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The 'Georgians' ( , ''Kartveli Eri'') or 'ქართველები' (''Kartvelebi'') in the Georgian language) are among one of the oldest nations and ethnic groups in the world, originating in the Caucasus.^[2] Georgians, known as ''Iberians'' and ''Colchians'' in classical antiquity, speak the Georgian language, which has a rich literary tradition and the Georgian Alphabet is one of the fourteen unique alphabets which exist in the world today.
Linguistically, Georgian language is a part of the Ibero-Caucasian languages^[3] and are classified in the South Caucasian subgroup. It is known that Georgians are an ethnic group indigenous to the Caucasus region.^[4] The history of Georgia was marked by the national struggle for self-preservation from numerous invasions by foreign powers for 4,000 years and most of the battles ended with the Georgian victory. Notably, greeting in Georgian language is ''Gamarjoba'', which translates as ''Be Victorious'', or ''Hail to the Victory''.

Contents

Origins

DNA

Short History

Georgian character

Population and geographical spread

Ethnographic subdivisions

Notable Georgians (selection)

Kings and chieftains

Literature & the arts

Military

Music

Actors

Philosophy & religion

Politics

Sports

Gallery of Georgian people

Notes

See also

Origins

Most historians and scholars of Georgia as well as anthropologists, archaeologists and linguists tend to agree that the ancestors of modern Georgians inhabited the southern Caucasus and northern Asia Minor since the Neolithic period. Scholars usually refer to them as Proto-Kartvelian tribes. Some European historians of the 19th century (eg, Humboldt, Kretschmer) as well as Georgian scholars (R. Gordeziani, S. Kaukhchishvili and Z. Gamsakhurdia) came to the conclusion that Proto-Kartvelians might be related linguistically and culturally to the indigenous (pre-Indo-European) peoples of ancient Europe including the Etruscans, Pelasgians and Proto-Basques. The Georgian people in antiquity have been known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as Colchians and Iberians.
Proto Georgian tribes:

★ Daiaeni in Assyrian sources and Taokhoi in Greek, lived in the northeastern part of Anatolia, a region that once was part of Georgia. The Georgians of today still refer to this region, which now belongs to present-day Turkey, as Tao-Klarjeti. Some people there still speak Georgian.

★ Colchians in the ancient western Georgian Kingdom of Colchis.

★ Iberians in the eastern Georgian Kingdom of Iberia.
Both Colchians and Iberians played an important role in the ethnic and cultural formation of the modern Georgian nation.^[5]

DNA

Georgians are the center of concentration of populations carrying Y-chromosomal haplogroup G, with frequencies around 30%. See map of distribution of G

Short History

Main articles: History of Georgia (country)

A second Georgian tribal union emerged in the 13 th century BC on the Black Sea coast creating the Kingdom of Colchis in the western Georgia.^[6]
The ancient Greeks knew western Georgia as Colchis, and it featured in the Greek legend of Jason and the Argonauts, who travelled there in search of the Golden Fleece. Since 2 000 B.C., north-western Colchis was inhabited by the Svan and Zan peoples of the Georgian tribes. In the eastern part of Georgia, there was a struggle for the leadership among the various Georgian confederations during the 6th – 4th centuries BC which was finally won
by the Kartlian tribes from the region of Mtskheta in Iberia. According to the Georgian tradition, the Kingdom of Kartli (known as Iberia in the Greek-Roman literature) was founded around 300 BC by Parnavaz I, the first ruler of the Parnavazid dynasty.

