King of Georgia | |
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![]() | |
![]() Portrait of King George XII, last Georgian monarch | |
Details | |
First monarch | Pharnavaz I |
Last monarch | George XII |
Formation | 302 BC |
Abolition | 1801[1] |
Residence | Armazi Mtskheta Artanuji (now in Turkey) Kutaisi Tbilisi Gremi Telavi |
Pretender(s) | Nugzar Bagrationi[2] David Bagrationi |
This is a list of kings and queens of the kingdoms of Georgia before Russian annexation in 1801–1810.
For more comprehensive lists, and family trees, of Georgian monarchs and rulers see Lists of Georgian monarchs.
Kings of Iberia[edit]
Portrait | Name | Reign | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
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ფარნავაზი |
The 1st king of the Kingdom of Iberia. | |
საურმაგ I |
The 2nd king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Pharnavaz. | ||
მირიან I |
The 3rd king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son-in-law and adopted son of Sauromaces I. | ||
ფარნაჯომი |
The 4th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Mirian I. | ||
არშაკ I |
The 5th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Husband of Pharnajom's sister. | ||
არტაგი |
The 6th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Artaxias I. | ||
ფარნავაზ II |
The 7th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Artoces. | ||
მირიან II |
The 8th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Pharnajom. | ||
არშაკ II |
The 9th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Mirian II. | ||
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ფარსმან I დიდი |
The 10th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Grandson of Pharnavaz II. | |
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მირდატ I |
The 11th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Pharasmanes I. | |
ამაზასპი |
The 12th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Mihrdat I. | ||
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ფარსმან II ქველი |
The 13th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Amazasp I. | |
ღადამი |
The 14th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Pharasmanes II. | ||
ფარსმან III |
The 15th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Ghadam. | ||
ამაზასპ II |
The 16th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Pharasmanes III. | ||
რევ I მართალი |
The 17th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Amazasp II's sister. | ||
ვაჩე |
The 18th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Rev I. | ||
ბაკურ I |
The 19th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Vache. | ||
მირდატ II |
The 20th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Bacurius I. | ||
ამაზასპ III |
Anti-king of the Kingdom of Iberia. | ||
ასფაგურ I |
The 21st king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Mihrdat II. | ||
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მირიან III |
The 22nd king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Husband of Aspacures I's daughter. The 1st Georgian king who adopted Christianity and introduced it as a state religion during his reign. Co-ruled with his son Rev II of Iberia (345–361). | |
საურმაგ II |
The 23rd king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son Rev II. | ||
ასფაგურ II |
The 24th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Mirian III. | ||
მირდატ III |
The 25th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Aspacures II. Ruled with Sauromaces II between 370 and 378. | ||
ასფაგურ III |
The 26th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Mihrdat III. | ||
თრდატი |
The 27th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Rev II. | ||
ფარსმან IV |
The 28th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Aspacures III. | ||
მირდატ IV |
The 29th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Aspacures III. | ||
არჩილი |
The 30th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Mihrdat IV. | ||
მირდატ V |
The 31st king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Archil. | ||
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ვახტანგ I გორგასალი |
The 32nd king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Mihrdat V. | |
დაჩი |
The 33rd king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Vakhtang I. | ||
ბაკურ II |
The 34th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Dachi. | ||
