After a series of unsuccessful attempts to establish himself on the throne of Imereti, Archil retired to Russia where he spearheaded the cultural life of a local Georgian community.

Archil was the son of Vakhtang V Shahnawaz of Kartli, who, under the Persian protection, attempted to reunify a fragmented Kingdom of Georgia under his crown.

A Turkish ultimatum was soon received in Isfahan, threatening a declaration of war if Shahnavaz maintained his son on the throne of western Georgia.

In 1664, Archil defeated an attempt by the rival Kakhetian prince and his brother-in-law, Erekle, to regain his father's crown, and achieved a degree of stability and prosperity in Kakheti.

In 1675, however, due largely to the intrigues by the Persian grand vizier Shaykh' Ali Khan, Archil abandoned Kakheti and, with his brother Luarsab, defected to the Turkish frontier pasha of Akhaltsikhe who promised him the crown of Imereti.

Encouraged by his brother, King George XI of Kartli, Archil returned to Georgia in 1690 and succeeded in regaining the Imeretian throne, only to be deposed again by the local nobility in 1691.

During the next few years, he made several attempts to seize the crown, waging a guerrilla war against the Turks and the aristocratic opposition led by Prince Abashidze.