Dedisimedi

Last updated July 01, 2023 • 4 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Dedisimedi (Georgian :დედისიმედი; died c. 1595) was a Georgian noblewoman of the House of Mukhrani, a collateral branch of the royal Bagrationi dynasty. She was princess consort of Samtskhe as wife of Kaikhosro II Jaqeli (r. 1545–1573) and regent for her son Qvarqvare IV Jaqeli (r. 1573–1581). She played a leading role in a civil war that plagued Samtskhe from 1576 to 1578. After the Ottoman takeover of her principality, Dedisimedi retired to Kartli, leaving the government to her son, Manuchar II Jaqeli, who continued to rule as an Ottoman pasha.

Family background and name

Dedisimedi was born into the princely family of Mukhrani, the Mukhranbatoni, a collateral branch of the royal house of Kartli. The sources differ as to her parents. The 16th-century Chronicle of Meskhian Psalter as well as the 18th century Georgian historian Prince Vakhushti and a church inscription from Vale suggest that Dedisimedi's father was Bagrat, son of King Constantine II. In contrast, Vakhushti's contemporaneous editor of the Georgian Chronicles , Beri Egnatashvili, makes her, erroneously, daughter of Bagrat's son Ashotan and, hence, sister of Saint Ketevan the Martyr.^[1]

As Egnatashvili claims, on her marriage into the Jaqeli family she was given the name Dedisimedi—literally, "a mother's hope"—already known in the family earlier: so was named a consort of Qvarqvare IV Jaqeli, who died in 1489. When relating events in her widowhood, one of the editions of the Georgian Chronicles refers to the dowager princess as "Deborah, formerly Dedisimedi". This gave rise to a hypothesis that, at some point of her life and probably after her husband's death in 1573, Dedisimedi might have become a nun under the name of Deborah.^[1] Many modern scholars such as K. Sharashenidze and Sh. Lomsadze have dismissed such a possibility on account of her energetic involvement in war and politics.^[2]

Marriage

Dedisimedi married Prince Kaikhosro II Jaqeli, a 22-year-old prince-atabag of Samtskhe, in 1545. Kaikhosro's rule over Samtskhe, one of the breakaway states of the Kingdom of Georgia, was marred by incessant Iranian–Ottoman rivalry over the territory, uneasy relations with neighboring Georgian polities, and internecine feuds. Installed through the Ottoman intervention, Kaikhosro ended up his reign, watching the western part of his principality being assimilated by the Ottomans and the eastern moiety—where he preferred to stay—being subjected to Iran. He died while visiting the court of Shah Tahmasp I at Qazvin in 1573.^[1]

Not much is known about Dedisimedi's life during the turbulent years of Kaikhosro's rule. In a period of ascendancy of the Muslim empires, she patronized Christianity and rebuilt the Church of Theotokos of Vale in the years of 1561–1563. She is also credited to have been one of the authors of the Chronicle of the Meskhetian Psalter, a fragmented account of the 1561–1587 events in Samtskhe (Meskheti) attached to a Psalter manuscript.^[1]

Regency

The Caucasus in the 16th century. 129OttomanSafavid1502-1590.gif — The Caucasus in the 16th century.

On the death of Kaikhosro, Qvarqvare IV, the eldest of his eight children with Dedisimedi, succeeded to the principate of Samtskhe. Since he was still young and inexperienced, the actual government of the country was taken over by Dedisimedi and the nobleman Varaza Shalikashvili, whose sister was a favorite wife in Shah Tahmasp's harem.^[1]

In 1574, the Kakhetian nobleman Cholokashvili—in a quest to divert the shah's attention from the affairs of Kakheti—successfully spread rumors to convince Dedisimedi of Shalikashvili's perfidy. The princess dowager—described by the historian Vakhushti as imperious, jealous, and cruel—had Shalikashvili murdered on charges of plotting with the Iranians. Shah Tahmasp reacted to the killing of his brother-in-law and ally by invading Samtskhe. Dedisimedi and her sons were put into flight to the mountains of Adjara and many of their castles were conferred on the murdered Shalikashvili's Islamized son, Kokola (Mahmud Khan). As the shah left, Dedisimedi was able to resume her reign, but an uprising and an attempt on Qvarqvare IV followed. From 1576 through 1578, civil war raged through eastern Samtskhe between the Jaqeli faction and the aristocratic opposition led by Kokola Shalikashvili, leaving towns such as Tmogvi in ruins.^[3]^[4] Dedisimedi was personally involved in fighting, directing operations at Queli and Tmogvi.^[1]

