The country of Georgia was part of the Russian Empire between 1801 and 1918. For centuries, the Muslim Ottoman and Persian empires had fought over various fragmented Georgian kingdoms and principalities but by the 18th century, a third imperial power, Russia, had emerged in the region. Since Russia was a Orthodox Christian state like Georgia, the Georgians increasingly sought Russian help. In 1783, the leading Georgian kingdom became a Russian protectorate but in an unintended chain of events, in 1801 the country was outright annexed by Russia, receiving a status of guberniya (Georgia Governorate or the Government of Georgia).