Emir
Emir (Arab. أمير, ‘amir – ruler, leader, monarch) is the title of a ruler in the Muslim countries of the Middle East.
In the pre-Islamic period (before the 7th century), emir was used to denote a commander or general. From the 30th of the 7th century, the first rulers of the Arab Caliphate were called emirs. The term emir spread in the countries that were conquered by the Arabs (e.g. Emir of Bukhara).
Various terms are derived from the word emir: Amirbari, Amir al-Hajj (commander of Muslim pilgrims’ caravan), Mirmirani (Persian version of the title – Emir of Emirs), Amir al-Mu'minin (Commander of the Faithful). In Georgian sources, the latter term is changed to Amir-Mumn or Amir-Muml form. Furthermore, there are terms used among the Georgian officials in the Middle Ages: Amirspasalari, Amirkhori, Amirejibi, etc.
The term Emir, as Arab representative, first appeared in Georgia in the 8th century. Caliph or the Wali of the South Caucasus used to appoint the Emir of Tbilisi. From the start of the 9th century, the Emirs of Tbilisi began fighting against the central government for independence, and by the 80s of the 9th century, they were practically independent of caliphs. From the 30s of the 10th century, these emirs disregarded the caliph’s political power and only recognized his religious authority. In the 11th century, apart from Tbilisi, emirs ruled in Rustavi and Dmanisi. By the end of the 11th century, sources mention Georgian Emir, Liparit Bagvashi. After freeing Tbilisi from Arab rule in 1122, until the end of the 12th century, any Georgian noblemen appointed as a Governor of Tbilisi were called Emir. Eristavi of Kartli sometimes had this title as well.
In the 12th century, the last emir of Tbilisi and Kartli was Abulasan. The title of emir retained its Arabic origin in name only. In reality, the emir served the Georgian king and his title corresponded to the position and duties of Mouravi (this title appeared in later centuries). In Georgia of the Middle Ages, emirs were in other parts of Georgia too: Kutaisi, Dmanisi, Rustavi, and Zhinvali.
Literature: გ ა ბ ა შ ვ ი ლ ი ვ., თბილისის მმართველობა X–XI საუკუნეებში, «თსუ შრომები», 1964, ტ. 108 – აღმოსავლეთმცოდნეობის სერია, 4; ლ ო რ თ ქ ი ფ ა ნ ი ძ ე მ., ქალაქის მოხელეთა საკითხისათვის ფეოდალურ საქართველოში, «მასალები საქართველოსა და კავკასიის ისტორიისათვის», 1954, ნაკვ. 30; მისივე, თბილისის საამიროს ისტორიიდან, «მიმომხილველი», 1951, [ტ.] 2; მ ე ს ხ ი ა შ., საისტორიო ძიებანი, ტ. 2, თბ., 1983; მისივე, Города в городской строй Феодальной Грузии XVII–XVIII вв., Тб., 1959.
M. Lortkipanidze
