Erekle II

The Persians failed in their 200-year struggle for turning Georgia into their Khanate. From 1744, Christian kings reigned over Georgia --Teymuraz II (1744-1762) in Kartli and his son Erekle II (1744-1798) in Kakheti. In 1751-1752, Georgians defeated the lord of Tavriz, Azak-Khan, as well as Aji-Chalab of Shah-Shirvan. It meant that the Kartl-Kakheti kingdom was the dominant force in the Transcaucasia.

In 1762, Teymuraz II died and Erekle succeeded Teymuraz as king of Kartli. He became king of Kartl-Kakheti. Erekle turned towards Russia for protection against Ottoman (Turk) attacks. The Russian empress Catherine the Great was keen to have the Georgians as allies in her wars against the Turks, but sent only meager forces to help them.

1769-1772, a handful of Russian troops of General Toleben battled against Turkish invaders in Imereti and Kartl-Kakheti.

In 1789, Erekle signed the "Treaty of Georgievsk" witsh Russia, according to which Kartl-kakheti war to receive Russian protection. In 1785, 20,000 troops under Omar-Khan of Daghestanian Khubdzakh invaded Georgia. But when another Russo-Turkish War broke out in 1787, the Russians withdrew their troops from the region for use elsewhere, leaving Erekle's Kingdom unprotected.

In 1795, 35,000 Persian troops under Agha-Mahmad-Khan intruded into Georgia. On September 11, the Georgians were defeated by them in the battle of Krtsanisi and the Persians devastated the capital of Tbilisi. Erekle II died at the age of 78, on January 11, 1798.

He was one of the successful Kings of Georgia who survived.