Context The prevalent faith in modern-day Georgia is Orthodox Christianity, despite the country being geographically enclosed by the
Islamic world. Simultaneously, the Middle Ages and the early modern period witnessed substantial interactions with the Islamic world, fostering conditions conducive to the propagation of Islam in Georgia.
Emirate of Tbilisi The
Arabs first appeared in Georgia in 645. It was not, however,
until 735, when they succeeded in establishing their firm control over a large portion of the country. In that year,
Marwan II took hold of Tbilisi and much of the neighbouring lands and installed there an Arab
emir, who was to be confirmed by the
Caliph of Baghdad or, occasionally, by the
ostikan of
Armīniya. After the formation of the
Emirate of Tbilisi, Arabic historical sources provide evidence of the use of the terms
nisbas at-Tiflisi or at-Taflisi.
Ottoman Empire and Iranian Period , a Muslim Georgian ruler of the 17th century appointed by the Iranian Safavids. The
Safavid dynasty was in constant conflict with the
Ottomans over full control and influence in the
Caucasus. From the early 16th to the course of the second half of the 18th century, the Safavids had to deal with several independent kingdoms and principalities, as Georgia was not a single state at the time. These entities often followed divergent political courses. Safavid interests were largely directed at Eastern (the kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti) and Southern (the kingdoms of Samtskhe-Saatabago) Georgia while Western Georgia came under Ottoman influence. These independent kingdoms became vassals of Persia as early as in 1503. On May 29, 1555, the Safavids and the Ottoman Empire concluded a
treaty at Amasya following the
Ottoman–Safavid War (1532–55) by which the
Caucasus was divided between the two. Western Georgia and the western part of southern Georgia fell to The Ottomans, while Eastern Georgia (comprising the kingdoms of
Kartli and
Kakheti) and the (largest) eastern part of southern Georgia fell to Safavid Iran. The bulk of Georgia and the region which had historically always been the most dominant stayed therefore in the Iranian sphere. This partition of the Caucasus and therefore including Georgia under Islamic rule was again confirmed in
1639. The religious approach diverged between the Ottomans and Iranians in their governance of Georgia. While the Ottomans leaned towards the complete Islamization of the Southwest Georgian populace or a hands-off approach in certain western provinces, the Iranians focused on converting the elite class in the eastern region without influencing the predominant Christian majority among the population. In the regions of southern and western Georgia, where Ottoman rule held direct sway, a distinct scenario unfolded. The triumph of Ottoman dominance over South Georgia (referred to in Georgian as
Samtskhe-Saatabago/Meskheti) represented a significant setback for feudal Georgia. This historical period witnessed the gradual diffusion of Islam across various rural segments of the populace. Its initial penetration occurred in the aforementioned southwest region of Georgia, notably with the establishment of the Ottoman
pashalik of Akhaltsikhe (Childir). Ethnolinguistic minorities within the country also embraced Islam, a phenomenon further catalyzed by the influx of
Turkic-speaking Muslim communities. The western sector of this region, designated as
Adjara, underwent a challenging process of Islamization. In the sixteenth century, as per the Ottoman census of mountainous Adjara, the majority of inhabitants adhered to Christianity, subject to religious taxes. Notably, the initial conversion to Islam primarily involved the nobility. The comprehensive Islamization of the entire population, however, reached fruition only by the closing years of the eighteenth century. The historian
Giorgi Sanikidze explains that understanding the demographic composition of nineteenth-century Georgia poses challenges, especially in determining the exact number of Muslims, their ethnic backgrounds, and the dynamics of demographic changes. Historical records often make it difficult to distinguish between ethnic
Persians, Turkic-speaking Muslims (later known as
Azerbaijanis), and other Muslim groups. Initially, Muslims were collectively labeled as "Tartars (Tatars)," and at times, reference was made to the "Turkish-Tartar" population. However, as the Russo-Turkish and Russo-Persian wars led to an increased Muslim population within the Russian Empire, a more nuanced distinction emerged. The term "Tartar" persisted in reference to Azerbaijanis. For instance, the well-known Russian poet
Alexander Pushkin noted that the owner of Tbilisi's famous Persian bathhouse was Persian, while the bathhouse attendant was Tartar. ==Demographics==