ISSUES FROM HISTORY OF FOREIGN POLICY OF KARTLKAKHETI KINGDOM IN THE BEGINNING OF 1790s

Abstract

Article deals with the foreign policy of Kartl-Kakheti Kingdom at the beginning of 90s of the 18th century. Three newly published Ottoman documents are discussed which sustain the information about the diplomatic relations between Kartl-Kakheti Kingdom and the Ottoman Empire. The Documents are providing the information concerning Erekle II’s appeal in 1792 to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for the assistance against Agha Mohammad Khan, whose invasion was expected by the Georgian king. In case of the guarantees on the peace terms from the Ottomans, Erekle was ready to cease the relationship with the Russian Empire and instead to pledge allegiance to the Sultan. From the same documents we see that the attempts of representatives of Kartl-Kakheti Kingdom to achieve success in diplomacy with the Ottomans was a failure.As we can guess, the drastic change in Kartl-Kakhti Kingdom’s foreign policy was motivated by the following reasons: in the end of 1791 Erekle II had decided that for the safety of his kingdom the Russian Empire was unwilling to take any security measures. The country was in a dangerous situation due to the Iranian aggression hence he was in quest for the alternative variants to ensure the security of his kingdom.After the failure with the Ottoman Empire even unreliable Russia was seen as the only potential partner for king Erekle II. From 1793 Kartl-Kakheti Kingdom resumed the intensive diplomatic relations with the Russian Empire.The Ottoman documents are especially rich regarding the GeorgianOttoman relationship, hence they provide interesting information about above discussed issues.