Racha

Coordinates: 42°38′10″N 43°26′10″E / 42.63611°N 43.43611°E / 42.63611; 43.43611
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Racha
რაჭა
Historical Region
Map highlighting the historical region of Racha in Georgia
Map highlighting the historical region of Racha in Georgia
Country Georgia
MkhareRacha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti
CapitalOni
Area
 • Total2,893 km2 (1,117 sq mi)
Population
 • Total15,000
 • Density5.2/km2 (13/sq mi)

Racha (also Račha,

Rioni river valley and hemmed in by the Greater Caucasus mountains. Under Georgia's current subdivision, Racha is included in the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region (mkhare) as the municipalities of Oni and Ambrolauri
.

Racha occupies 2,854 km2 in the north-eastern corner of western Georgia. Spurs of the Greater Caucasus crest separates Racha from the Georgian historical regions of

North Ossetia. On the east, Racha is bordered by breakaway South Ossetia, officially part of Georgia's Shida Kartli
region.

History

See also: Duchy of Racha
An old fortress in Racha in the 19th century.

Racha had been part of

David VI Narin abolished the duchy during his war against the Mongols
. In the mid-14th century, the duchy was restored under the rule of the Charelidze family.

The next dynasty of Chkhetidze governed Racha from 1465 to 1769. Vassals of the King of Imereti, they revolted several times against the royal power. The 1678–1679 civil war resulted in the most serious consequences. In this war, Duke Shoshita II of Racha (1661–1684) supported Prince Archil, a rival of the pro-Ottoman Imeretian king Bagrat IV. On the defeat of Archil, Racha was overrun and plundered by an Ottoman punitive force. Under Rostom (1749–1769), the duchy became virtually independent from Imereti. However, towards the end of 1769, King Solomon I of Imereti managed to arrest Rostom and to abolish the duchy. In 1784, King David II of Imereti revived the duchy and gave it to his nephew Anton. Local opposition attempted to use an Ottoman force to take control of Racha, but the victory of King David at Skhvava (January 26, 1786) temporarily secured his dominance in the area. In 1789, the next Imeretian king Solomon II finally abolished the duchy and subordinated the province directly to the royal administration.

Genetics

Out of the tested Rachian last names, the most common

Y-chromosomal haplogroup among the Rachians is G2a (64%), in the second place is the Y-chromosomal haplogroup J2a (22%)[1].[1]

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ "FamilyTreeDNA - Georgian DNA Project". www.familytreedna.com. Retrieved 2024-02-17.


42°38′10″N 43°26′10″E / 42.63611°N 43.43611°E / 42.63611; 43.43611

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