Aznauri
Aznauri is the aristocratic, feudal class representative.
The word "Aznauri" is of foreign origin. Some scholars connect it with the Armen. "Azn" (surname, family), others - with the Persian "Zana" (relationship between kin, nation), some - with the Persian "Azna" (noble). Initially, "Aznauri" probably meant “a free person”. In literature (old and New Testament books) that was translated into ancient Georgian, the term Aznauri was used by this definition.
The existence of "Aznauri", "Sid-did aznauri" and "Uazno" was recorded in Georgia as early as the second half of the 5th century. Originally confirmed in Martyrdom of the Holy Queen Shushanik. In medieval Georgia, there were various social groups, namely a social class of landowners who inherited their privileges. In later periods, the term Aznauri covered all privileged classes and primarily denoted the members of this social class. So, in Georgian Aznauri was equivalent to the term “noble” in Europe.
The inner structure of Aznauri class was becoming more complex. From the 9th century onwards, especially during the period of feudal monarchies of the 10th-13th centuries, the following structure emerged: members of the highest feudal aristocracy were called Didebulni Aznaurni or just Didebulni. Aznauri which held the title of Didebuli had large lands and numerous peasants, which helped them to hold high positions in the kingdom. Such Aznauri had fortifications. They were called Tsikhosan-Monastrosanni (i.e. owners of fortresses and family monasteries). Another term, Utsikho-Umonastroni meant the opposite. Because the privileges of Aznauri were mostly inherited, most of them were defined by hereditary title, i.e. hereditary Aznauri. It was possible to become Aznauri (Gaaznaureba) by being promoted while serving the king. This is why there was a group of Msakhurel Aznauri (title Tadzreulni Aznaurni probably meant the same) who had newly acquired privileges, as opposed to those families who inherited them. To improve their standing nobility tried to gain king's "grace" and "mercy". This, in turn, caused the acquisition of more land and material wealth.
Between the 9th and 18th centuries, there was so so-called institute of Patronkmoba, which was the result of interactions between various social classes of Aznauri. Issues of land ownership were also at the base of Patronkmoba. In the history of the evolution of Aznauri's title, the institutions concerning nobility were also important.
In the earlier periods, only the Tavadi (prince, head) headed Aznauri families. However, by the 14th-15th centuries, in social hierarchy Tavadis became a separate class and were positioned higher than Aznauri. The concentration of the political power in the hands of Tavadis weakened the social status of Aznauri and made them redundant. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Aznauris became more dependent on the royal family, the church and the Tavadis. In this way, the three groups of Aznauris were formed. The royal Aznauri enjoyed more privileges and influence than the Aznauri who were dependent on either the church or the Tavadis. The former ones had more social and economic influence. However, the freedom and rights of the Aznauri were defined by one feature – they held the land of their patron.
Only the king could give the title of Tavadi to Aznarui. In the 15th-18th centuries, it was quite a rare phenomenon. In the Western Georgia, Aznauri were more subservient, and sometimes they were even taxed by Tavadi.
In 1803, as a result of the project of the Governor General of the Caucasus P. Tsitsianov, self-government institutions for Tavadaznauris were established in Kartli-Kakheti - the councils of local and governorate deputies.
In 1833, Nicholas I confirmed the charter of the state council, according to which "the abovementioned Aznauri should not be dependent on Tavadis and their rank should be equal to the rank of royal Aznauri". By this change, Aznauri that depended on Tavadi were free from their service. Furthermore, together with Georgian Tavadis, they became equal in status to Russian Dvorianstvo (Russian nobility). The collapse of the feudal system, which was the basis of the Aznauri economy, and the development of capitalistic relations caused their financial ruin.
Literature: ა კ ო ფ ა შ ვ ი ლ ი გ., სოციალური ურთიერთობის ისტორიიდან XV–XVIII სს. ქართლში (აზნაურთა ფენა), თბ., 1965; ს ო ს ე ლ ი ა ო., ფეოდალური ხანის დასავლეთ საქართველოს ისტორიიდან (სათავადოების სისტემა), თბ., 1966; ყ ი ფ ი ა ნ ი დ., მემუარები, ს. ხუნდაძის რედ., ტფ., 1930; ხ ა ნ თ ა ძ ე შ., სოციალური ბრძოლის ეპიზოდი გვიანფეოდალურ საქართველოში, «ს. ჯანაშიას სახ. საქართველოს სახელმწ. მუზეუმის მოამბე», 1959, ტ. 20 В; ჯ ა ვ ა ხ ი შ ვ ი ლ ი ივ., ქართული სამართლის ისტორია, წგნ. 1–2, თბ., 1982–84 (თხზ. თორმეტ ტომად, ტ. 6 – 7); ჯ ა ნ ა შ ი ა ს., შრომები, [ტ.] 1–2, თბ., 1949–52; А в а л и а н и С. Л., Крестьянский вопрос в Закавказье, т. 1, Од., 1912.
S. Janashia
