Emirate of Tbilisi

Muslim outpost in the Caucasus

Emirate of Tbilisi

إمارة تفليسي
Imārah Tiflīsī (in Arabic)
თბილისის საამირო
Tbilisis saamiro (in Georgian)

736–1122

Emirate of Tbilisi in 1060.

Capital| al-Tefelis
Common languages| Classical Arabic, Georgian
Religion

| Christianity, Judaism, Islam(from 943)[1]
Government| Emirate
History|

• Established

| 736

• Siege of Tbilisi

| 1122

Preceded by | Succeeded by

|

|  | Principality of Iberia

|

| Kingdom of Georgia |

|

Today part of| Georgia
Part of a series on the

History of Georgia

Prehistoric Georgia

* Shulaveri–Shomu culture
Kura–Araxes culture
Legend of Kartlos
Trialeti culture
Colchian culture
Diauehi
Mushki

Ancient history

* Colchis
Aryan Kartli
Kingdom of Iberia
Pharnavazid dynasty
Georgia in the Roman era
Artaxiad dynasty of Iberia
Campaign of Pompey
Iberian–Armenian War
Lazica
Arsacid dynasty of Iberia
Sasanian Iberia
Chosroid dynasty
Christianization of Iberia

Middle Ages

* Iberian War
Lazic War
Principality of Iberia
Umayyad invasion of Georgia
Arab rule in Georgia
Emirate of Tbilisi
Duchy of Tao
Duchy of Klarjeti
Bagrationi dynasty
Kingdom of Hereti
Kingdom of the Iberians
Kingdom of Abkhazia
Theme of Iberia
Duchy of Kldekari
Unification of the Georgian realm
Kingdom of Georgia
Duchy of Racha
Kingdom of Kakheti-Hereti
Byzantine–Georgian wars
Great Turkish Invasion
Georgian–Seljuk wars
Georgian Golden Age
Mongol invasions of Georgia
Kingdom of Eastern Georgia
Kingdom of Western Georgia
Armenia within the Kingdom of Georgia
Timurid invasions of Georgia
Turkoman invasions of Georgia
Duchy of Aragvi
Collapse of the Georgian realm

Early modern history

* Duchy of Ksani
Samtskhe-Saatabago
Kingdom of Kartli
Kingdom of Kakheti
Kingdom of Imereti
Principality of Guria
Principality of Svaneti
Principality of Mingrelia
Principality of Abkhazia
Safavid Georgia
Childir Eyalet
Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti

Modern history

* Georgia within the Russian Empire
1832 Georgian plot
Gurian Republic
Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic
Democratic Republic of Georgia
Red Army invasion of Georgia
Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
Georgia since 1991
Russo-Georgian War

History by topic

* Etymology
* Monarchs
* States
* Tbilisi
* Military history
* Wars
* Battles
* Chronology

Historical Arab states and dynasties

Northern Ancient Arab states

|  Kingdom of Qedar|  800 BC–300 BC

|

Kingdom of Lihyan|  600 BC–100 BC
Nabataean Kingdom|  400 BC–106 AD
Abgarid dynasty (Osroene)|  134 BC–242 AD
Emesene Dynasty|  64 BC–300s AD
Kingdom of Hatra|  100s–241 AD
Tanukhids|  196–1100 AD
Ghassanids|  220–638 AD
Salihids|  300s–500s AD
Lakhmids|  300s–602 AD
Kingdom of Kinda|  450 AD–550 AD

Southern Ancient Arab states

|  Kingdom of Awsan|  800 BC-700 BC

|

Kingdom of Saba'|  1200 BCE-275 CE
Kingdom of Ḥaḑramawt|  1000 BC-290 CE
Kingdom of Qatabān|  1000 BC-200 CE
Kingdom of Ma'in|  600 BC-150 CE
Kingdom of Ḥimyar|  110 BCE-525 CE

Arab empires and caliphates

|  Rashidun|  632–661

|

Umayyads|  661–750
Abbasids|  750–1258
Fatimids|  909–1171
Caliphate of Córdoba| 929–1031
Omani Empire|  1696–1856
Sharifian Caliphate|  1916–1931

