Sefer Ali-Bey Shervashidze

Sefer Ali-Bey Shervashidze (also known by the Christian name of Giorgi Shervashidze) was a prince of the Principality of Abkhazia in 1810–21. He was the youngest son of Kelesh Ahmed-Bey Shervashidze.

Coat of arms of the princely family of Shervashidze

After Sefer Ali-Bey’s brother, Aslan-Bey, killed his father^[1] to take over the throne of Abkhazia, Sefer Ali-Bey was forced to hide out in neighboring Mingrelia under the protection of the Mingrelian princess regent Nino. With the help of the Mingrelian nobility, Sefer Ali-Bey tried unsuccessfully, to usurp the throne of Abkhazia. In 1809, Shervashidze asked the Tsarist Russian Empire to take Abkhazia under its protection, with the condition that Ali-Bey be established as the new ruler of the Principality. After decisive Russian victories during the Second Russo-Turkish War, the Russian forces were able to expel pro-Turkish Abkhazians as well as the remaining Turkish forces from the region. Tsar Alexander I established Sefer Ali-Bey Shervashidze as the new ruler of Abkhazia on 17 February 1810.

References

• Georgian State (Soviet) Encyclopedia. 1983. Book 10. p. 689.

1. George Hewitt, The Abkhazians, 1998, page 71, calls this a Russian fabrication. He presents Aslan-Bey as a popular ruler and Sefer-Bey as a foreign-backed usurper. He also calls Sefer-Bey illegitimate