Levan of Kartli
| Levan | |
|---|---|
| Regent of Kartli | |
| Tenure | 1703-1709 |
| Born | c. 1653 |
| Died | 30 May 1709 |
| Spouse | Tuta Gurieli Tinatin Avalishvili |
| House | Bagrationi dynasty |
| Father | Vakhtang V of Kartli |
| Mother | Rodam Kaplanishvili-Orbeliani |
| Religion | Georgian Orthodox Church |
| Signature |  |
Levan (Georgian: ლევანი), also known by his Muslim name Shah-Qoli Khan (Persian: شاه قلی سلطان, translit. Shāh Qolī Khān) (born c. 1653 – 30 May 1709) was a Georgian royal prince (batonishvili) and the fourth son of the king of Kartli Shahnawaz (Vakhtang V). He was a titular king of Kartli in 1709.
In 1675, Levan was confirmed as a janisin (regent) of Kartli during the absence of his reigning brother, George XI (Gurgin Khan), at the Persian military service in Afghanistan. Summoned to Isfahan in 1677, he had to accept Islam and take the name Shah-Quli Khan. Thereafter he was appointed as naib of Kerman, Iran, and, as a commander of Georgian auxiliary forces, he secured the eastern provinces of the Persian empire from the rebellious Baluchi tribesmen from 1698 to 1701. For a short time in 1703, he was again a janisin for his absent brother in Kartli. As a reward for his military service the shah Husayn made Levan, in 1703, a divanbeg (chief justice) of Persia, and his son, Khusrau Khan, darugha (i.e., prefect) of Isfahan.
During his governance in Kartli, he patronised Catholic missioners in the Caucasus. He also encouraged scholarly activities in Georgia, and helped his cousin, Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani, to create a Georgian dictionary, which is still widely used in Georgia. Although officially a convert to Islam, Levan covertly remained Christian and composed the prayers to St John the Baptist, St Peter, St Paul and other Christian saints.
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