This considerable military deployment, ostensibly to settle a power struggle in Imereti in favor of the sultan's candidate, portended a change in Ottoman policy in the fluid frontier region in the Caucasus and aimed at consolidating the imperial authority among the restive Georgian subjects.

In a series of events, the Imeretian king Simon, favored by the sultan's government, was deposed by the powerful nobleman George Abashidze, who then had him murdered with the help of Mamia III Gurieli, Prince of Guria, in 1701.

[3] Reacting to the Imeretian upheaval, the Ottoman government promised the crown to George VII, the younger brother of the murdered king Simon, then residing at Akhaltsikhe.

While a civil war and break in dynastic succession in Imereti as well as unilateral acts on part of the western Georgian rulers were not uncommon, the massive military response was a change in the Ottomans' policy in Georgia, further dictated by the necessity of consolidating control over the fluid frontier zone against the background of recent losses in Europe and increased activity of the Russians on the Black Sea; Tsar Peter I had succeeded in conquering the Ottoman fortress of Azov and was looked upon by many in Georgia with hope.

The absence of Mamia Gurieli's replacement in the sultan's orders implied that the imperial government planned to eliminate Guria's self-rule altogether while reducing Imereti's autonomy.

After Halil Pasha conquered Batumi (Batum) on Guria's Black Sea coast and began to erect a new fortress there, Gurieli felt compelled to submit to the Ottoman commander.

While Guria and Imereti were largely overran, Mingrelia mostly held out although the Ottoman troops destroyed the fortress of Rukhi, raided the surrounding countryside, and began fortifying Anaklia as their new outpost on the Black Sea coast.

The new vizier, Kavanoz Ahmed Pasha, offered Abashidze peace provided he demolished the fortress of Shorapani, gave hostages and tribute, and recognized George VII as king of Imereti under his tutelage.

The maritime district around Batumi was irretrievably lost for Guria and the Turkish garrisons were permanently stationed in the Mingrelian fortresses of Poti, Anaklia, and Rukhi along the coastline and in Baghdati in Imereti's heartland.