Transcaucasian Seim

Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic
Закавказская демократическая федеративная республика
1918
Flag Coat of arms
Transcaucasia immediately prior to the formation of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic.
Capital		Tbilisi
Languages		Georgian Azerbaijani Armenian
Government		Federative republic
President		Nikolay Chkheidze
Prime Minister		Akaki Chkhenkeli
Historical era		World War I
•	Federation proclaimed	April 22, 1918
•	Georgia declares independence	May 26, 1918
•	Armenia and Azerbaijan declare independence	May 28, 1918
•	Federation dissolved	May 28, 1918
Currency		Transcaucasian ruble
Preceded by Succeeded by Transcaucasian Commissariat Democratic Republic of Armenia Azerbaijan Democratic Republic Democratic Republic of Georgia
Today part of		Armenia  Azerbaijan  Georgia  Russia  Turkey

The Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (TDFR; Закавказская демократическая Федеративная Республика (ЗКДФР); Zakavkazskaya Demokraticheskaya Federativnaya Respublika (ZKDFR); 22 April – 28 May 1918), also known as the Transcaucasian Federation, was a short-lived South Caucasian state extending across what are now the modern-day countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, plus parts of Eastern Turkey as well as Russian border areas.

The 1917 February Revolution saw the demise of the Russian Empire and the establishment of a provisional government in Russia. Grand Duke Nicholas, the Viceroy of the Caucasus, initially expressed his support for the new government, but was forced to resign his post. A new authority, the Special Transcaucasian Committee (known as Ozakom, from the Russian особый Закавказский Комитет, Osobyy Zakavkazskiy Komitet), was established on March 22, 1917. This was meant to function as a "collective viceroyalty," with members from the various ethnic groups of the region represented. Much like in Petrograd, a dual power system was established, with the Ozakom competing with soviets (councils). With little support from the government in Petrograd, the Ozakom had trouble establishing its authority over the soviets, most prominently the Tiflis Soviet.

In November 1917, following the October Revolution, the first government of an independent Transcaucasia was created in Tbilisi. A Transcaucasian Committee and a Transcaucasian Commissariat (Sejm, headed by the Georgian pro-Menshevik Social Democrat Nikolay Chkheidze) existed for a couple of months. On December 5, 1917, the Committee endorsed the Armistice of Erzincan signed by the Ottoman command of the Third Army.