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ფარსმან V |
The 35th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Bacurius II. | |
ფარსმან VI |
The 36th king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Pharasmanes V's brother. | ||
ბაკურ III |
The 37th and last king of the Kingdom of Iberia. Son of Pharasmanes VI. Kingship was abolished by Hormizd IV.[3] |
Presiding princes of Iberia[edit]
Georgia under Bagrationi Dynasty (780-1810)[edit]
Bagrationi dynasty[edit]
Ruler[4] | Born | Reign | Death | Ruling part | Consort | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashot I the Great (აშოტ I დიდი) |
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Before 807 Son of Adarnase I of Tao-Klarjeti |
807-830 (813-830 as Prince of Iberia) |
c.830 Nigali valley aged at least 22/23 |
Principality of Tao-Klarjeti | Unknown four children |
First of the Bagratid family to be Prince of Iberia, in 813. From his base in Tao-Klarjeti, he fought to enlarge the Bagratid territories and sought the Byzantine protectorate against the Arab encroachment. A patron of Christian culture and a friend of the church, he has been canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church. |
Bagrat I (ბაგრატ I) |
Before 826 Son of Ashot I |
830-876 | 876 aged at least 49/50 |
Principality of Tao-Klarjeti | Unknown (of Armenia) (daughter of Smbat VIII Bagratuni) three children |
Also Prince of Iberia. Bagrat shared with his brothers the patrimonial holdings, but which lands he actually possessed is not directly indicated in the medieval sources. He found himself in a constant struggle with the Arabs, the Abasgians and the Kakhetians over the possession of central Iberia. | |
Adarnase II (ადარნასე II) |
Before 826 Sons of Ashot I |
830-867 | 867 aged at least 40/41 |
Principality of Tao-Klarjeti | Bevreli of Abkhazia (daughter of Bagrat I of Abkhazia) three children |
Brothers of Bagrat, ruled in different parts of the principality. | |
Guaram (გუარამ) |
830-882 | 882 aged at least 55/56 |
Principality of Tao-Klarjeti | Unknown (of Armenia) (daughter of Smbat VIII Bagratuni) one child | |||
David I (დავით I) |
? Son of Bagrat I |
876-881 | 881 | Principality of Tao | Unknown (daughter of Constantine III of Abkhazia) two children |
Also Prince of Iberia. David shared the Bagratid hereditary lands in Tao-Klarjeti with his uncles and cousins. | |
Gurgen I (გურგენ I) |
? Son of Adarnase II and Bevreli of Abkhazia |
876-891 (881-888 as Prince of Iberia) |
891 | Principality of Tao | Unknown (of Armenia) (daughter of Smbat VIII Bagratuni) two children |
Joined prince Adarnase and king Ashot I of Armenia against prince Nasra of Tao-Klarjeti, who wanted to dispossess Adarnase of his patrimonial inheritance. Adarnase claimed a royal status since then, and Gurgen retained his patrimony. | |
Sumbat I (სუმბატ I) |
? Son of Adarnase II of Tao-Klarjeti and Bevreli of Abkhazia |
876-889 | 889 | Principality of Klarjeti | Khosrovanush two children |
Sumbat received the province of Klarjeti as an appanage where he ruled with the title of mampali, which seems to have passed on to Sumbat and his progeny after the extinction of the line of Guaram Mampali. | |
Adarnase IV[5] (ადარნასე IV) |
? Son of David I |
888-923[6] | 923 | Kingdom of Iberia | Unknown six children |
As he was still a minor, the Byzantine emperor – pursuant to the policy of division – appointed as curopalates, not Adarnase, but his cousin Gurgen. However, the latter joined Adarnase and king Ashot I of Armenia against prince Nasra of Tao-Klarjeti, who wanted to dispossess Adarnase of his patrimonial inheritance. The victory allowed Adarnase to claim a royal status for himself. Adarnase was, then, responsible for the restoration of the Iberian kingship, which had been in abeyance since it had been abolished by Sasanian Empire in the 6th century, in 888. | |
David I (დავით I) |
? Sons of Sumbat I |
889-943 | 23 February 943 | Principality of Klarjeti | Unknown one child |
Sons of Sumbat I, ruled jointly. | |
Bagrat I (ბაგრატი I) |
889-900 | 20 April 900 | Principality of Klarjeti | Unknown five children | |||
Adarnase III (ადარნასე III) |
? Son of Gurgen I |
891-896 | 896 | Principality of Tao | Unknown three children |
||
Ashot I (II) the Immature[7] (აშოტ კუხი) |
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? Son of Gurgen I |