Between 653 and 333 B.C., both Colchis and Iberia were successfully surviving in fight against Median and later Persian Empire. At the end of the 3d century B.C, southern Iberia saw the armies of Alexander the Great who established a vast Greco-Macedonian empire to the south of the Caucasus.
Between the early 2nd century, B.C. and the late 2nd century A.D., both Colchis and Iberia, together with the neighbor countries, became an arena of long and devastating conflicts between major local powers Rome, Armenia, and the short-lived Kingdom of Pontus. As a result of the brilliant Roman campaigns of Pompey and Lucullus, the Georgian kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia came under direct Roman rule. However, during the reign of the Emperro Trajan, Caucasian Iberia became a long lasting ally of the Roman Empire. The former Kingdom of Colchis was re-organized by the Romans into the province of Lazicum ruled by Roman legati.
Eastern Georgian Kingdom of Iberia became one of the first states in the world to convert to Christianity in 327 AD, when King of Iberia Mirian II established it as the official state religion. In the middle of the 4th century, both Lazica (former Kingdom of Colchis), and Iberia, adopted Christianity as their official religion. At the end of the 5th century, Prince Vakhtang I Gorgasali orchestrated an anti-Persian uprising and restored Iberian statehood proclaiming himself the King. The armies of Vakhtang launched several campaigns against both Persia and the Byzantine Empire.
The first decades of the 9th century saw the rise of a new Georgian state in Tao-Klarjeti. Ashot Courapalate, of the royal family of Bagrationi, liberated from the Arabs the territories of former southern Iberia. The first united Georgian monarchy was formed at the end of the 10th century when Curopalate David invaded the Earldom of Kartli-Iberia. Three years later, after the death of his uncle Theodosius the Blind, King of Egrisi-Abkhazia, Bagrat III inherited the Abkhazian throne. In 1001 Bagrat also included Tao-Klarjeti (Curopalatinate of Iberia) into his domain as a result of David’s death. In 1008-1010 Bagrat King of the Abkhazs and Tao-Klarjeti annexed Kakheti and Ereti thus becoming the first King of the united Georgia both eastern and western. In 1008 all Georgian principalities were united into the unified 'Kingdom of Georgia' (1008-1466) under the Bagrationi dynasty. This dynasty was established by Ashot I (Ashot the Great) in the end of the 8th century.
The struggle against the Seljuk invaders in Georgia was led by the young King David IV of the Bagrationi royal family who inherited the throne in 1089 at the age of 16 after the abdication of his father George II Bagrationi. In 1121, Seljuk Sultan Mahmud declared Jihad on Georgia and sent a strong army under one of his famous generals Al-Ghazee to fight the Georgians. Although significantly outnumbered by the Turks, Georgians managed to defeat the invaders at Didgori battle and in 1122 took over Tbilisi to make it Georgia’s capital. As a result, mostly Christian-populated Ghishi-Kabala area in western Shirvan (relic of once prosperous Albanian Kingdom) was annexed by Georgia while the rest of already Islamized Shirvan became Georgia’s client-state. Same year a big portion of Armenia was liberated by David’s troops and fell into Georgian hands as well. Thus, in 1124 David also became the King of Armenians incorporating Northern Armenia into Georgian Crown lands. In King David died leaving Georgia with the status of a strong regional power. In Georgia, King David is called Agmashenebeli (English: the builder).
However, the most glorious sovereign of Georgia of that period was definitely Queen Tamar (David’s great-granddaughter). The reign of Queen Tamar was the peak of Georgia’s might in the whole history of the nation.
Trebizond Empire was heavily dependent of Georgia for more than two hundred years. In 1210 Georgian armies invaded northern Persia (modern day Iranian Azerbaijan) putting part of the conquered territory under Georgian protectorate. That was the maximal extent of Georgia throughout her history. Queen Tamar was addressed as “The Queen of Abkhazians, Kartvels, Rans, Kakhs and Armenians, Shirvan-Shakhine and Shakh-in-Shakhine, The Sovereign of the East and West”. Georgian historians often refer to her as “Queen Tamar the Great”. The period between the early 12th and the early 13th centuries and especially, the era of Tamar the Great, can truly be considered as the golden age of Georgia. Besides the political and military achievements, it was marked by the development of Georgian culture including the architecture, literature, philosophy and sciences.

