Amirspasalar
Amirspasalar (Arabic amir – chief and Pers. sepahsalar – general), the head of the military of the feudal Kingdom of Georgia, vizier (minister).
The term Amirspasalar came from the Seljuk state, where it referred to the commander of the army. Troops gathered from Saeristavo (princedom), royal domains (countries of Sakhaso), and feudal lands, all obeyed Amirspasalar. Additionally, the royal guard – Mona-Spa, and hired (mercenary) armies from other countries also obeyed him. Georgian sources (historians of King Tamar) mention that the institute of Amirspasalar was first established during the reign of King George III. According to Ivane Javakhishvili, the term "Amirspasalar" entered Georgia during the reign of King Tamara.
Some researchers (I. Surguladze, Sh. Meskhia) believe that Amirspasalarship was established by David Agmashenebeli when he carried out military reforms. Sometimes, in old traditions, the term "Spaspeti" is also used to denote Amirspasalari. Army generals, the Spasalars, were members of the nobility (Eristavi). In military matters they obeyed Amirspasalar. Consequently, Amirspasalar was the direct heir of the Spaspeti title, who, according to the "Kartlis Tskhovreba" (The Georgian Chronicles), was the chief of Eristavs. During peacetime, Amirspasalar looked after military affairs and during the war, if the king did not participate, he led the army. During the peace talks or discussions about military affairs, he was the first to be asked (after the king) for advice regarding these issues.
During the feudal disintegration of Georgia (15th-18th centuries), numerous state institutions were abolished, Amirspasalar’s title among them. Three feudal kingdoms (Kartli, Kakheti, Imereti) replaced the united Georgian Kingdom. These kingdoms had military divisions which consisted of four Sadroshos (administrative divisions). Lands of nobles and royal domains were parts of Sadroshos and the noblemen supervised these districts. Sometimes, the ruler of Sadrosho was called Amirspasalar (for example, generals of the Sadrosho of Kartli - Baratashvili and Orbelishvili). However, they were only the generals of one Sadrosho and not the entire feudal military apparatus of the whole country.
Literature: გარიგება ჴელმწიფის კარისა, წგ.: ქართული სამართლის ძეგლები, ი. სურგულაძის გამოც., თბ., 1970; ისტორიანი და აზმანი შარავანდედთანი, წგ.: ქართლის ცხოვრება, ს. ყაუხჩიშვილის გამოც., ტ. 2, თბ., 1959; ჟამთააღმწერელი, ასწლოვანი მატიანე, რ. კიკნაძის გამოც., თბ., 1987. ლიტ.: ა ნ თ ე ლ ა ვ ა ი., საქართველოს ცენტრალური და ადგილობრივი მმართველობა XI–XIII სს., თბ., 1983; მ ე ს ხ ი ა შ., საშინაო პოლიტიკური ვითარება და სამოხელეო წყობა XII საუკუნის საქართველოში, თბ., 1979; ჯ ა ვ ა ხ ი შ ვ ი ლ ი ივ., ქართული სამართლის ისტორია, წგ. 2, ნაკვ. 1, თბ., 1982 (თხზ. ტორმეტ ტომად, ტ. 6).
N. Shoshiashvili
