THE PROJECT IS IMPLEMENTED BY THE GEORGIAN FOUNDATION FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES. The Expansion of Russia in the Caucasus and Georgia project offers the reader collection s Editor-in-chief: Giorgi Cheishvili of scientific-popular articles which Editor-corrector: Tinatin Evdoshvili aims to cover the Project author: Irakli Gegechkori Georgian-Russian relations of the Designer: Tornike Bokuchava XVIII-XX centuries in a manner different from the widely propagated perspective of the official Russia. © Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies All rights reserved RUSSIA'S EXPANSION IN THE CAUCASUS AND GEORGIA Two Russias Myth or Reality? Otar Janelidze Two Russias (Myth or Reality?) It has been more than ten years since diplomatic mossy and reactionary Russia of the Skalozubs, Molchalins relations between the Russian Federation and Georgia and Famusovs, he juxtaposed the young and freedom-loving were severed but, nevertheless, the issue of relations Russia in the form of Chatsky. However, it should also be noted between the two countries is still relevant. The interest that the Chatskys were very few throughout Russia. Griboedov I is conditioned both by the desire to achieve a good- himself wrote: "In my comedy, 25 fools come for one sane neighborly coexistence between Russia and Georgia person." as well as by an objective insight of the past and From the point of view of modern Russian critics of the work, the need for a better understanding of it. In this regard, it is Griboedov describes the Russian society of the first half of worth discussing the so-called two Russias in order to find the XIX century and "Woe from Wit" is a poetic depiction of the out whether or not it is possible for the same country to be Russian reality. But the real or official Russia was different and both democratic and reactionary, and the guardian and the in relation to non-Russian peoples within the empire, which is conqueror of another country, for example, Georgia. most important to us, the head of this state and the absolute Anyone who is more or less familiar with the history of majority of its subjects held the similar point of view. Literary Russian-Georgian relations will agree that this topic is not criticism acknowledges that Chatsky exemplifies the views of new. The subject of an anachronistic conservative and new the Decembrists and the author himself. These views did not progressive Russia was first initiated by the Decembrists as differ much from the official policies pursued by Tsarism. For early as in the 1820s. example, the recognized leader of the Decembrists, Pavel Alexander Griboedov painted these two newly emerged and Pestel, in his program document entitled "Ruskaia Pravda," seemingly opposing camps in his poem "Woe from Wit." To the directly indicated that the non-Russian population of the 1 RUSSIA'S EXPANSION IN THE CAUCASUS AND GEORGIA Two Russias Myth or Reality? Alexander Griboedov Alexander Pushkin (1795 ‒ 1829) (1799 ‒ 1837) Pavel Pestel Nikolai Chernyshevsky (1793 ‒ 1826) (1828 ‒ 1889) Russian Empire should finally merge with the Russian people. of the ethnographic mixing of the Georgian regions and the On the subject of the Caucasus, Pestel wrote: national degeneration of the Georgian people and it did not actually stop until the overthrow of Tsarism. "Let the peoples of the Caucasus be divided into two ranks - peaceful and turbulent. The first of The Decembrists, who themselves embodied them should be left at the place of residence. a young, progressive Russia and were willing Give them Russian law. Russian colonists should to sacrifice themselves for the renewal and be settled in the Caucasus who should be better future of the country, did not differ much given the confiscated lands from the turbulent from autocratic Tsarist Russia in relation to population. This will ensure the calming of Georgia. They, too, were less concerned about the Caucasus and transform this region into a the fate of the freedom of the nations that were peaceful and prosperous Russian county." suffering violence in Russia's "People's Prison." Alexander Pushkin also hailed the conquest of the Caucasus by the Russian army when he By this time, the Tsarist government had already begun the wrote: "Bow Caucasus, Ermolov is coming!" process of the colonization of the Caucasus, including Georgia. Tsitsianov had already started settling foreigners in Georgia when he moved several thousand Armenians from neighboring Take Nikolai Chernyshevsky - the greatest democrat and khanates to Kartl-Kakheti. In 1817-1819, the authorities settled revolutionary in pre-Lenin Russia. Did Niko Nikoladze make German colonists in Tbilisi, Bolnisi, Sartichala and other some effort to release the punished Chernyshevsky from exile? places and allocated the best plots of land. This was followed Was it not the same Niko Nikoladze who was the curator and by the creation of compact settlements of retired