Garsevan Chavchavadze

Who was Garsevan Chavchavadze?

Prince Garsevan Chavchavadze was a Georgian politician and diplomat primarily known as a Georgian ambassador to Imperial Russia.

He came from a noble family of the 3rd rank from the kingdom of Kakheti, eastern Georgia. For years, Chavchavadze served as adjutant-general to Erekle II, king of Kartli and Kakheti. He was also Governor-General of the Qazakh province.

He was involved in the negotiations that led to the 1783 Treaty of Georgievsk with Russia, placing the Georgian kingdom under the protection of Tsarina Catherine II. In 1784, Prince Chavchavadze was appointed as an ambassador to St Petersburg. He was welcomed in Russia, and Empress Catherine became a godmother at the baptism of his Petersburg-born son, Alexander, the future poet and general.

During his tenure as ambassador, Garsevan urged the Russian government to timely fulfill the promise of protection, but Georgia was left without any assistance when, in 1795, Persia attacked and devastated the country after Erekle's refusal to terminate his ties with Russia.