The Clashing Frontiers: Ottoman and Safavid Rivalry over Georgian Kingdoms in the First Half of the XVI Century
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56673/18294502-cfo2025.20-1Keywords:
Ottoman Empire, Safavid Empire, Imereti Kingdom, Kakheti Kingdom, Kartli Kingdom, Gurieli, Dadiani, GeorgiaAbstract
This article investigates the political and military engagement between the Georgian kingdoms and the Ottoman Empire during the first half of the sixteenth century, situating these interactions within the larger framework of the Ottoman–Safavid rivalry. It challenges the prevailing narrative that portrays the Georgian polities as passive borderlands caught between empires by highlighting their strategic agency and diplomatic maneuvering. Drawing on both Ottoman and Georgian sources, the study examines imperial campaigns, shifting alliances, and local rivalries to demonstrate how the Georgian kingdoms actively negotiated their autonomy through tactical cooperation and resistance. The article also explores how imperial conflict shaped the region’s internal structures—politically, socially, and economically—underscoring the role of the Caucasus as a dynamic frontier of empire. By structuring the analysis thematically, the article contributes to broader historiographical debates on early modern imperialism, frontier governance, and regional sovereignty.
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