Russian editor of Chernyshevsky's works? At least as a sign of gratitude soldiers and officers – the creation of military boroughs and should Chernyshevsky not have thrown a few words in favor of so on. This artificial migration, along with the industrial and Georgia? He did not speak out! You will start searching for such economic interests of the empire, also served the purposes a thing in vain in his writings. Our national grief and sorrow 2 RUSSIA'S EXPANSION IN THE CAUCASUS AND GEORGIA Two Russias Myth or Reality? King George XII Niko Nikoladze of Kartl-Kakheti (1843 ‒ 1928) (1746 ‒ 1800) were as foreign and distant to the Democrat Chernyshevsky "If not the arm of the Russian sovereign, who can protect as they were to conservative and reactionary Russian officials. Christianity? … We have no other patron but the Russian So, when and where did the views on the two Russias came rulers," he maintained. about? As early as the XV century, Georgian monarchs turned In November 1799, according to the Treaty of Georgievsk, their eyes to their northern neighbor with a common faith regarding a Russian military regiment entered Tbilisi. A historical it as a savior and protector from Muslim aggression. From the source tells us: "The wise Georgians rejoiced the entry of the beginning of ambassadorial relations between Russia and Russian army as they were anticipating a common faith nation Kakheti, a generally positive view of Russia developed in Georgia. to defend the country." These people sincerely believed that In the minds of Georgians, Russia was perceived as a a strong Orthodox neighbor would shelter our country, give it powerful Orthodox state that could provide protection to an opportunity for peaceful development and so on. They did Christian comrades oppressed by the Muslim hordes. At not start looking for an "other Russia" in Russia because they that time, nobody thought about the danger that could follow believed in the country which signed a treaty with Erekle II and Russia's appearance in the Caucasus orbit. formally committed to defend his kingdom. At the beginning of the XIX century, the Georgian writer and philosopher, Iona Khelashvili, celebrated with admiration Even the late rulers of feudal Georgia were less the establishment of the Russian presence in Georgia: "The aware that Russia was an empire and that it was ancestors would long for these days to see for themselves spreading its influence over other peoples or this golden age... Behold the sun of wisdom shone forth by countries by means of force. In order to expand Nazarethian from the north. Behold, you have a golden age.” the dominions of the empire, the Russian The great feudal lord, Ivan the Abkhazian, dreamed: "God, do authorities, in addition to military expansion, not bring the Russians into the abyss of doom such that would widely resorted to blackmail, recruitment, force them to leave Georgia which will fall victim to lawlessness, deception, intimidation and other methods from internal division and the invasion of the ferocious enemies." their diplomatic arsenal. These were still alien But it soon became clear that this "protector" was a "loving to the Georgian reality. enemy," it dismantled the Bagrationi throne, abolished the autocephaly of the Georgian Church, introduced an alien administration and imposed a brutal regime. Georgians Our kings and nobles were not able to comprehend that Russia's realized that they had been deceived. Russia broke the policy towards other peoples was not determined by religious unity emperor's word, broke the treaty and did not defend and and Christian tolerance but by the aims and geostrategic interests protect Georgia but instead conquered and annexed it to its of its own empire. At the end of the XVIII century, Father Nikola, empire. "Nobody expected that from the Russians," exclaimed who was in Tbilisi, tried in vain to reason with King George XII of bewildered Georgians but it was too late. It was from this time Kartl-Kakheti. The naive and Orthodox Christian George did not on that it became necessary to search for a "second Russia." believe the words of the priest that the Russians, "a foreign relative brought to the country as a patron would become the enemy of the nation ... the persecutor and the troublemaker" and that "from the The "new" and "other" Russia was considered to outset, the Russians will bring a heavy yoke and put it on the neck be those liberal, democratic and revolutionary of the country. They will demand great tributes,” etc. forces opposed to Tsarism which aimed to Until the very death George XII, it was believed that it was change the state apparatus of the empire and impossible to maintain Christianity in Georgia without Russia. strive for its reorganization. 3 RUSSIA'S EXPANSION IN THE CAUCASUS AND GEORGIA Two Russias Myth or Reality? Historically, the famous Russian writer and religious thinker, Vasily Rozanov (1856-1919), wrote about the existence of two Russias.