Eastern dynasties

|  Emirate of Armenia|  654–884

|

Emirate of Tbilisi|  736–1122
Emirate of Crete|  824–961
Dulafids |  840–897
Habbari Emirate|  854–1011
Emirate of Multan|  855-1010
Kaysites|  860–964
Shirvanshah|  861–1538
Alid dynasties of northern Iran|  864–14th century
Hashimids|  869–1075
Hamdanids|  890–1004
Mazyadids|  961–1150
Jarrahids|  970–1107
Uqaylids|  990–1096
Numayrids|  990–1081
Mirdasids|  1024–1080
Munqidhites|  1025–1157
Muzaffarids|  1314–1393
Ma'nids|  1517–1697
Turabays|  1480–1677
Harfushs|  1517–1865
Shihabs|  1697–1842

Western dynasties and caliphates

|  Salihids| 710–1019

|

Fihrid Emirate| 745-757
Emirate of Córdoba| 756–929
Muhallabids| 771–793
Idrisids| 788–974
Aghlabids| 800–909
Sulaymanids| 814–922
Muslim Sicily| 831–1091
Kanzids| 1004–1412
Bakrids| 1012–1051
Tujibids| 1013–1039
Amirids| 1020–1086
Abbadids| 1023–1091
Yahsubids| 1023–1062
Hammudids| 1026–1057
Muzaynids| 1027–1063
Jawharids| 1031–1091
Hudids| 1039–1110
Sumadihids| 1041–1091
Tahirids| 1049–1078
Nasrids| 1230–1492
Saadids| 1554–1659
Alawis| 1631-present
Senussids| 1837–1969

Arabian Peninsula

|  Imamate of Oman|  751–1970

|

Ziyadids|  819–1138
Yufirids|  847–997
Ukhaidhirds|  865–1066
Rassids|  897–1962
Wajihids|  926–965
Sharifate of Mecca|  968–1925
Sulayhids|  1047–1138
Sulaymanids|  1063–1174
Uyunids|  1076–1253
Zurayids|  1083–1174
Nabhanids|  1154–1624
Mahdids|  1159–1174
Rasulids|  1229–1454
Usfurids|  1253–1320
Jarwanids|  1305–1487
Kathirids|  1395–1967
Tahirids|  1454–1526
Jabrids|  1463–1521
Kingdom of Khaza'il|  1534–1921
Qasimids|  1597–1872
Ya'arubids|  1624–1742
Emirate of Dir'iyah|  1744–1818
Upper Yafa|  1800–1967
Muscat and Oman|  1820–1970
Rashidids|  1836–1921
Qu'aitids|  1858–1967
Emirate of Beihan|  1903–1967
Idrisids|  1906–1934
Mutawakkilite Kingdom|  1926–1970

East Africa

|  Makhzumi dynasty (Shewa)|  896–1279

|

Nabahani dynasty (Pate Island)|  1203–1894
Mahdali dynasty (Kilwa Sultanate)|  1277–1495
Sultanate of Darfur|  1448–1874
Omani Empire|  1698-1856
Mazrui dynasty (Mombasa)|  1746–1828
Sultanate of Zanzibar|  1856–1964
Nabahani dynasty (Wituland)|  1858–1895
Tippu Tip's State|  1860–1887
Mahdist State|  1885–1899

Current monarchies

|  'Alawis (Morocco)|  1631–present

|

Al Qasimi (Ras al Khaymah)|  1727–present
Al Qasimi (Sharjah)|  1727–present
Al Saud (Saudi Arabia)|  1744–present
Al Said (Oman)|  1749–present
Al Sabah (Kuwait)|  1752–present
Al Nahyan (Abu Dhabi)|  1761–present
Al Mualla (Umm al-Quwain)|  1775–present
Al Khalifa (Bahrain)|  1783–present
Al Nuaimi (Ajman)|  1810–present
Al Maktoum (Dubai)|  1833–present
Al Thani (Qatar)|  1868–present
Al Sharqi (Fujairah)|  1879–present
Hashemites (Jordan)|  1921–present

* v
* t
* e

The Emirate of Tbilisi (Georgian: თბილისის საამირო Tbilisis saamiro, Arabic: إمارة تفليسي Imārah Tiflīsī) was a Muslim emirate in Transcaucasia. The Emirs of Tbilisi ruled over the parts of today's eastern Georgia from their base in the city of Tbilisi, from 736 to 1080 (nominally to 1122). Established by the Arabs during their rule of Georgian lands, the emirate was an important outpost of the Muslim rule in the Caucasus until recaptured by the Georgians under King David IV in 1122.

