Principality of Guria: Map & History
The Principality of Guria was a historical state in Georgia.
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The Principality of Guria was a historical state in Georgia. Centered on modern-day Guria, a southwestern region in Georgia, it was located between the Black Sea and Lesser Caucasus, and was ruled by a succession of twenty-two princes of the House of Gurieli from the 1460s to 1829. The principality emerged during the process of fragmentation of a unified Kingdom of Georgia. Its boundaries fluctuated in the course of permanent conflicts with neighboring Georgian rulers and the Ottoman Empire, and the principality enjoyed various degrees of autonomy until being annexed by Imperial Russia in 1829.
Principality of Guria in Depth
Early history
Since the beginning of the 13th century, Guria, one of the provinces of the Kingdom of Georgia, located between Rioni and Chorokhi rivers was administered by hereditary governors (Eristavi). The Gurian ruler to whom the Georgian crown attached the title of Gurieli ("of Guria") took advantage of the Mongol invasion of Georgia and started asserting its independence in the 1280s, but the Mongols forced him to submit to George V "the Brilliant" (r. 1299–1346) in about 1330. However, soon after Bagrat V of Georgia (r. 1360–1390) ascended the throne, the Svans revolted to the northeast of Guria. Bagrat defeated them but subsequently ceded Guria to the Eristavi of Svaneti in c. 1362, and the Guria was usually held by the House of Vardanisdze thereafter.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Principality of Guria (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Principality of Guria: Key Facts
| Capital | Ozurgeti |
|---|---|
| Form of government | principality |
| Founded | 1490 |
| Dissolved | 1829 |
Facts from Wikidata Q2195101 (CC0).
Principality of Guria Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Principality of Guria appears, with the other states of the time.
Principality of Guria Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 4,827 km² in 1511 CE.
Principality of Guria: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Principality of Guria exist?
Principality of Guria is dated to 1468 CE – 1829 CE, in the Early Modern & Age of Discovery era.
What was the capital of Principality of Guria?
The capital of Principality of Guria was Ozurgeti.
How large was Principality of Guria at its peak?
At its peak in 1511 Principality of Guria covered about 4,827 km².
How did the map of Principality of Guria change over time?
Principality of Guria appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1500 CE to 1800 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
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