TÜRKOLOGİYA № 2 2020

TÜRKOLOJİ MƏRKƏZLƏR ТЮРКОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ ЦЕНТРЫ CENTRES OF TURKOLOGY

MAIA MANCHKHASHVILI ()

GEORGIAN TURKOLOGISTS

In the history of humankind the researches of history, language and litera- ture, culture and religion history of the and its legal successor Re- public of hold a humble place. Turkish-speaking people created the greatest civilization which should be studied and evaluated properly. These types of re- searches are taking place in leading universities in all countries of the world, in- cluding Georgia. The study of the neighboring Turkish Republic has always been of great im- portance in Georgian scientific society. From the study of the period of Ottoman Empire, interesting studies were conducted and are still being held by the Georgian Turkologists (and not only Turkologists) in the directions of Modern Turkey’s home or foreign politics, language and literature, religion, culture and art, history, economics and others. On the other hand, Turkology is a scientific field which studies the history of the Turkish- speaking people, the literature, the history of religion, the history of state construction, and the culture of these people. As many authors point out, initially, philosophy developed as a philological discipline as the primary sources of the date back to the VII-X cen- turies and they are the inscriptions found on the upper sides of the rivers Orkhon and Yenisei.By XI century the Turkish scholar Mahmud Kashgari’s work “ The Dictionary of Turkish Languages” was added to these monuments. This work has widely expanded Turkologist researches. This book is rich in various types of in- formation, including linguistic materials, historical references, with a variety of folkloric recordings. The first information about the appears in IV- V centuries since the invasion of Huns. Interest towards Turks increases from XI- XIII centuries since the establishment of Byzantine Empire and Crusades. The knowledge accumulated over time and the existence of historical materials and sources laid the basis for a strong tendency to develop this discipline.The Byzan-

 Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Doctor of Political Science. E-mail:[email protected] 116 MAIA MANCHKHASHVILI tine and Greek historians have already written about the Seljuk Sultanate and the state of the Turks. European travelers and diplomats (French Zh.Shesno, Austrian O.Busbeck, Czech Vratislav, Italian Pietro Della Vale and others) make unique recordings, thus contributing much to the development of studies many centuries later, the practical purpose of these monuments was great. With their help, Europe- an rulers discerned what the Ottoman State was and what kind of political and mili- tary arrangement the state had to deal with. The scientific study of the history of the Turkish people is associated with the Austrian scholar, Orientalist and diplomat Joseph Von Hammer-Purgstall. He was born in Graz in 1774.He spent most of his life in diplomatic service. In 1799- 1807 he worked for the Ottoman Empire. In 1847-1849 he was president of the Vienna Diplomatic Academy. His works refer to the history of the Ottoman Em- pire.Based on the Austrian archival material, he published one of the biggest re- searches in this field - "The history of the Ottoman Empire", 10-volumes. The extensive researches of the Ottoman Empire begins in the XIX century. The Turkish schools were based in Germany, Great Britain, France, Hungary, USA, Japan and other places. The past experiences of the Turkish people began in Ottoman Empire only from the XIX century. In 1910 the "Ottoman History Society" was founded in the University of . This tendency gradually expanded, and in 1931, the "Turk- ish Historical Society” was founded. In 1932 the "Turkish Linguistic Society" was founded atAnkara and Istanbul Universities.Nowadays, there are Turkologist cen- ters almost in all of the highest educational institutions in Turkey . The history of Turkology , as a scientific field in Georgia starts from 1918 year, after the greatest Georgian scientist, Ivane Javakhishvili established Tbilisi State University. (however, it must be stated that the interest towards this field starts much earlier in Georgia). Since then, Tbilisi State University has maintained its leading positions, where Turkology studies are widely developed. Nowadays Turkology is one of the prominent fields in Georgia. It is mainly studied in the directions of Philology and Regional Studies. There are Turkology schools in higher education institutions of different cities of Georgia. During the , Oriental Study was very prominent and authorita- tivein Georgia. In the Georgian scientific society of this period, the high level of Orientalists worked. Scientific centers were not only in the universities during the Soviet Union (as mentioned above, the main scientific center was always Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University), but also in the research centers within the Academy of Sciences.Among them, Giorgi Tsereteli Institute of Oriental Studies represented one of the prominently strong scientific hearths and the most fruitful and successful pleiad of the Turks was raised in this institute.Also, at the Institute of History, Ar- cheology and Ethnography of Tbilisi State University; Shota Rustaveli Institute of History of Georgian Literature. GEORGIAN TURKOLOGISTS 117

