'Ali-Mirza (Georgian:ალი-მირზა), bornAlexander (ალექსანდრე) (died 23 November 1737[1] or 1739[2]), was aprince of theGeorgianBagrationi dynasty of theKingdom of Kakheti who ruled in eastern Georgian provinces –Kartli and Kakheti – for theshah ofIran in the late 1730s. Like his father, KingDavid II (Imam-Quli Khan), and brothers, Ali-Mirza was aconvert to Islam. As a ruler of Kakheti, he is sometimes known in modern historiography by hisChristian name Alexander and ascribed theregnal number "Third". Despite his power being derived from the shah, Ali Mirza followed the established Georgian tradition to style himself as "king of kings".[3]
Ali-Mirza was made a viceroy (wali) atTbilisi, the capital of the kingdom of Kartli, in August 1735, by the Iranian warlordNader after the victory over theOttomans. The Persian officer Safi Khan was appointed to watch by him and the Muslim Georgian Ali Quli-Bek Amirejibi was placed in charge of collecting taxes. Ali-Mirza failed to gain foothold in the restive province and ran afoul of Safi Khan. In October 1736, Nader, now the shah of Iran, replaced Ali-Mirza with the Muslim Georgian princeAbdullah Beg, moving him to the government of Kakheti,[3] from where his paternal uncle,Teimuraz, had been removed by Nader and was then accompanying the shah on the road toKandahar.[4]
Unable to gain popularity with the local population and facing an unrest, Ali-Mirza was equally disturbed by the pressure from his Iranian suzerains. In 1736, he even wrote to the EmpressAnna of Russia, describing the difficult conditions of his reign and asking her for protection.[3] Feeling that the shah now favored the more able Teimuraz,[5] Ali-Mirza, under the influence of Prince Abel Andronikashvili, contemplated a revolt in Kakheti. To this end, he attempted, but failed to enlist the support of Teimuraz's consort,Tamar, who feared for the fate of her husband andson. Tamar, through the service of Prince Givi Cholokashvili, secured the loyalty ofKiziki andPshavi, dissuading Ali-Mirza from his design. In a state of despair, Ali-Mirza repaired to Nader's camp in Kandahar, where he took command of the shah's Georgian regiments and died in a battle in 1737[1] or 1739.[2]
Ali-Mirza was married to Mariam, daughter ofShanshe II, Duke of Ksani. According toCyril Toumanoff's genealogy, Ali-Mirza had two children, who retired and died in theRussian Empire: