Sakhltukhutsesi

Sakhltukhutsesi (Georgian: სახლთუხუცესი, from sakhlt – "of houses" and ukhutsesi – "elder"; literally "elder of the house"[1]) – was the highest government office[2] in late medieval and early modern Georgia (the kingdoms of Kartli, Kakheti, and Imereti). The holder of the office was in charge of the royal court, the royal domain, the treasury, and the chancellery. They served as the king's chief assistant in economic, financial, and administrative affairs. The apparatus of officials and secretaries was subordinate to the sakhltukhutsesi.

In addition to the royal sakhltukhutsesi, there were also sakhltukhutsesi (majordomos) serving great feudal lords (mtavari), as well as the Catholicos-Patriarchs[3].

History

Origin of the office

Icon depicting the sakhltukhutsesi of Kakheti, Agatang Kherkheulidze, and his family, who died at the Battle of Marabda in 1625 and were canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church

The office of sakhltukhutsesi appeared no earlier than the end of the 15th century, following the disintegration of the unified Kingdom of Georgia. In the early 16th century, historical documents record the first known sakhltukhutsesi under the kings of Kartli and Kakheti. However, Prince Vakhushti Bagrationi – an 18th-century Georgian historian – claimed that this office (also known as abramadi) had already existed during the Georgian Golden Age, though this is not supported by contemporary historical sources. During the period of unified Georgia, the royal household was managed by the msakhurtukhutsesi, but they did not possess such broad powers as the later sakhltukhutsesi. The latter combined functions that had been performed by several royal ministers-viziers in early medieval Georgia.

Historians attribute the rise of the sakhltukhutsesi in the late Middle Ages to the weakening of royal authority[3][2] .

Functions

The sakhltukhutsesi managed the royal palace and controlled all palace institutions. Economic officials – such as nazir, molare, tavlidar, mushrib – and palace servants were subordinate to him. During solemn receptions and banquets, he acted as the master of ceremonies, welcomed guests, and had the right to sit in the presence of the king (a privilege shared only with the eshikagasbashi – the head of the police and secret service)[4].

The sakhltukhutsesi was responsible for the collection of taxes and duties, as well as supervising the cultivation of royal lands.

He also directed the work of the royal chancellery and prepared official documents (such as royal charters), which he sealed with his own signet and submitted to the king for approval. The mdivans (secretaries) and mordals (chancellery officials) were subordinate to him.

In addition, the sakhltukhutsesi possessed inspection powers: he traveled through various parts of the kingdom and took necessary administrative measures.

The annual salary of a sakhltukhutsesi was 25 tumans, but the official also had the right to receive a portion of the collected taxes, duties, and revenues from the royal domain. The position was highly lucrative and was traditionally held by representatives of the most influential aristocratic families. In Kartli, the office was held by the Tsitsishvili, Saakadze, Bagrationi of Mukhrani, and Baratashvili-Orbelishvili families. In Kakheti, this position was most frequently occupied by the princes Cholokashvili and Jorjadze. In Imereti, it was held by the Abashidze and Chkheidze families. However, serving as sakhltukhutsesi did not exempt one from military service. Frequently, the king's chief official was simultaneously a sardar – the commander of one of the feudal military banners (sadrosho)[3].

Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti

After the formation of the unified Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti in 1762, the office of sakhltukhutsesi remained divided: the sakhltukhutsesi of Kartli and the sakhltukhutsesi of Kakheti functioned in parallel. King Heraclius II attempted to limit the powers of the sakhltukhutsesi by transferring his functions to a "special council," which, along with the sakhltukhutsesi, included the melik-mamasakhlisi (head of the administration and supreme judge of Tbilisi) and mdivans (royal secretaries)[5].

According to a reform project proposed by Prince Ioane Bagrationi in 1799, the powers of the sakhltukhutsesi were to be significantly curtailed. He was to retain only the economic function, while his salary would be increased to 100 tumans[6]. The positions of royal sakhltukhutsesi were abolished following the annexation of the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti by the Russian Empire in 1801, and the Kingdom of Imereti in 1811.

