Georgians in Iran

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Prince Muhammad-Beik of Georgia, 1620. Artist is Reza Abbasi. Painting is located at Berlin's Museum Für Islamische Kunst.

Georgia, or "Gorjestan" was a Persian province or client state during Sassanid times (particularly starting with Hormozd IV). During the Safavid era, Georgia became so politically and somewhat culturally intertwined with Iran that Georgians almost replaced the Qezelbash among the Safavid officials.

During the last days of the Safavid empire, Ottoman Turks and Afghans took advantage of Iranian internal weakness and invaded Iran. The Iranian Georgian contribution in wars against the invading Afghans was crucial. Georgians fought in the battle of Golnabad, and in the battle of Fereydunshahr. In the latter battle they brought a humiliating defeat to the Afghan army.

1 Famous Georgians of Iran
2 Geographic distribution and language
3 More reading
4 External links

[edit] Famous Georgians of Iran

Allahverdi Khan Undiladze, whom the famous landmark of 33 pol in Isfahan is named after, was among the Georgian elite that were involved in the Safavid government. Also his son Emam-gholi Khan Undiladze, who defeated the Portuguese army in the Persian Gulf was a famous Iranian Georgian serving the Safavid empire. Other famous Georgians of Safavid empire were Davud Khan Undiladze, Gorgin Khan, and Rostam Khan the Sepahsalar.

Amin al-Sultan, Prime Minister of Iran, was also a Georgian. He was the son of a Georgian father.^[1] Manucheher Khan Motamed-od-Dowleh and General Bahram Aryana were other famous Iranian Georgians. For a more lengthy discussion on Georgians and Persia refer to.^[2]

[edit] Geographic distribution and language

The modern Georgians living in Iran descend from those people who were deported by the Saffavid Shah Abbas I from the Eastern Georgian provinces of Kakheti and Kartli between 1614 and 1617. Their number is said to have been more than 200,000.

The Georgian language is still used by some people in Iran. The center of Georgians in Iran is Fereydunshahr, a small city, 150 km to the west of Isfahan. The western part of Isfahan province is historically called Fereydan. In this area there are 10 Georgian towns and villages around Fereydunshahr. In this region the old Georgian identity is retained the best compared to other places in Iran. In many major Iranian cities, such as Tehran, Esfahan, Karaj and Shiraz live Georgians too.

In many other places such as Najafabad, Rahmatabad, Yazdanshahr and Amir Abad (near Esfahan). In Mazandaran Province in northern Iran, there are ethnic Georgians too. They live in the town of Behshahr, and also in Behshahr county, in Farah Abad, and many other places, which are usually called Gorji Mahalle. Most of them do not speak the Georgian language any more, but retain features of Georgian culture. Some argue that Iranian Georgians retain some remnants of Christian traditions, but there is no evidence for this. The Iranian Georgians are Shi'ite Muslims.

The number of Georgians in Iran can be estimated at 100,000 or more people. According to Encyclopaedia Georgiana (1986) some 12,000-14,000 lived in rural Fereydan prior to 1985^[3] but these numbers are obvious underestimations. Not all Georgians, especially those outside Fereydan, speak Georgian. The Georgian alphabet is also known to some in Fereydunshahr.

[edit] More reading

Muliani, S. (2001) Jaygah-e Gorjiha dar Tarikh va Farhang va Tammadon-e Iran. Esfahan: Yekta [ The Georgians’ position in the Iranian history and civilization]

Rahimi, M.M. (2001) Gorjiha-ye Iran; Fereydunshahr. Esfahan: Yekta [The Georgians of Iran; Fereydunshahr]

Sepiani, M. (1980) Iranian-e Gorji. Esfahan: Arash [Georgian Iranians]

Esfahan's tourist exhibition, mentiones the Georgians from Fereydunshahr and Fereydan.The report of this exhibition is available in the web site of the Iranian Cultural Heritage News agency at: http://www.chn.ir/news/?Section=1&id=12497

Saakashvili's visited Fereydunshahr and put flowers on the graves of the Iranian Georgian martyrs' graves, showing respect towards this community http://www.iran-newspaper.com/1383/830420/html/internal.htm