Georgia and the Caucasus around 740, just after the emirate was established.

## History

[edit]

See also: Arab rule in Georgia and History of Tbilisi

The Arabs first appeared in Georgia, namely in Kartli (Iberia) in 645. It was not, however, until 735 that they succeeded in establishing firm control over a large portion of the country. In that year, Marwan II took hold of Tbilisi and much of the neighbouring lands and installed there an Arab emir, who was to be confirmed by the Caliph or, occasionally, by the ostikan of Armīniya.

During the Arab period, Tbilisi (al-Tefelis) grew into a center of trade between the Islamic world and northern Europe. Beyond that, it functioned as a key Arab outpost and a buffer province against the Byzantine and Khazar dominions. Over time, Tbilisi became largely Muslim, but the Muslim influences were strictly confined to the city itself, while the environs remained largely Christian.

Tbilisi was a large city with a strong double wall pierced by three gates. It lay on both banks of the Kura River, and the two parts were connected by a bridge of boats. Contemporary geographers especially mention its thermal springs, which supplied the baths with a constant flow of hot water. On the river there were water-mills. The houses were primarily built of pine wood, to the surprise of contemporary Arab travelers. In the first half of the ninth century, Tbilisi is said to have been the second-largest, after Derbend, a city in the Caucasus, with at least 50,000 inhabitants and thriving commerce.[citation needed] Several intellectuals born or living in Tbilisi, bearing the nisba al-Tiflisi were known across the Muslim world.[2][3][4]

The Abbasid Caliphate weakened after the Abbasid civil war in the 810s, and its power was challenged by secessionist tendencies among peripheral rulers, including the Emir of Tbilisi. At the same time, the emirate became a target of the resurgent Georgian Bagrationi dynasty who were expanding their territory from Tao-Klarjeti across Georgian lands. The Emirate of Tbilisi grew in relative strength under Ishaq ibn Isma'il (833–853), who was powerful enough to suppress the ambitions of the Georgian princes and to contend with the Abbasid authority in the region. He withheld his annual payment of tribute to Baghdad, and declared his independence from the Caliph. To suppress the rebellion, in 853 Caliph al-Mutawakkil dispatched a punitive expedition led by Bugha al-Kabir (also known as Bugha the Turk), who burned Tbilisi to the ground and had Ishaq decapitated, ending the city's chances of becoming the center of an independent Islamic state in the Caucasus. The Abbasids chose not to rebuild the city extensively, and as a result the Muslim prestige and authority in the region began to wane.

### Unsuccessful Georgian attempts to capture Tbilisi

[edit]

#### Capture of Jafar by Liparit Baghvashi and Ivane Abazasdze

[edit]

In 1032, the Eristavi of Kldekari and Kartli, Liparit Baghvashi and Ivane Abazasdze lured Emir Jafar of Tbilisi from the city and captured him. It seems that the emir could not have imagined such a development of events, because he went to the meeting with the Georgian nobility without any doubts, especially since he and Bagrat IV marched on Ganja with joint forces. He probably spent five years in captivity. It is difficult to say why the Georgians did not manage to organize the capture of the city that was left without an ruler. Ivane Javakhishvili pointed out that after the capture of the fortress of Birtvisi, the king took pity on Emir and again confirmed him as the ruler of Tbilisi, According to Kopaliani, Bagrat came under the influence of Liparit and Ivane's opponent feudal lords, who saw the threat of strengthening Baghvashi in taking over the city, therefore he refused to capture Tbilisi. One way or another, the Emirate of Tbilisi remained an independent entity.

#### Siege of Tbilisi (1038-1040)

[edit]

Although one year after the release of Jafar, the Georgians under the leadership of Liparit tried to capture Tbilisi. Historians believe that Liparit convinced the king of the need to capture Tbilisi and called for another campaign. The army that entered Tbilisi blocked all roads to cut off the city from the outside world. A siege circle was formed around Tbilisi. The population was gripped by terrible hunger. The people of Tbilisi were going to give up over the city to the king, and the Emir was thinking about escaping quietly, but suddenly, after a two-year siege, Bagrat offered a truce to Jafar, and the Georgian troops immediately left Tbilisi. This issue has also become the cause of dispute among historians. Ivane Javakhishvili, based on the preserved information of Ibn al-Athir, connects this hasty decision of the king with the entry of the Seljuks into Armenia and Azerbaijan, while M. Lortkipanidze again blames the princes who are opposed to Liparit for the failure of the attempt to capture Tbilisi, although he also does not rule out the influence of the Seljuk campaigns on the king.

