The attitude of Russian historians of the 19th — early 20th centuries towards the abolition of the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church in 1811

Abstract

This article will present the position of Russian historians of the 19th — early 20th centuries related to the abolition of the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church in 1811. Since Russian domestic historiography practically did not mention this event, by «domestic historians» we will mean Georgian historians, who rightfully can be called «domestic», since from 1801 Georgia was included in the Russian Empire. The abolition of the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church had an ambiguous assessment in domestic historiography, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries. If the historians of the 19th century gave a positive meaning to this event, as they tried to evaluate it from the perspective of Georgia's historical position in the 18th century, then at the beginning of the 20th century the situation changes, as revolutionary movements spread, which wanted the separation not only of Georgia from the Russian Empire, but also of the Georgian Church from the Russian one. Georgian historians, including church historians, also joined this trend, creating works that were intended to demonstrate the illegality of abolishing autocephaly, as well as the need for its restoration. This article analyzes the arguments of historians of the 19th and early 20th centuries related to the abolition of the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church.