Treaty of Jassy

Treaty of Jassy 1791, a treaty concluded in Iași (Jassy), Romania, on January 9, 1792 (O.S.: 29 December 1791) after the end of the war between Russia and the Ottoman Empire (1787–1791).

The general leadership of the peace negotiations was entrusted by the Russian government to Field Marshal G. Potemkin. Ambassadors (Samoilov, Deribas and Lashkarov) were appointed. From the letters received by G. Potemkin during the peace negotiations (1789–1791) and the activities of the ambassador of the King of Imereti, B. Gabashvili, who was there, it is clear that Georgian political figures still had great hopes for Russia.

Erekle II demanded that the Ottomans let go of not only Kartli-Kakheti, but also Azerbaijan; most importantly, he demanded that the treaty of the Iberian kings and princes of 1790 be ratified by Russia and the Ottoman Empire. On January 24, 1791, Besik died unexpectedly, and on October 5, G. Potemkin. On October 14, A. Bezborodko became the head of the Russian delegation, and peace negotiations resumed on October 30. He only touched upon the issue of Kartli-Kakheti in passing, and did not even broach Imereti.

The treaty restored the terms of the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca (1774) (which had a positive impact for Georgia at that time). Article 5 of the Treaty of Jassy concerned the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti. Russia effectively forced the Ottomans to give up any claims to Kartli-Kakheti; moreover, the Ottoman government promised to send appropriate orders to the pashas of the peripheral territories so that they would henceforth cease “open or hidden” atrocities against Kartli-Kakheti. The situation in Western Georgia remained the same - Russia effectively retained the role of protector of both Georgian kingdoms.

Treaty of Jassy reaffirmed that the Russian Empire would not let go of the control over South Caucasus.

 

Literature: მაჭარაძე ვ., ბესიკი დიპლომატიურ სარბიელზე, თბ., 1968; საქართველოს ისტორიის ნარკვევები, ტ. 4, თბ., 1973.

 

V. Macharadze