Mtiuleti rebellion | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Georgian and Ossetian rebels | Imperial Russian Army | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
4,000 | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Hundreds of killed civilians |
The 1804 Mtiuleti rebellion ( Georgian: 1804 მთიულეთის აჯანყება, romanized: 1804 mtiuletis ajanq'eba) was a conflict in Mtiuleti region of the former Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (eastern Georgia), at that time part of the Georgia Governorate of the Russian Empire. It was the first major Georgian rebellion directed against the Russian administration. [1]
In 1801, the Russians capitalized on the moment, and annexed the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti. The entity was then reduced to the status of a Russian region (Georgia Governorate). Though the Russian administration brought some peace, Kartli-Kakheti remained troubled. [2] [3]
It broke out at a vulnerable spot, to the west of the Darial Pass. [1] A number of local Ossetians had complained about the grain and meat demands of Cossacks stationed in the area. [1] They were thrown into a pit. [1] The Cossacks then proceeded to punish more locals; peasants were put to forced labour, two men were killed by whip lashing, women were mistreated, and cattle was worked to death. [1]
The people of the Aragvi valley then attacked the troops of Dmitri Mikhailovich Volkonsky , killing several of them. [1] They then proceeded to occupy several of the forts on the nearby main road. [1] In the summer of 1804, 4,000 Georgian and Ossetian rebels requested Prince Parnaoz to lead them. [1] On 3 August 1804, the rebels and Russian forces clashed at Lomisi; the Russian forces reportedly only escaped defeat due to the "timidity" of the Kakhetian nobles and the return of Russian General Pavel Tsitsianov, who had just unsuccessfully besieged Erivan. [1] The rebellion was eventually crushed; hundreds of highlanders were bayoneted or imprisoned. [1] It would take eight years before more anti-Russian violence erupted. [1] [4] A part of the Georgian nobles participated in the 1804 Mtiuleti rebellion. [4]