style="color:black">at this location on what later became the Georgian Military Highway. It came under the control of a local feudal magnate, the
Chopikashvili clan, who were in charge of collecting tolls on travelers in the
area in the late 18th century. After the expansion of the Russian Empire into the Kingdom
of Georgia in the early 19th century, the people of the region
revolted against Russian rule. However, the local lord Gabriel Chopikashvili,
son of Kazi-Beg, remained steadfast in his loyalty to Russia and helped to suppress
the revolt. In return, he was promoted to officer in the Russian Army. He adopted the surname
Kazbegi, and the village under his control was also
frequently referred to as "Kazbegi". The name was officially changed
to Kazbegi already under the Soviet rule in 1925. Gabriel
Chopikashvili-Kazbegi's grandson was the famed Georgian writer Alexander
Kazbegi, who was born in this town. In 2006, the town
reverted to its original name of Stepantsiminda