Tarkhan-Mouravi

Tarkhan-Mouravi ( _ka. თარხან-მოურავი) (Tarkhnishvili, თარხნიშვილი, or Tarkhan-Mouravishvili, თარხან-მოურავიშვილი) is a Georgian noble family, claiming descent from the Shamkhal dynasty of Tarki, in Dagestan. Originally known as Saakadze (სააკაძე), they acquired, in the 1640s, the title of prince ("tavadi") and the new surname, which is a composite of the two hereditary offices, mouravi and tarkhan. The family was reconfirmed as the princes (knyaz) by the Russian Empire in 1826 and 1850. The cadets continued to be called Saakadze and remained members of the petite nobility (aznauri) until 1881 when they were also elevated to the princely rank. [Toumanoff, Cyril (1963), "Studies in Christian Caucasian History", p. 270. Georgetown University Press.]

The first known member of the family, Siaush Saakadze (died c. 1606), was a loyal officer in the service of Simon I of Kartli, who gave him the office of mouravi of Tbilisi in the 1580s. His son, Giorgi Saakadze (the Grand Mouravi; c. 1570 – 1629) pursued a contradictory and turbulent career. He dominated the political life in eastern Georgia for years, and ended up his life in exile in the Ottoman Empire. His last surviving son, Ioram (died 1664) returned to Georgia, and was conferred with the titles of prince and tarkhan by Rostom of Kartli early in the 1640s. His descendants assumed the surname of Tarkhan-Mouravi. Their fiefdom centered on the village of Akhalkalaki and the Tedzami river valley in Inner Kartli. [ge icon Melikishvili, Giorgi "et al". (1970), საქართველოს ისტორიის ნარკვევები ("Studies in the History of Georgia"), [http://www.nplg.gov.ge/ic/DGL/work/SIN/sin%204+/5/2.htm Vol. 4.] Tbilisi: Sabch’ota Sakartvelo.]

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