forces from Tbilisi. As Nader's ambitions grew, the Iranian hegemony began to ruin the country's economy. Heavy taxes were levied by the governor of Kartli, Kilij Ali-Khan (Khanjal), for the costs of the shah's Indian campaigns, soldiers were conscripted and noble hostages were sent to Iran. Amilakhvari was one of those Georgian nobles who were taken as hostages rather than as volunteers along the road to Nader's camp at Kandahar in 1735. Givi Amilakhvari managed to escape and took to the hills, whence he joined Shanshe, Duke of the Ksani and Prince Vakhushti Abashidze in an anti-Iranian insurrection. The turmoil disrupted betrothal of Givi's daughter Tamar with the Mukhranian prince Teimuraz (eventually Catholicos Anton I of Georgia), nephew of ex-king Vakhtang VI. The girl was carried off by the Iranian soldiers during a wedding ceremony at the church, forcing the 16-year-old Teimuraz to seek refuge at a monastery. Amilakhvari himself was soon captured and forced to fight in the Iranian ranks in India. An able fighter, Amilakhvari was restored to favor with Nader Shah, who sent him back to Georgia to counter the irreconcilable duke Shanshe of Ksani. Shanshe's use of Dagestani and Turkish mercenaries deprived him of popular support and the rebellious duke was easily defeated. Givi Amilakhvari was rewarded with Shanshe's fief of Ksani. Alliance and war with Iran In 1741, Givi Amilakhvari was appointed as a governor (wakil) of Kartli for the shah of Iran and reconfirmed as Prince of Saamilakhoro and Duke (eristavi) of Ksani, thereby becoming the most influential Georgian nobleman in eastern Georgia. Later in 1741 he took part in the Nader's difficult campaign against Dagestan which cost Nader thousands of his troops and undermined the situation in Georgia. Nader summoned the leading Georgian nobles to Derbend and covered them with gifts. Of them, the increasingly influential, flexible and calculating Kakhetian prince Teimuraz Bagrationi endeavored to persuade the shah to ease tribute levied upon Georgia, while Amilakhvari suddenly fled to Tbilisi and mounted a rebellion, more formidable than that of Shanshe. He recruited the Turkish auxiliaries and sought Ottoman support to put the Russian-based Mukhranian prince Bakar, son of Vakhtang VI of Kartli (deposed back in 1723) and brother-in-law to Teimuraz, on the throne. A series of battles were fought at Gori and along the Aragvi river in which, despite initial setback, Teimuraz and his son Erekle, with the Iranians, defeated Amilakhvari and his