Msoplio imp’eriata k’avk’asiuri gambit’i da erek’le meore /მსოფლიო იმპერიათა კავკასიური გამბიტი და ერეკლე მეორე [The Caucasian Gambit of World Empires and Erekle II]

The current study is the first attempt to examine the relations between Russia and Georgia within the context of international political processes of the second half of the 18th century, in particular, the Seven Years’ War, the plan for the redistribution of Europe, and the “Greek Project”. The global historical process of the second half of the 18th century is of special importance for the proper assessment of the history of Georgia. The Russian and Soviet historiography deliberately distorted the facts and events of the time leading to the improper assessment of the annexation of Georgia and the Caucasus. The European contacts of King Erekle II of Kartli-Kakheti were deliberately erased, and hence the Caucasus was declared a geostrategic space on Russian orbit and was artificially separated from the global historical processes. Therefore, a violent political act, the conquest of Georgia was disguised as an alliance corresponding to the idea of Christian common faith. The article analyzes the reasons the members of the European system of international relations did not like the existence of a powerful state in the Caucasus (the Austrian Empire being an exception). The strategic foreign policy directions of the Austrian Empire were also analyzed, making it obvious once again that the only ally of Erekle II was the Emperor of Austria.საკვანძო სიტყვები: ბერძნული პროექტი, ოსმალეთის იმპერია, ქართლ-კახეთის სამეფო, ერეკლე II, რუსეთის იმპერია.Keywords: Greek Project, Ottoman Empire, Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, Erekle II, Russian Empire.