Eventually, the Jaqeli prevailed, but the decimated country became an easy target for the powerful thrust of the Ottoman army under Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha's command in August 1578. The nobles of Samtskhe submitted after a token resistance and Lala Pasha made a common cause with Dedisimedi's more able and calculating son Manuchar, a co-regent with his mother.^[3] The Jaqeli accepted Ottoman suzerainty. Lala Pasha met Dedisimedi at her base at Okros Tsikhe (Altunkal'a) and politely made it clear that her elder sons should become Muslims. In 1579, both Qvarqvare and Manuchar repaired to Constantinople and the latter pompously converted to Islam under the name of Mustafa. Following Qvarqvare's death in 1581, Manuchar-Mustafa became an Ottoman governor of a reduced Samtskhe, that is, pasha of Childir.^[1]

Dedisimedi left the Ottoman-occupied Samtskhe in 1585 and retired to Akhaldaba, in Kartli, where Manuchar, having revolted from the Ottoman authority, had also taken refuge. Early in 1586, Manuchar acceded to the Ottoman demands and sent Dedisimedi and her grandson, Kaikhosro's son, to Samtskhe. Thereafter, she disappears from the contemporary historical records, save for the Ottoman fiscal documents of 1595, listing the estates formerly belonging to her in Samtskhe.^[1]

Children

Dedisimedi had eight children with Kaikhosro II:

Qvarqvare IV
Manuchar II
Beka III (Sefer Pasha)
Ivane the Fair-Eyed (tvalmshvenieri)
Basil
Mzechabuk
Elene
Tamar

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Manuchar I Jaqeli was a Prince and Atabeg of Samtskhe-Saatabago from 1515 to 1518. He was a member of the Jaqeli family and youngest son of Qvarqvare II Jaqeli. After his older brother Mzetchabuk's abdication Manuchar started an uprising against his nephew Qvarqvare, the son of Kaikhosro I. Manuchar's revolt finished successfully and he ascended to the Meskhetian throne. During his brief reign Manuchar sent many gifts to the Ottoman sultan Selim I and claimed himself as an admirer of Ottomans. In 1518 the new revolt started. Prince Qvarqvare with the help of Safavid troops attacked Samtskhe. Manuchar was overthrown and Qvarqvare became the new ruler of Meskheti. After this Manuchar asked his suzerain Sultan Selim for help. Sultan gave him the huge army. He had tried to restore himself as Atabeg, but was defeated by Qvarqvare's forces at the battle near Erzurum. Manuchar Jaqeli escaped to the Ottoman empire and lived there until his death. Nothing is known about his later life and descendants.

Qvarqvare III Jaqeli (1469–1535) was a Georgian ruling Prince and Atabeg of Samtskhe-Saatabago during 1518–1535. Member of the Jaqeli family and son of Atabeg Kaikhosro I Jaqeli. His failure to capture the throne at the death of his father Kaikhosro may have been caused by the ambition of his uncle Mzetchabuki, who had seized Atabeg's title from him. Despite this Mzetchabuk Jaqeli declared Qvarqare as his successor. During his uncle's reign Qvarqvare actively involved in state affairs. In 1515 ill Mzetchabuk resigned from the throne and came to the Monastery as a monk. Qvarqvare couldn't ascend to the Meskhetian throne, because his second uncle Manuchar I had revolted. Qvarqvare went to Safavid Persia, became vassal of Shah Ismail I and lived at his court in Tabriz until his accession. In 1518 Qvarqvare commanded Qizilbash army and invaded Samtskhe. Persians dethroned Manuchar I and placed Qvarqvare on the throne. Manuchar invited Ottomans to fight against Safavids and overthrow his nephew, but Qvarqvare's forces defeated him at the battle near Erzurum, after which Manuchar escaped to the Ottoman empire. During Qvarqvare's reign Persian influence on Samtskhe was growing day by day. Because of that Turks greatly damaged the country and especially its southwestern region. Meskhetian lords had recognized that under Qvarqvare's rule Samtskhe would finally turn to the Enemy's hands. They made an alliance with the Georgian kings, Bagrat III of Imereti and Luarsab I of Kartli to end up Jaqelian rule and protect Samtskhe from dominant Muslim empires. In 1535 King Bagrat III invaded Samtskhe. He defeated and captured Qvarqvare III at the Battle of Murjakheti near Akhalkalaki, Georgians had annexed Principality of Samtskhe. Qvarqvare died in prison. A few years later, his survived youngest son Kaikhosro II requested Ottomans to expel Imeretian and Kartlian forces from Samtskhe. In 1545, at the Battle of Sokhoista, Kaikhosro defeated Bagrat III, after which he reinstated his legitimate throne. Samtskhe became vassal of the Ottoman empire. Qvarqvare III's descendants ruled Samtskhe-Saatabago and then Childir Eyalet until 1820s.