List of officeholders

Kingdom of Kartli

Years Coat of arms Sakhltukhutsesi Monarch Notes
?—1512—1530—? Ioane Olagashvili David X,
George IX		 [2]
?—1520—? Baram Machabeli David X [7]
?—1558—1561 Zaza Tsitsishvili Simon I Captured by the Persians during the Battle of Tsikhedid[8]
1569—1578 Givi Pavlenishvili David XI [2]
1593—1607 Zurab Saakadze Simon I,
George X,
Luarsab II		 [2]
?—1616—1619 Bezhan Saakadze Bagrat VII [2]
?—1622—? Amilghabar Tsitsishvili Simon II [2]
?—1627—1642 Kaikhosro Baratashvili Simon II,
Rostom		 Killed[9]
1642—1651 Manuchar Tsitsishvili Rostom [2]
1651—1656 Kaya Tsitsishvili Rostom [2]
1656—1658 Kaplan Baratashvili Rostom [2]
1659—1664 Papuna Tsitsishvili Vakhtang V [2]
1664—1667 Zaza Tsitsishvili Vakhtang V [2]
?—1669—? Shio Zedginidze Vakhtang V [10]
?—1671—? Zaza Tsitsishvili Vakhtang V Second term[2]
1672—1678 Tsitsi Tsitsishvili "the Great" Vakhtang V,
George XI		 Executed[11]
1678—1684 Teimuraz of Mukhrani George XI [2]
1684 Amilghabar Tsitsishvili George XI [2]
1685—1700 Papua of Mukhrani George XI [2]
1688 Beburishvili Heraclius I [11]
1688—1703 Kaikhosro Tsitsishvili "Lopina" Heraclius I [11]
1690 Saam Baratashvili George XI [2]
1690—1696 Luarsab Orbelishvili George XI [2]
1695 Edisher Tsitsishvili Heraclius I [2]
1714—1717 Datuna, Duke of Ksani Jesse [11]
1717—1722 Edisher Tsitsishvili Bakar,
Vakhtang VI		 Second term[11][8]
1722—1723 Vakhtang Zedginidze Vakhtang VI Died in the Battle of Tabakhmela[11]
1723 Teimuraz of Aragvi Constantine II Captured by Bakar[11]
?—1725 Elizbar Orbeliani Vakhtang VI Emigrated to Russia with the king[2]
?—1735—1736 Kaikhosro Tsitsishvili Jesse [8]
1735—1756 Constantine III of Mukhrani Jesse,
Teimuraz II		 [2]

Kingdom of Kakheti

Years Coat of arms Sakhltukhutsesi Monarch Notes
1511—1513 Beena Cholokashvili George II [12]
1513—1530—? Garsevan Cholokashvili David X,
Levan		 [2]
?—1590—? Jason Chavchavadze Alexander II [2]
1612—1614 Agatang Kherkheulidze Teimuraz I [2]
1615—1636 Nodar Jorjadze Teimuraz I [11]
1629—1639 Jesse Jorjadze Teimuraz I [13]
1643—1648 Revaz Cholokashvili Teimuraz I Died in the Battle of Uglisi[9]
1664—1675 Nodar Jorjadze Archil II [2]
1688—1692 Revaz Cholokashvili Heraclius I [11]
1690—1694 Jesse Jorjadze Heraclius I [2]
1693—1696 Otar Cholokashvili Heraclius I [2]
1696—1714 Durmishkhan Cholokashvili Heraclius I,
David II		 [2]
1714—1715 Edisher Cholokashvili David II Died in battle with the Lezgins[14]
1718—1724 Sazverel David II,
Constantine II		 [2]
1724—1733 Onana Constantine II [2]
?—1738 Givi Cholokashvili Teimuraz II [2]
?—1739—? Nodar Jorjadze Teimuraz II [2]
1740—1741 Jimsher Cholokashvili Teimuraz II [2]
1741—1747—? Grigol Cholokashvili Teimuraz II,
Heraclius II		 [2]
?—1756 Ioane Tsitsishvili Heraclius II Died in the Battle of Surami[15][8]
?—1759—? Jesse Jorjadze Heraclius II [2]

Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti

Years Coat of arms Sakhltukhutsesi Monarch Notes
?—1765 Demetre Zedginidze Heraclius II Executed for participating in a conspiracy against the king[13]
?—1766—? Ioane Andronikashvili Heraclius II [8]
1768—1784 David Orbeliani Heraclius II Sakhltukhutsesi of Kartli, signed the Treaty of Georgievsk[5]
?—1773 Grigol Cholokashvili Heraclius II Sakhltukhutsesi of Kakheti, captured by the Pshavs[5]
1774 David Kvenipneveli Heraclius II [13]
1775—? Grigol Cholokashvili Heraclius II Third term[16]
?—1776—1778—? Zakaria (Zaza) Tsitsishvili Heraclius II Emigrated to Istanbul after defeat in a feudal conflict[8]
?—1783—? Kaikhosro Cholokashvili Heraclius II Sakhltukhutsesi of Kakheti, signed the Treaty of Georgievsk[5]
1784—1789 Ioane of Mukhrani Heraclius II [2]
1798—1800 Ioane Orbeliani George XII Sakhltukhutsesi of Kartli[2]
1798—1800 Alexandre Makashvili George XII Sakhltukhutsesi of Kakheti[4]
1800 Zakaria (Zaza) Andronikashvili George XII [2]