896-918 | 918 | Principality of Tao | Unknown three children |
Uncle and nephew, probably ruled jointly. After the death of his nephew, Ashot continued his rule alone. |
David (დავით) |
? First son of Adarnase III |
896-908 | 908 | Principality of Tao | Unknown three children | ||
Gurgen II the Great (გურგენ II დიდი) |
? Second son of Gurgen I |
918-941 | 14 February 941 | Principality of Tao | Unknown (of Klarjeti) (daughter of Ashot the Swift) one child |
A patron of local monastic communities, Gurgen presided over the construction of a new cathedral at Khandzta. Gurgen was an energetic ruler and accumulated in his hands much power, ruling over Tao, parts of Klarjeti and Javakheti, and also Adjara and Nigali. The expansion of his territories was at the expense of his cousins and neighbours. However, left no male children and his lands went to his cousins. | |
David II (დავით II) |
? Son of Adarnase IV |
923-937 | 937 | Kingdom of Iberia | Unknown four children |
In spite of his royal title and unlike his father, David did not bear the traditional high Byzantine title of curopalates, which was bestowed by the emperor upon David's younger brother Ashot II. As a result, David's influence and prestige were overshadowed by those of this younger brother. | |
Sumbat I (აშოტ I დიდი) |
? Son of Adarnase IV |
937-958 | 958 | Kingdom of Iberia | Unknown two children |
Heir of his two brothers, he united Iberia with part of Tao. | |
Bagrat I (ბაგრატ I) |
? Son of Adarnase IV of Iberia |
941-945 | March 945 | Principality of Upper Tao | Unknown (of Klarjeti) (daughter of Ashot the Swift) one child |
||
Ashot II (გურგენ II დიდი) |
? Son of Adarnase IV of Iberia |
941-954 | 954 | Principality of Lower Tao | Unmarried | Left no descendants. After his death his lands went to Iberia. | |
Lower Tao annexed to the Kingdom of Iberia | |||||||
Sumbat II (სუმბატ II) |
? Son of David I |
943-988 | 988 | Principality of Klarjeti | Unknown one child |
||
Adarnase IV[8] (ადარნასე IV) |
? Son of Bagrat I |
945-961 | 961 | Principality of Upper Tao | Unknown two children |
||
Bagrat II the Simple (ბაგრატ II რეგუენი) |
? Son of Sumbat I |
958-994 | 994 | Kingdom of Iberia | Unmarried | Frequently appeared as a collaborator of his relative David III of Tao, the most influential person among the Bagratids of that time, aiding him against the Rawadids of Azerbaijan. | |
Bagrat II (ბაგრატ II) |
? Son of Adarnase IV |
961-966 | 966 | Principality of Upper Tao | Unmarried | ||
David III the Great (დავით III დიდი) |
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? Son of Adarnase IV |
966-1001 | 1001 | Principality of Upper Tao | Unknown two children |
|
David II (დავით II) |
? Sons of Sumbat II |
988-993 | 993 | Principality of Klarjeti | Unmarried | Sons of Sumbat II, ruled jointly for forty days, before Bagrat's death. | |
Bagrat II (ბაგრატი II) |
988 | 988 | Principality of Klarjeti | Unknown two children | |||
Sumbat III (სუმბატი III) |
? Son of Bagrat II |
993-1011 | 1011 | Principality of Klarjeti | Unknown two children |
||
Gurgen II (გურგენი II) |
? Son of Bagrat II |
994-1008 | c.830 Nigali valley aged at least 22/23 |
Kingdom of Iberia | Gurandukht of Abkhazia one child |
||
In 1008, Bagrat, who had been King of Abkhazia since 978, inherited from his father Gurgen the crown of Iberia. The two kingdoms united into what came to be known as the Kingdom of Georgia. | |||||||
Bagrat III the Unifier (ბაგრატ III) |
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960 Kutaisi Son of Gurgen of Georgia and Gurandukht of Abkhazia Adopted son of David III |
1001-1008 | 7 May 1014 Tao aged 53/54 |
Principality of Upper Tao | Martha two children |
Nephew of Theodosius III of Abkhazia. United for the first time all the territory of Georgia. |
1008–1014 | Kingdom of Georgia | ||||||
In 1008, Upper Tao was annexed to Georgia | |||||||
Bagrat III (ბაგრატ III) |
? Son of Sumbat III |
1011-1028 | 1028 | Principality of Klarjeti | Unmarried | In 1028 he was imprisoned by Bagrat IV of Georgia, and died during captivity. His lands were absorbed by Georgia. | |
In 1028, Klarjeti was annexed to Georgia | |||||||
George I (გიორგი I) |
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998 or 1002 Son of Bagrat III and Martha |
1014–1027 | 16 August 1027 Mqinwarni or Itaroni aged 24/25 or 28/29 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Mariam of Vaspurakan c.1018 (annulled) four children Alda of Alania one child |