### Capture of Tbilisi by David the Builder

[edit]

#### Siege of Tbilisi (1122)

[edit]

Main article: Siege of Tbilisi (1122)

From the 12th century, David IV started a fight to expel the Seljuks from Transcaucasia, the march on Tbilisi was part of this fight. In 1122, the king was able to capture Tbilisi. As the city was not surrendered without a fight, the king took it by storm and brutally assaulted the city's rulers and brutally massacred the Muslim population. Nevertheless, David's heartbreak soon subsided and he granted the people of Tbilisi many concessions: he released them from the tax of that year and, at the request of the Muslims, he ordered that no one in their area should slaughter a pig. The king granted Muslims the right to freely pray. The king also granted tax benefits to Muslims: Georgians paid five dinars a year, Jews \- four, and Muslims - three dinars. The king promised the Muslims, Jews, and Armenians of Tbilisi to live safely in the city and to keep their faith intact, so that they could freely continue their peaceful trade activities. The capital of Georgia was moved from Kutaisi to Tbilisi. The city soon became the economic and cultural center of the country. With this, the Emirate of Tbilisi ended its approximately 400-year existence.

## Legacy

[edit]

The office of emir — amira or amirtamira — now an appointed Georgian royal official — survived in Tbilisi, as well as other big cities of Georgia, into the 18th century, being substituted by the office of mouravi.

## Rulers

[edit]

Emir  | Reign  | Dynasty  | Notes

|
|
|

1\. Isma'il b. Shuab | (until 813)  | Shuabids  |
2\. Mohammed I b. Atab  | 813 – 829  | Shuabids  |
3\. Ali I b. Shuab | 829 – 833  | Shuabids  |
4\. Ishaq b. Isma'il b. Shuab | 833 – 853  | Shuabids  |
5\. Muhammad II b. Khalil  | 853 – 870  | Shaybanids  |
6\. Isa b. al-Shaykh al-Shayban  | 870 – 876  | Shaybanids  |
7\. Ibrahim  | 876 – 878  | Shaybanids  |
8\. Gabuloc  | 878 – 880  | Shaybanids  |
9\. Jafar I b. Ali  | 880 – 914  | Jafarids  |
10\. Mansur I b. Jafar  | 914 – 952  | Jafarids  |
11\. Jafar II b. Mansur  | 952 – 981  | Jafarids  |
12\. Ali II b. Jafar  | 981 – 1032  | Jafarids  |
13\. Jafar III b. Ali  | 1032 – 1046  | Jafarids  |
14\. Mansur II b. Jafar  | 1046 – 1054  | Jafarids  |
15\. Abu'l-Hayja b. Jafar  | 1054 – 1062  | Jafarids  |
| 1062 – 1068  |  | City council
16\. Fadlun of Ganja | 1068 – 1080  | Jafarids  | appointed by Alp Arslan
| 1080 – 1122  |  | City council
|  |  | annexed to Kingdom of Georgia

## Sources

[edit]

* Allen, WED (1932), A History of the Georgian People, K. Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co,
* Minorsky, V., Tiflis in Encyclopaedia of Islam
* Suny RG (1994), The Making of the Georgian Nation (2nd Edition), Bloomington and Indianapolis, ISBN 0-253-35579-6

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Sauer, Eberhard (2020). Dariali: The 'Caspian Gates' in the Caucasus from Antiquity to the Age of the Huns and the Middle Ages. Oxford University Press.
2. ^ Japaridze, Gocha (1989). "მუსლიმი მოღვაწეები ათ-თიფლისის ნისბით VIII–XIV საუკუნეებში" [Muslim figures with the nisba al-Tiflisi in the 8th to the 14th centuries]. Matsne (in Georgian). 4: 77–88.
3. ^ Japaridze, Gocha (1990). "მუსლიმი მოღვაწეები ათ-თიფლისის ნისბით VIII–XIV საუკუნეებში" [Muslim figures with the nisba al-Tiflisi in the 8th to the 14th centuries]. Matsne (in Georgian). 1: 65–78.
4. ^ Margarian, Hayrapet; Asatrian, Garnik (1 April 2004). "The Muslim Community of Tiflis (8th-19th Centuries)". Iran and the Caucasus. 8 (1): 29–52\. doi:10.1163/1573384042002966.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Paghava, Irakli; Turkia, Severiane (2012). "A Unique Coin of Abū al-Hayjā, Ja'farid Emir of Tiflīs". The Numismatic Chronicle. 172: 205–212\. JSTOR 42678938.

