Solomon I of Imereti

King Solomon I of Imereti led his forces to a decisive victory over the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Khresili. This victory halted Ottoman expansion into western Georgia and secured Imereti's independence for a period, establishing Solomon as a major regional power.

Solomon I issued a decree abolishing the slave trade within the Kingdom of Imereti, specifically targeting the sale of Christian captives to the Ottoman Empire. This reform was both a moral stance and a political move to weaken Ottoman influence and strengthen his own authority.

Solomon I secured the support of the Georgian Orthodox Church to excommunicate anyone involved in the slave trade. This religious sanction reinforced his secular abolition decree and made the practice socially unacceptable within Imereti.

The Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji between Russia and the Ottoman Empire included clauses that recognized Imereti's right to trade without Ottoman interference. Solomon I had lobbied Russia for these provisions, which reduced Ottoman economic pressure on his kingdom.