Kingdom of Imereti

Years Coat of arms Sakhltukhutsesi Monarch Notes
?—1488—? Ioane Apkhachelidze Alexander II [2]
1639—1650 Bezhia Chkheidze Alexander III [2]
?—1651—? Rostom Abashidze Alexander III [2]
?—1666—1669 Sekhnia Chkheidze Bagrat V Killed[2]
1669—1679 Sazverel Chijavadze Bagrat V Died in an internecine war[2]
1679—1700 Giorgi Chkheidze Bagrat V,
George IV,
Alexander IV,
Archil,
Simon		 [2]
1766—1771 David Abashidze Solomon I [2]
1778—1785 Zurab Tsereteli Solomon I [2]
1785—1789 Zaal Abashidze David II [2]
1789—1810 Zurab Tsereteli Solomon II Second term[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Zakony Vakhtanga VI. Glossariy" [Laws of Vakhtang VI. Glossary]. vostlit.info (in Russian). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 "სახლთუხუცესი" [Sakhltukhutsesi]. National Parliamentary Library of Georgia (in Georgian). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Surguladze, I. (1952). Sakartvelos sakhelmtsiposa da samartlis istoriisatvis [From the History of the Georgian State and Law] (in Georgian). Vol. 1. Tbilisi. pp. 173–181.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. 1 2 Chikovani, Y. (2006). Knyazya Makashvili. Knyazya Chichua [Princes Makashvili. Princes Chichua] (in Russian). Tbilisi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. 1 2 3 4 Bregvadze, A. (1983). Slavnaya stranitsa istorii: Dobrovolnoye prisoyedineniye Gruzii k Rossii i yego sotsialno-ekonomicheskiye posledstviya [A Glorious Page of History: The Voluntary Annexation of Georgia to Russia and Its Socio-Economic Consequences] (in Russian). Moscow.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ↑ Dzhavakhishvili, N. (2013). "Dolzhnostnoy apparat i nagradnaya sistema Vostochno-Gruzinskogo tsarstva po proektu tsarevicha Ioanna Georgievicha Bagrationi (konets XVIII v.)" [The Official Apparatus and Award System of the Eastern Georgian Kingdom According to the Project of Prince Ioane of Georgia (Late 18th Century)]. RUDN Journal of World History (in Russian) (1): 105–111. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  7. ↑ Otkhmezuri, G. (1999). Malye knyazhestva Shida Kartli (XV-XVII vv.) [Small Principalities of Shida Kartli (15th–17th Centuries)] (in Russian). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Muzychko, O. (2026). The Georgian Wolves: The History of the Petrovskyi Family. London. ISBN 978-0-9564683-6-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  9. 1 2 Gorgijanidze, P. (1926). Istoriya Gruzii [History of Georgia] (PDF) (in Russian). Tbilisi. Retrieved 17 July 2026.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  10. ↑ "Tserkov Kviratskhoveli v Skhaltba" [Kviratskhoveli Church in Skhaltba]. Georgian Travel Guide (in Russian). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bagrationi, V. (1976). Janashia, S. (ed.). Istoriya Tsarstva Gruzinskogo [History of the Kingdom of Georgia] (PDF) (in Russian). Tbilisi: Metsniereba. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Khurtsilava, B. "Svyataya dver khrama Voskreseniya (Sv. Groba Gospodnya) v Iyerusalime (na osnovanii gruzinskikh istoricheskikh materialov)" [The "Holy Door" of the Church of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulchre) in Jerusalem (Based on Georgian Historical Materials)]. Trudy Tbilisskoy Dukhovnoy Akademii (in Russian). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 Dumin, S.; Grebelsky, P. (1998). Dvoryanskiye rody Rossiyskoy imperii. Tom 4. Knyazya Tsarstva Gruzinskogo [Noble Families of the Russian Empire. Volume 4. Princes of the Kingdom of Georgia] (in Russian). Moscow.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. ↑ "Makrina" [Macrina]. Pravoslavnaya Entsiklopediya (in Russian). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  15. ↑ Michitashvili, M. (2016). საციციანოს ისტორია. წიგნი I [History of Satsitsiano. Book I] (in Georgian). Tbilisi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  16. ↑ "Materialy po istorii rossiysko-gruzinskikh otnosheniy vo vtoroy polovine XVIII veka" [Materials on the History of Russian-Georgian Relations in the Second Half of the 18th Century]. vostlit.info (in Russian). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
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