the brothers did not divide the lands jointly won from the Turks and fought among themselves, and Turkey won, as always in such cases. Bulgaria was once again cut short and in the subsequent world wars in alliance with Germany. It tried to return the lost territories. But it was a mistake ...
    In these very old disputes between the Orthodox in the Balkans, the devil will break his leg ... Now the little brothers are in NATO, and what else do you want from them?

    Although, of course, Russian bayonets saved all these peoples from the cruel Ottomans and Persians. Russian bribes are one thing, and relaxing on a Turkish stake while your daughter or wife is in the harem of some lustful padishah is quite another. And the children were sold into slavery...

  23. 0
    9 August 2023 21: 52
    Georgians have a short historical memory. All peoples (not part of the Russian Federation) saved from destruction did not forget to spit on Russia. This concerns the Slavic "brothers" in the first place.
  24. -2
    9 August 2023 22: 19
    The winners write the story ...
    And all these stories about great benefactors .... saved from sudden total destruction ...
    1) she lived for herself, Georgia and the Caucasus lived for themselves with their usual problems, and suddenly, when the Russian troops approached or the 2nd Persian campaign, suddenly it took so much to save everyone, so it took ...
    2) The Georgian kingdom and the nobility were promised to leave the royal title ... and suddenly toto - this, no title and power, governor-general and that's it.
    The queen was so upset that she suddenly stabbed the general, and immediately there was an uprising against the dear liberators...
    (maybe you suddenly wanted to be slaughtered by Persians and Turks, right?)

    Remember Mtsyri's poem? How did it all end well?
    But the Georgian queen had a slightly similar fate, the last ..
    1. 0
      5 January 2024 20: 33
      The winners write the story ...


      The winners write school history textbooks.
      And “real” history is written by historians.

      But most people do not read history books, but only remember something from the school course.
  25. +3
    10 August 2023 13: 58
    Quote: Timofey Charuta
    By the way, in Georgia, the royal sages from St. Petersburg came up with the idea to secularize (confiscate) all the property of the Georgian ORTHODOX Church in favor of the Russian treasury. More details here: https://travelgeorgia.ru/177/.

    Actually, we had a Manifesto (Law) on secularization from March 8, 1764, signed by Catherine. And the Law is the law in all corners of the Empire. It must be observed.
  26. +2
    6 November 2023 17: 45
    It seems to me that the time will come again (and even faster than we think) when we will have to save them. Just like the Armenians. This time, no one needs to be saved. By yourself, all by yourself...
  27. 0
    5 January 2024 20: 28
    In modern Georgia, liberals and nationalists have created a myth about the “Russian (Soviet) occupation” of Georgia.


    What about the capture of the Georgian Democratic Republic by troops of the RSFSR in 1921?
    Isn't this a myth? Or a myth?

    The RSFSR became the first state to recognize the new Georgian Democratic Republic on May 7, 1920 and establish diplomatic relations with it (Moscow Treaty). The RSFSR unconditionally recognized the independence and autonomy of Georgia and pledged not to interfere in its internal affairs.

    And already on February 12, 1921, the Red Army (9th and 11th armies) invaded Georgia without declaring war.
    Thirteen days later Tiflis was taken. A “Georgian Revolutionary Committee” was also created from members of the RCP (b), headed by Makharadze, which was declared the new government of Georgia.