Georgian character

Georgians have been said to be irreverent, good humored, and generally high spirited. A good demonstration of the Georgian character can be seen by a guest in a Georgian home, where you'll be treated like a monarch, and entertained with food and drink until you can take no more. Georgians are proud of their culture, language, history, and traditions.
Georgians are highly gifted in the world of arts, which include: music, cinema, theatre, painting, literature, poetry, and other artistic endeavors. ^[7] An example of this can be seen throughout Georgian history, with large number of world-renowned poets, musicians, painters, and novelists. Georgians like to identify with their own regions, but they all share a common sense of strong national unity.

Population and geographical spread

The total population of Georgians in the world is estimated to be around 6,000,000.

★ Around 4 million Georgians live in Georgia (where they comprise 83% of the population),

★ In Turkey, Georgians form the majority in parts of Artvin Province east of the Çoruh River in Shavsheti (შავშეთი) region (Upper Machakheli in the north of Borçka district, Imerkhevi in the north of Şavşat district, and Murgul district) and in individual villages along the Çoruh valley of Livana (ლივანა) vicinity in the territory of the ancient Georgian regions of Tao-Klarjeti (Klarjeti (კლარჯეთი) is presently a village renamed officially as Bereket in Ardanuç district), southwards to the district of Yusufeli (Kiskim) in Amier-Tao (ამიერტაო) subregion. They also live as Chveneburi (ჩვენებური) muhajirs in various provinces. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the prime minister of Turkey, pronounced his Georgian origins during a visit to Georgia in 2004.^[8] The total population of people of Georgian descent in Turkey is estimated to be more than 1,500,000.

★ Around 200,000 in Russia.

★ 50,000-100,000 (numbers are not totally known) in Iran mainly in Fereydan, Fereydoon Shahr, and Najaf Abad, as well as in many Iranian large cities such as Esfahan, Tehran, Shiraz, and Karaj. Up to 200,000 in Mazandaran. Moreover there are millions of people with (partial) Georgian descent. (300,000 Georgians were settled in Iran in the 17th century, and there came many later).

★ 14,900 in Azerbaijan, according to official numbers.^[9] Most Georgians (known as Ingilos) in Azerbaijan reside in the Kakhi, Belokani and Zakatala districts, which had been known as Hereti until the 15th century and administered by the Georgian kings until the 17th century. These rayons were once part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia and part of Georgia under the Transcaucasian SFSR until 1931 when they were transferred to Azerbaijan.^[10] Georgia holds no claims against Azerbaijan over these territories as of present.

★ 200,000 in other countries such as (USA, Germany, the Netherlands, France, etc.).

★ There are some in Argentina, in the provinces of Mendoza and Rio Negro. In Rio Negro, Georgian people and their descendants are at the hippietown of El Bolson and in the valleys zone (Colonia Rusa in the Alto Valle).

Ethnographic subdivisions

Strabo divided Georgians into two general categories: the ''highlanders'', or the mountaineers (northern Georgians), and the ''lowlanders'' (southern Georgians).^[11] One the other hand, Georgians historically have been divided into eastern Georgians (Iberians) and western Georgians (Colchians). However, medieval sources usually refer Georgia as the Iberian nation because the Kingdom of Iberia was able to spread its influence over the rest of the Proto-Georgian principalities, forming Georgian statehood and national identity.
Among the modern-day Georgians there are four major linguistic subdivisions: the Abkhazian, the Mingrelian, the Laz, and the Svan sub-languages. The standard Georgian is based on eastern Kartl-Kakheti dialect.
Within the group called ''Kartveli'', Georgians further distinguish themselves into regional ethnographic subgroups:

★ The Imeretians (იმერელი)

★ The Gurians (გურული)

★ The Ajarians (აჭარელი)

★ The Meskhetians (მესხი)

★ The Lechkhumeli (ლეჩხუმელი)

★ The Rachveli (რაჭველი)

★ The Kartlians (ქართლელი)

★ The Kakhetians (კახელი)

★ The Khevsureti (ხევსური)

★ The Lazs (ლაზი)

★ The Mingrelians (მეგრელი)

★ The Tushi (თუში)

★ The Pshaveli (ფშაველები)

★ The Mokhevians (მოხევე)

★ The Ingilo (ინგილო)

★ The Svans (სვანი)

★ The Fereydanians (ფერეიდნელი)
These subgroups, however, exist for historical and geographical reasons; each would consider itself to be ''Kartveli'', the ethnic group which gives the country, ''Sakartvelo'', its name, and would speak the same language.

