Special for the Armenian Weekly Javakhk (called Samstekh-Javakheti by Georgians)—a historically Armenian region in the southern portion of the Republic of Georgia—remains a forgotten fabric in our contemporary day pursuit to help our homeland develop and prosper. The Akhalkalak Fortress (Photo: Dickran Khodanian) The earliest mention of Javakhk can be found in Urartu sourcesin the notes of Armenian King Argishti I of Urartu in 785 BC—called by its former name Zabakha. [1] In its ancient history,Javakhk remained under the control of the Artashes and Arshakuni Kingdoms as a portion of the Gugark province of Greater Armenia until 428. Gugark was the 13th of the 15 provinces of Greater Armenia. Following the collapse of the Arshakuni kingdom, the Georgian state annexed the territories of Gugark which included Javakhk. Regardless of foreign rule, or the Armenian Church kept its influence in Georgia. [2] Over the next couple of hundred years,Javakhk succumbed to Arab invasion but was eventually liberated by the Armenian Bagratids. In the Middle Ages, Javakhk faced invasion by the Seljuks, or Mongols,Ottomans, and Persians. Between 1828 and 1829—during the war between the Ottoman and Russian Empires—the conquest of the districts Akhalkalak and Akhaltskha of Javakhk were significant to [...]
Source: armenianweekly.com