Professor Sergi Jikia (1898-1993 years)was considered as the founder of Georgian Turkology .He graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy of Tbilisi State University in the direction of Linguistics. Since 1936, Mr. Sergi was the head of the Oriental Department and the first lecturer of Turkology University School. In 1945-53 he was the first Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies. He studied Turk- ish philology, Turkish languages dialects, history of , Turkish- Georgian linguistic contacts, worked on Turkish documents and historical sources.Among his works “Gurjistan Vilayet Great Book” is remarkable. “Gur- jistanVilayet Great Book” was compiled in 1595 by the order of Ottoman authori- ties dealing with8 Vilayets, or administrative units (for different types of taxes im- posed on each village and their description). The research of collection of these documents was interesting because it contains the invaluable material on the social, political and cultural life of Georgia, as well as the study of the Ottoman tax system itself. The fundamental work “Ibrahim Pecevi’s works about Georgia and Cauca- sus” belongs to Sergi Jikia, “Turkish-Laz Linguistic Relations”. He compiled Georgian-Turkish and Turkish-Georgian dictionaries. Professor Valerian Gabashvili (1911-1985 years) is remarkable among the founders of Turkology school, he was the Dean of TSU Eastern History Depart- ment; Head of the Middle Age Eastern History Department of the Institute of His- tory, Archeology and Ethnography. He studied the genesis of oriental feudalism, the problems of the history of Georgian and Eastern cities and urban life. Numer- ous works and books were published in this field under his authorship and editor- ship. Together with his scientific work the novel “The City with a Balcony” be- longs to him. His daughter - Manana Gabashvili continues his scientific work. The development of Turkology in Georgia is also connected with the Profes- sor Otar Gigineishvili (1916-1990 years).He was one of the founders and diplomats of Georgian Scientific School of the New and Modern History of Near East Coun- tries. His research interests dealt with the socio-economic and political history of Turkey. He studied ethno-religious processes in Turkey. From his studies the fol- lowing is the most essential: "A Brief History of the State Coup d'état of Turkey, May 27, 1960 (1989) and" Essays from Ottoman History "(1969). Professor Mikheil Svanidze holds an outstanding place among the Georgian Turkologists. Mr. Misha was the head of the Department of History of the Acade- mician of Academy of Sciences of Georgia George Tsereteli Institute of Oriental Studies. He researched Turkish political and socio-economic history and culture issues, topical issues of history of Georgia-Turkey relations. Among his works the following is worth mentioning: "The Essays of Georgia-Ottoman History (XIV- XVIII cc) (1990)," in Turkey" (1996), "Ottoman History" t.1-3. (1996), "Turkish History (1299-2000)" (2007) and others. After the collapse of Soviet Union, the specifics changed: the disintegration of the Academy of Sciences resulted in the replacement of its location and role in the Georgian educational space. Principal changes were made in the education sys- 118 MAIA MANCHKHASHVILI tem. Scientific research centers with many new private and state universities have appeared. Although in some cases, the wrong education policy and economic problems hinder Turkish researches, translation activities gained intensive character in Geor- gia and was at the level of that in the leading scientific centers of the USA and Eu- rope, yet the scientific society involved in Turkish studies creates a very interest- ing scientific literature in the . Among the modern Georgian Orientalists should be mentioned Professor and Diplomat Revaz Gachechiladze, Professor Nodar Shengelia, Nodar Janashia, TsisanaAbuladze, Lia Chlaidze, Professor Giorgi Antelava, Professor EmzarMakaradze, Mikheil Jikia, IrineGotsiridze, Professor MirianMakharadze, Professor Giuli Alasania and others. Their works deal with the current issues of modern Turkish home and foreign policy. Professor Revaz Gachechiladze is one of the successful Georgian researchers and diplomats. He is a decent representative of the School of Orientalists of Tbilisi State University. In his works written on Near East topic, one chapter is always dedicated to the current issues of Turkey. “Near East. Space, People and Politics” series is of special interest and was published several times. Also, we will mark the role of Professor Emzar Makaradze in Turkish stud- ies. He is a Professor of Shota Rustaveli State University in Georgia. A Master's Program in Turkish Studies was created under his direct guidance in this university . Mr. Emzar is the author of numerous scientific works and books which deal with the actual issues of Modern Turkey’s home policy. Among them are the following: “Issue of Cyprus in Eastern politics in 60-80s years of XX century (2000 y.), "The role of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Republican Turkey" (2009), "Home Policy of Turkey in 1980-2011 years" (2012) and others. Professor Teona Apkhazava, Professor Nana Janashia, Tamta Bokuchava, Professor Meri Tsiklauri and many other Georgian scientists work in the direction of Turkish Language learning. It is also important to have periodical editions of Georgian-Turkish relations such as “Akhali Khidi”(New Bridge), “Turkhish News”, “Gulani” (Liturgical Book). We would like to note the modest contribution of the Research Center "Georgian Neighborhood Research Institute" founded in 2014 on the basis of Tbili- si State University in the direction of Turkish studies. The founders are represented by the famous Georgian scientist and diplomat Revaz Gachechiladze and the Doc- tor of Political Sciences of this University, Maia Manchkhashvili. One of the five- departments of the Institute represents the Turkish Research department. The group of researchers interested in the studies of Turkey, is united in this department and interesting scientific-research activity is being carried out. The author of this article / Maia Manchkhashvili is actively involved in translation work. Among her translations about a 600- page textbook is worth men- tioning-“ TurkishForeign Policy 1990-2008”, which was published in 2014 year in GEORGIAN TURKOLOGISTS 119

Ivane Javakhishvili State University. She also translated the fundamental work of the former Prime Minister of Turkey, Ahmet Davutoglu, "Strategic Depth". This is the work on which Modern Turkey’shome and foreign policiesare managed (book has not yet been published). It can be said that Turkology studies are very active in Georgia and many high level scientists serve this job. Numerous scientific literature has been accumu- lated in Georgian language, which indicates the development of this field.

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