Ancient tribes known as the Mushki (or Moschi) and Mosiniks (or Mossynoeci) were the first known inhabitants of the area of the modern Samtskhe-Javakheti region.

In the 16th century it was the independent Principality of Samtskhe until it was occupied and annexed by the Ottoman Empire.

Meskhetians or Meskhs (Meskhi) are a subgroup of Georgians, the indigenous population of Meskheti.

Meskhetian Turks are the former inhabitants of the Meskheti region of Georgia along the border with Turkey.

They were deported to Central Asia during November 15–25, 1944 by Joseph Stalin and settled within Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.