- Racha
Infobox Region of Georgia
name = Racha
fullname = Racha Region
fullname_local = რაჭის მხარე
fullname_tran = Rachis Mkhare
governor =Otar Siradze
administrative
historicalRacha (also Ratcha, Georgian: რაჭა, "Račʼa") is a historic province in Georgia, in the mountainous northwestern part of the country. Comprising the present-day districts of Oni and
Ambrolauri , it is included in the region ofRacha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti . It is bordered by the mountain-range ofGreater Caucasus to the north and east,Imereti to the south,Lechkhumi andSvaneti to the west. It is situated in the northern valley ofRioni river and is surrounded by mountains. Formerly, Racha included also a northwestern corner of the present day breakaway region ofSouth Ossetia .History
Racha had been part of
Colchis andCaucasian Iberia since ancient times and its main town Oni was said to have been founded by KingParnajom of Iberia in the 2nd century BC. Upon creation of the unified Georgian kingdom in the 11th century, Racha became one of the duchies (saeristavo) within it. Rati of theBaghvashi family was the first duke (eristavi ) appointed by King Bagrat III. Descendants of Rati and his son Kakhaber, eponymous father of Racha’s ruling dynasty ofKakhaberisdze , governed the province until1278 . In1278 KingDavid VI Narin abolished the duchy during his war against the Mongols. In the mid-14th century , the duchy was restored under the rule of the Tcharelidze family.The next dynasty of
Chkhetidze governed Racha from1465 to1769 . Vassals of the King ofImereti , they revolted several times against the royal power. The1678 -1679 civil war resulted in the most serious consequences. In this war, Duke Shoshita II of Racha (1661 -1684 ) supported Prince Archil, a rival of the pro-Ottoman Imeretian king Bagrat IV. On the defeat of Archil, Racha was overrun and plundered by an Ottoman punitive force. Under Rostom (1749 -1769 ), the duchy became virtually independent fromImereti . However, towards the end of 1769, KingSolomon I of Imereti managed to arrest Rostom and to abolish the duchy. In1784 , KingDavid of Imereti revived the duchy and gave it to his nephew Anton. Local opposition attempted to use an Ottoman force to take control of Racha, but the victory of King David at Skhvava (January 26 ,1786 ) temporarily secured his dominance in the area. In1789 , the next Imeretian king Solomon II finally abolished the duchy and subordinated the province directly to the royal administration.Eristavis of Racha
The Kakhaberisdze dynasty
* Rati Baghvashi (early
11th century )* Kakhaber (I) (died
1088 )
* Niania (1088-1120 )"1120-1175 – unknown dukes"
* Kakhaber (II) (1175-1210 )"1210-1245 – unknown dukes"
* Kakhaber (III) (1245-1278 )The Tcharelidze dynasty
* Aghbugha (14??-14??)
* George I (14??-14??)
* Tsatsi (14??-14??)
* Kveli (14??-14??)
* George II (14??-14??)
The Chkhetidze dynasty
* John (
1465 -1485 )* Kakhaber IV (1485-
1510 )* Bedian (1510-
1534 )* Shoshita I (1534-
1565 )* Papuna I (1651-
1661 )* Shoshita II (1661-
1684 )* Papuna II (1684-
1696 )* Shoshita III (1696-
1731 )* Gregory (1731-
1741 )* Vakhtang (1741-
1749 )* Rostom (1749 -
1769 )The
Bagrationi dynasty* Anton (
1784 , first rule)* George III (1784-
1787 )* Anton (1787-
1789 , second rule)See also
*
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti , region in Georgia
*Lechkhumi
*Nikortsminda
*Barakoni
*1991 Racha earthquake Historical regions of Georgia
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