Notable Georgians (selection)

:''See List of Georgians for a more complete listing, including notable people with Georgian heritage.''

Kings and chieftains

★ Parnavaz I of Iberia (3rd century BC), king

★ Vakhtang Gorgasali the king of Georgia in the 5th century, founder of capital city-Tbilisi

★ Mirian of Iberia (4rd century), king

★ Bagrat of Georgia (9th century), king of unified Georgian Kingdom

★ Giorgi I (1014-1027), king

★ Giorgi II king in 1027-1072

★ David the Builder (1073-1125), The greatest King of Georgia

★ Tamar of Georgia (1160-1213), Queen Tamar of the Georgian golden age

★ Demetre II Tavdadebuli, king in 1270-1289

★ Giorgi V the Beautifule, (14-15th century)

★ Vakhtang VI King, (17th century)

★ Erekle II king, (18th century)

★ King George XIV Bagration-Mukhraneli of Georgia

Literature & the arts

★ Shota Rustaveli

★ Lado Asatiani

★ Alexander Chavchavadze

★ Ilia Chavchavadze

★ Nikoloz Baratashvili

★ Gia Gugushvili

★ Levan Lagidze

★ Niko Nikoladze

★ Vazha-Pshavela

★ Galaktion Tabidze

★ Titsian Tabidze

★ Akaki Tsereteli

★ Zurab Tsereteli

★ Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani

★ Davit Guramishvili

★ Konstantine Gamsakhurdia

★ Grigol Robakidze

★ Terenti Graneli

★ Nodar Dumbadze

★ Mukhran Machavariani

★ Murman Lebanidze

★ Ana Kalandadze

★ Otia Ioseliani

★ Guram Dochanashvili

★ Givi Munjishvili

Military

★ Alexander Chavchavadze

★ Grigol Orbeliani

★ Kote Abkhazi (1867-1923)

★ Geno Adamia (1936-1993)

★ Dimitri Amilakhvari (1906-1942), hero of French Resistance during the WW2.

★ Petre Bagration (1765-1812), general (Russia)

★ Kakutsa (Khaikhosro) Cholokashvili (1888-1930)

★ Leo Kereselidze (1878-1942)

★ Giorgi Kvinitadze (1874-1970)

★ Shalva Maglakelidze (1893-1970)

★ Giorgi Mazniashvili (1872-1937)

★ Konstantine Leselidze (general),

★ Giorgi Kharkarashvili

★ John Shalikashvili (Poland, 1936- ), general, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (USA)

Music

★ George Balanchin (Balanchivadze)