## External links

[edit]

* Tiflis dirhams at Zeno.ru – Oriental Coins Database

* v
* t
* e

Georgian states throughout history

| Antiquity|

* Diauehi
* Colchis
* Iberia
* Lazica

|

Early
Middle Ages|

* Principality of Iberia
* Kingdom of Abkhazia
* Bagratid Iberia
* Principalities of Tao & Klarjeti
* Kingdom of Hereti
* First Kingdom of Kakheti
* Emirate of Tbilisi

High and Late
Middle Ages|

* Kingdom of Georgia
* Kingdom of Imereti
* Principality of Mingrelia
* Principality of Abkhazia
* Principality of Guria
* Principality of Svaneti
* Kingdom of Kartli
* Kingdom of Kakheti
* Principality of Samtskhe

Modern period|

* Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti
* Republic of Guria
* Democratic Republic of Georgia
* Georgian SSR
* Georgia

* v
* t
* e

Georgia articles

History|

| Early|

* Prehistoric Georgia
* Shulaveri–Shomu culture
* Kura–Araxes culture
* Trialeti–Vanadzor culture
* Colchian culture
* Mushki
* Diauehi
* Colchis
* Kingdom of Iberia
* Lazica
* Roman era
* Sasanian Iberia
* Christianization of Iberia

|

Middle|

* Principality of Iberia
* Bagrationi dynasty
* Arab rule
* Emirate of Tbilisi
* Kingdom of Abkhazia
* Kingdom of the Iberians
* Unification of the Georgian realm
* Kingdom of Hereti
* Kingdom of Kakheti-Hereti
* Kingdom of Georgia
* Byzantine wars
* Seljuk wars
* Battle of Didgori
* Golden Age
* Mongol invasions
* Timur's invasions
* Samtskhe-Saatabago
* Turkmen incursions
* Collapse of the Georgian realm
* Kingdom of Imereti
* Principality of Abkhazia
* Principality of Svaneti
* Principality of Guria
* Principality of Mingrelia
* Kingdom of Kartli
* Kingdom of Kakheti
* Safavid Georgia
* Shah Abbas I's invasions
* Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti
* 1795 Persian Invasion
* Absorption by the Russian Empire

Modern|

* Democratic Republic of Georgia
* Armenian War
* Red Army invasion
* Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
* April 9 tragedy
* Independent Georgia
* Civil War
* War in Abkhazia
* Rose Revolution
* Russo-Georgian War

By topic|

* Names of Georgia
* Monarchs
* States
* Military history
* Wars
* Battles
* Timeline of Georgian history
* more

Geography|

* Borders
* Birds
* Black Sea
* Climate
* Earthquakes
* Environmental issues
* Glaciers
* Greater Caucasus
* Lakes
* Lesser Caucasus
* Mammals
* National parks
* Protected areas
* Rivers
* Volcanoes
* more

Subdivisions|

* Administrative divisions
* Cities and towns
* Tbilisi
* Regions
* more

Russian-occupied territories|

* Abkhazia
* South Ossetia

Politics|

* Constitution
* Elections
* Foreign relations
* Government
* Human rights
* LGBT
* Law enforcement
* Military
* Parliament
* Political parties
* President
* Prime Minister

Economy|

* Agriculture
* Central bank
* Companies
* Energy
* Lari (currency)
* Mining
* Stock Exchange
* Telecommunications
* Tourism
* Transport
* more

Culture|

* Alphabet
* Architecture
* Art
* Chokha
* Cinema
* Cuisine
* Wine
* Dance
* Gambling
* Languages
* Georgian
* Laz
* Mingrelian
* Svan
* Media
* Music
* Mythology
* Names
* Public holidays
* Religion
* Sports
* World Heritage Sites
* more

Demographics|

* Education
* Ethnic minorities
* Georgians
* List
* Diaspora
* Health care
* Women
* more

Symbols|

* Anthem
* Bolnisi cross
* Borjgali
* Coat of arms
* Flag
* Motto
* Saint George
* cross
* Saint Nino
* cross

* Outline
* Index

* Category
* Portal

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template