Multicultural Georgia: The Territorial and Ideological Foundation for Caucasian Unity

From ancient times, Georgia has been home to representatives of diverse ethnicities and ethnocultural groups.Periodic migrations of Greeks, Jews, Armenians, Persians, Turkmens, and others, along with centuries-long interactions with them, constitute one of the main trends in the development and building of nation-state of Georgia.The first Greek settlements in Georgia are linked to the intensive colonization of the Black Sea coast by the Greeks (VIII-VI c.BC).Modern Greeks are primarily the so-called Pontian Greeks, who emigrated from the north-eastern regions of the Ottoman Empire.Their first settlements appeared in Georgia from the 18th century onwards (Kurshavishvili, 1959: 281-285, 297; Kaukhchishvili, 1942: 219-239; Pashaeva, Komakhia, (1), 2008: 149-162).Ancient Georgian historiography associates the arrival of Jews in Georgia with the conquest and destruction of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon in 586 BC: "King Nebuchadnezzar conquered and destroyed Jerusalem and Jews fled to Georgia" (Qartlis ckhovreba, 1955: 15).Subsequent waves of Jewish exiles came to Georgia, including after the siege of Jerusalem by Roman Emperor Vespasian in 70 AD.It appears that a Jewish colony existed in Mtskheta during the Hellenistic period from at least 169 BC (Melikishvili, 1970: 452-453; Davarashvili, Tsagareishvili, 2008: 90-103; Topchishvili, 2015: 183-184).The Armenian population emerged in Georgia from the beginning of II century BC.Armenia and Georgia have had close relations since then.Armenian statehood was brought to an end in XI century, and by XVI-XVII centuries, historical Armenian territories were divided between Persia and the Ottoman Empire, leading many Armenians to seek refuge in Georgia due to national-political or religious persecution (Janiashvili, Komakhia, (1), 2008: 104-127; Topchishvili, 2015: 184-188).After the fall of the Byzantine Empire, Christian communities of the Near East, including Assyrians, considered Georgia their homeland.A small wave of Assyrians, persecuted by Muslims, must have settled in eastern Georgia during that period.In the second half of XVIII century, Assyrians fleeing the Near East were resettled in Kakheti by King Erekle II.Several more waves of Assyrians arrived in Georgia in XIX-XX centuries (Abashidze, Komakhia, 2008: 198-209).After centuries-long relations with Persians, Arabs, and Turks, representatives of these peoples were coming to settle in Georgia.Kurds and Turkmens settled in Georgia during the late medieval period.Kurdish tribes appeared in southern part of Georgia, Meskheti, from XVI century.They were mostly Muslims.Some Kurdish people, namely Yazidis, were accepted by the Government of Georgia in 1918, during World War I (1914-1918) due to the fact that they were persecuted by the Turks and a part of the Muslim Kurds on religious and political grounds.From the early XVII century, Turkmen tribes (Borchalu, Hasanlu, Nasibu, Baidari, Demurchi-Hasanlu) settled in Kvemo Kartli and Kakheti.Later, they started to gradually integrate into the Georgian feudal system and have since actively participated in the life of the Georgian state (Pashaeva, Komakhia, (2), 2008: 163-173; Janiashvili, Komakhia, (2), 2008: 128-148).Ethnic groups settled in Georgia preserved their languages, customs, traditions, and cultures.Georgia became their destination because they were well aware that they would not be deprived of their identities in this country.Alongside Georgian Orthodox churches, there have been synagogues, Armenian churches, mosques, and even a fire temple -Atashgah in Georgia (Religions in Georgia, 2008).The Georgians enjoyed special relations with Caucasian peoples.In X-XIV centuries, Georgia had significant political and cultural influence over the peoples of the North Caucasus, such as people from Lesser Abkhazia (Abaza-Adyghe people), Kasogs (Circassians), Alans-Ossetians, Durdzuks (Vainakhs), Khunzakh people and the Lezgians (Avars and other peoples living in Dagestan).These peoples fell within Georgia's sphere of influence.The Georgian state sought to closely connect these peoples to Georgia by introducing them to and spreading the Georgian language, Christianity, and Georgian culture among them.Following the devastating Mongol-Tatar and Tamerlane invasions in XIII-XIV centuries, the ethno-political situation in Fore-Caucasus changed dramatically.Indigenous populations were forced to cede the plains of Fore-Caucasus to the invaders and flee to the inaccessible to enemies and at the same time incommodious mountains."The population of Fore-Caucasus, suffering from the scarcity of resources in the incommodious mountains, tried to occupy and settle in the Georgian lands at the foot of Greater Caucasus" (Berdzenishvili, 1940: 287).The raids of the Mongols and Tamerlane brought about disastrous consequences for Georgia: the country suffered dramatic casualties, cities and villages were devastated, and internal feudal conflicts exacerbated.In the second half of XV century, the Kingdom of Georgia fragmented into the kingdoms of Kartli, Kakheti, and Imereti, and the Principality of Samtskhe.In XV-XVI centuries, Georgia found itself bordered by extremely aggressive Muslim states: the Ottoman Empire from the southwest and Safavid Iran from the southeast.These powers fought for dominance in the Near East and for the conquest and subjugation of Georgia.Georgia became a battlefield of constant struggles.The resettlement of Caucasian highlanders -Vainakhs and Dagestanis -in Georgia took place in this period.The migration of the Vainakhs to Georgia dates back to ancient times.According to "The Georgian Chronicles," the second king of Kartli, Sauromaces, brought the Durdzuks and settled them in the country (Qartlis ckhovreba, 1955: 27).After the Mongol invasions in XIII century, the Vainakhs retreated to the mountains and mingled with the Georgian highlanders.