From Discord to Autonomy: The Idea of Unity between Georgia and the North Caucasus, 1917–1920
From Discord to Autonomy: The Idea of Unity between Georgia and the North Caucasus, 1917–1920

Summary/Abstract: This study explores the evolution of relations between Georgia and the North Caucasian Mountain Republic from 1917 to 1920 in the context of revolution, independence, and regional crises. The article identifies three stages in these relations: territorial disputes and divergent international orientations, a period of close cooperation, and attempts at political unification based on principles of autonomy. Drawing on extensive archival sources, the analysis demonstrates how shared external threats fostered closer collaboration between the two sides. The study shows that Georgia’s support for the Mountain Republic was primarily shaped by strategic interests. It further reveals the political factors that influenced Georgian–North Caucasian relations, highlighting both the feasibility and the limitations of unification efforts. Overall, the article contributes to a deeper understanding of the historical foundations of regional cooperation in the Caucasus and underscores the role played by the idea of unity in the region’s political reality in the early twentieth century.

• Details
• Contents