History

Adjara was incorporated into the Georgian Kingdom in the 9th century AD. The Ottomans conquered the area in 1614. The Ottomans were forced to cede Adjara to the expanding Russian Empire in 1878.

After a temporary occupation by Turkish and British troops in 1918–1920, Adjara became part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1920. After a brief military conflict in March 1921, Ankara's government ceded the territory to Georgia due to Art. VI of Treaty of Kars. The Soviet Union established the Adjara Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic immediately afterwards in accord with this clause. Thus, Adjara remained a part of Georgia, but with considerable local autonomy.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Adjara became a part of the independent Republic of Georgia. It avoided being dragged into the chaos and civil war that afflicted the rest of the country between 1991–1993 due largely to the authoritarian rule of its leader Aslan Abashidze who founded the separatist Adjara Autonomous Republic of Georgia.

Heraldry

The arms of the Adjara Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was the same as the arms of the Georgian S.S.R. the initials of the republic in russian and adzarian in georgian script added.

A flag and national emblem, as well as a national anthem, were adopted for the separatist republic on 26 June 2000.

The national emblem was:

Emblem: Azure, an eagle wings expanded and and arch of seven seven-pointed stars in chief Or.

Legend: aWaris avtonomiuri respublika saqarTvelo (Ac'aris Avt'onomiuri Resp'ublikh'a Sakartvelo / Adjara Autonomous Republic of Georgia), and a garland of branches of olive in base Or. [1]

The dark blue color symbolizes the Black Sea

The eagle is a symbol for freedom, power, diligence and care.

The two olive branches at the bottom of the emblem are a symbol of peace.

The seven stars symbolize the two cities (Batumi and Kobuleti) and the five districts (Batumi, Kobuleti, Keda, Shuakhevi, Khulo) of Adzaria, which appear in the Constitution of Adzaria (§5. Cities, Districts and Towns in the Ajaria Autonomous Republic).

In the spring of 2004, the central government sought to reimpose its authority in the region. As a result the Adjaran leader was forced to resign in May 2004.

A new coat of arms was adopted not long afterwards. It is:

Arms: Per fess wavy Vert and Azure, in chief a city-wall embattled of four towers and a gate,  and in base three besants Or. And an escutcheon in nombril point of Georgia (modern).

Æ See illustration in the head of this essay.

Adjara Government emblem