Qvarqvare IV Jaqeli was a Georgian Prince and Atabeg of Samtskhe-Saatabago, ruling nominally in 1573–1581. He was member of the Jaqeli family and the son of Kaikhosro II Jaqeli. During his nominal reign Meskhetian lords revolted several times against Jaqelian rule. Uprisings were suppressed by Ottomans. In 1578 Ottomans started new war against Safavid Persia for the hole territory of Caucasus. Lala Mustafa Pasha invaded Georgia. Qvarqvare IV obeyed him. Pasha had decided to send Qvarqvare and his younger brother Manuchar to Constantinople for recognizing Ottoman absolute rule in Samtskhe. Qvarqvare left the government to his mother, Dedisimedi and went to the capital of the Ottoman Empire. In 1579 by the order of Sultan Murad III Ottomans divided Samtskhe-Saatabago into eight Sanjaks and established Childir Eyalet on the lands of Meskheti. Qvarqvare IV was appointed as Christian ruler of Childir Eyalet, but his brother Manuchar converted to Islam under the name of Mustafa and became the Ottoman Pasha. Qvarqvare died childless in 1581 and was succeeded by his Muslim brother Manuchar II.

Beka III Jaqeli, also known as Sefer Pasha, was a Georgian ruler of Childir Eyalet and vassal of the Ottoman Empire from 1625 to 1635. He was a member of the Jaqeli family and the third son of Kaikhosro II Jaqeli and Dedisimedi. Beka came to power after poisoning his nephew Manuchar III, the last Christian ruler of Samtskhe-Saatabago. After this Beka III went to Istanbul, on the court of Sultan Murad IV. He converted to Islam, called himself Sefer Pasha and returned to his ruling state. Under his rule Ottomans started the process of spreading Islam in Samtskhe. Sefer Pasha Died in 1635 and was succeeded by his son, Yusuf I as a new Pasha of Childir.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mamistvalishvili, Eldar (2009). ""პატრონობდა დედისიმედი სამცხეს" (XVI ს-ის სამცხე-საათაბაგოს ისტორიიდან)" ["Dedisimedi patronized Samtskhe" (From the 16th-century history of Samtskhe-Saatabago)](PDF). Proceedings of the Institute of Georgian History (in Georgian and English). IX: 105–111.
↑ "დედისიმედი, XVI ს. მეორე ნახევარი სამცხე-საათაბაგოს ფაქტობრივი მმართველი" [Dedisimedi, de facto ruler of Samtskhe-Saatabago of the latter half of the 16th century]. ქართველი ისტორიული მოღვაწენი (Georgian historical figures) (in Georgian). National Center of Manuscripts. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
1 2 Rayfield, Donald (2012). Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia. London: Reaktion Books. pp. 175–176. ISBN 978-1780230306.
↑ Allen, W.E.D. (1932). A history of the Georgian people; from the beginning down to the Russian conquest in the nineteenth century. London: Routledge & K. Paul. p. 383. ISBN 0-7100-6959-6.

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[ijhei-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mamistvalishvili, Eldar (2009). ""პატრონობდა დედისიმედი სამცხეს" (XVI ს-ის სამცხე-საათაბაგოს ისტორიიდან)" ["Dedisimedi patronized Samtskhe" (From the 16th-century history of Samtskhe-Saatabago)](PDF). Proceedings of the Institute of Georgian History (in Georgian and English). IX: 105–111.

[2] "დედისიმედი, XVI ს. მეორე ნახევარი სამცხე-საათაბაგოს ფაქტობრივი მმართველი" [Dedisimedi, de facto ruler of Samtskhe-Saatabago of the latter half of the 16th century]. ქართველი ისტორიული მოღვაწენი (Georgian historical figures) (in Georgian). National Center of Manuscripts. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.

[Rayfield-3] 1 2 Rayfield, Donald (2012). Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia. London: Reaktion Books. pp. 175–176. ISBN 978-1780230306.

[Allen-4] Allen, W.E.D. (1932). A history of the Georgian people; from the beginning down to the Russian conquest in the nineteenth century. London: Routledge & K. Paul. p. 383. ISBN 0-7100-6959-6.

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