★ Meliton Balanchivadze

★ Zakharia Paliashvili

★ Vano Sarajishvili

★ Revaz Lagidze

★ Gia Kancheli

★ Giorgi Cabadze

★ Nani Bregvadze

★ Vakhtang Kikabidze

★ Otar Taktakishvili

★ Gogi Dolidze

★ George Balanchine

★ Paata Burchuladze

★ Zurab Sotkilava
★
★ Eter Skonia-Lamorisi

★ Makvala Kasrashvili

★ Valery Meladze

★ Nino Surguladze

★ Alexsandre Korsantia

★ Dini Virsaladze

★ Liana Isakadze

★ Tamar Gverdciteli

★ Temur Kvitelashvili

★ Brandon Stone

★ Katie Melua

★ Nino KAtamadze

★ Nino Gvetadze,pianist

★ Sopho Khalvashi

Actors

★ David(Dodo)Abashidze

★ Veriko Anjaparidze

★ Spartak Bagashvili

★ Ushangi Chkheidze

★ Erosi Manjgaladze

★ Sesilia Takaishvili

★ Nato Vachnadze

★ Sergo Zakariadze

★ Vasil Godzaishvili

★ Akaki Kvantaliani

★ Sandro Djorjoliani

★ Sofiko Chiaureli

★ Kote Maxaradze

★ Tengiz Archvadze

★ Ramaz Chxikvadze

★ Zurab kKifshidze

★ Levan Uchaneishvili

★ Merab Ninidze

★ Rezo Chxikvishvili

★ Kakhi Kavsadze

★ Temur Babluani

★ Medea Chaxava

★ Medea Jafaridze

★ Otar Megvinetuxucesi

★ Guram Sagaradze

★ Janri Lolashvili

★ Murman jinoria

★ Givi Berikashvili

★ Gogi Qavtaradze

★ Nuca Kuxianidze

★ Lika Qavjaradze

★ Lia Eliava

★ Otar Koberidze

★ Leila Abashidze

★ Giorgi Shengelaia

Philosophy & religion

★ Peter the Iberian (411-491), bishop & philosopher

★ Euthymius of Athos 9th century renowned Georgian philosopher and scholar

★ Antim Iverianul (Antimoz Iverieli) (1650-1716), Metropolitan of Romania

★ St Grigol Peradze

★ Ilia II (1932- ), Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia since 1977

Politics

★ Mikhail Saakashvili (1967-), President of Georgia from 2004

★ Eduard Shevardnadze (1928- ), former Soviet Foreign Minister, former President 1993-2004

★ Zviad Gamsakhurdia (1939-1993), the First President, 1991-1993

★ Merab Kostava (1939-1989), National Hero

★ Ioseb Dzhugashvili, better known as Joseph Stalin, (1878-1953), leader of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1953

★ Ilia Chavchavadze, the Revolutions of 1848

★ Evgen Gvaladze (1900-1937), one of the leaders of the national-liberation movement in 1921-1937

Sports

★ Shota Arveladze (1973- ), footballer, AZ Alkmaar and Georgia national team

★ Maia Chiburdanidze (1961- ), Women's World Champion in chess (1978-1991)

★ Nona Gaprindashvili (1941- ), Women's World Champion in chess (1962-1978)

★ Kakha Kaladze (1978- ), footballer, AC Milan

★ Zaza Pachulia (1984 - ), professional basketball player, Atlanta Hawks, NBA

★ Elene Gedevanishvili (1990-), figure skater

Gallery of Georgian people

Notes

1. Predominant religion among Georgians in Iran and in few villages of Adjara.
2. Javakhishvili, Ivane. ''History of Georgian Nation''
3. David Marshal Lang, the Georgians, Frederich A. Praeger Publishers, New York, p 66
4. Modern Hatreds: The Symbolic Politics of Ethnic War By Stuart J. Kaufman, p. 86
5. Charles Burney and David Marshal Lang, The Peoples of the Hills: Ancient Ararat and Caucasus, p. 38
6. BRAUND, D., Georgia in antiquity: a history of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia 550
BC – AD 562, Oxford University Press, 1996
7. The Georgians, by David Marshall Lang, Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd
8. ''Kimlik Değişimi!'' December 13 2005, ''Milliyet''
9. "Population by ethnic groups" ''The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan''
10. Dr. Andrew Andersen, Ph.D. Atlas of Conflicts: Armenia and Karabakh: Territorial Disputes of 1921-22 And Future Territorial Adjustments of 1931
11. Javakhishvili, Ivane. ''History of Georgian Nation''. 1960.

See also

★ Georgians in Iran

★ Chveneburi - Georgians in Turkey

★ Culture of Georgia

★ Demographics of Georgia

★ Demographics of Turkey

★ Demographics of Russia

★ Georgian language

★ Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church

★ History of Georgia

★ List of Georgians

★ Peoples of the Caucasus in Turkey

★ Republic of Georgia

★ SophoKhalvashi.net - site of Sopho Khalvashi who presented Georgia on Eurovision 2007