|
Bagrat IV (ბაგრატ IV) (Under guardianship of Mariam of Vaspurakan (მარიამი, Մարիամ) (1027-1037)) |
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1018 Son of George I and Mariam of Vaspurakan |
1027–1072 | 24 November 1072 Marabda[9] aged 53/54 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Helena Argyre 1032 Kutaisi no children Borena of Alania Between 1033 and 1040 three children |
His mother, while regent, negotiated a peace treaty with the Byzantine Empire, and returned with the high Byzantine title of curopalates for Bagrat in 1032. Bagrat had the opposition of:
|
George II (გიორგი II) |
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1054 Son of Bagrat IV and Borena of Alania |
1072–1089 1089-1112 (nominally) |
1112 aged 57/58 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Helena c.1070 one child |
Previously opposed to his father. Unable to deal effectively with the constant Seljuk Turkish attacks and overwhelmed by internal problems in his kingdom, George was forced to abdicate in favor of his energetic son David, to whom he remained a nominal co-ruler until his death in 1112. |
David IV the Builder[10] (დავით IV აღმაშენებელი) |
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1073 Kutaisi Son of George II and Helena |
1089–1125 | 24 January 1125 Tbilisi aged 51/52 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Rusudan of Armenia c.1090 (annulled 1107) four children? Gurandukht of the Kipchaks c.1107 four children? |
Popularly considered to be the greatest and most successful Georgian ruler in history and an original architect of the Georgian Golden Age, he succeeded in driving the Seljuk Turks out of the country in 1121. His reforms enabled him to reunite the country and bring most of the lands of the Caucasus under Georgia's control. |
Demetrius I (დემეტრე I) |
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1093 Son of David IV and Rusudan of Armenia |
1125–1154 1155–1156 |
1156 Mtskheta aged 62/63 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Unknown Before 1130 four children |
Also a poet. In 1154, he was forced by his own son David to abdicate and become a monk. With David's death months later, he was restored to the throne, but did not survive much longer. Demetrius had the opposition of:
|
David V (დავით V) |
Before 1130s First son of Demetrius I |
1154–1155 | 1155 aged at least 24/25 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Unknown Before 1130 at least one child |
Previous opponent against his father. Forced him to abdicate, but died a few months later. | |
George III (გიორგი III) |
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Before 1130s Second son of Demetrius I |
1155–1184 | 27 March 1184 aged at least 53/54 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Burdukhan of Alania c.1155 two children |
His reign was part of what would be called the Georgian Golden Age – a historical period in the High Middle Ages, during which the Kingdom of Georgia reached the peak of its military power and development. However, George had the opposition of:
|
Tamar I the Great (თამარ მეფე) |
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c.1160 Daughter of George III and Burdukhan of Alania |
1184–1213 | 18 January 1213 Agarani aged 52/53 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Yury Bogolyubsky c.1185 (annulled 1187) no children David Soslan 1189 two children |
Co-ruler with her father since 1178. Ruled in a period of political and military successes and cultural achievements, presiding the peak of the Georgian Golden Age. |
George IV the Resplendent (გიორგი IV ლაშა) |
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c.1191 Son of David Soslan and Queen Tamar |
1213–1223 | 18 January 1223 Bagavan aged 31–32 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Unmarried | Co-ruler with his mother since 1207, continued her policy, but, at the end of his reign was defeated by a Mongol expedition. |
Rusudan (რუსუდან მეფე) |
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1194 Daughter of David Soslan and Queen Tamar |
1223–1245 | 1245 Tbilisi aged 50–51 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Ghias ad-din c.1223 (annulled 1226) two children |
Period marked by Mongol invasions of Georgia. The queen was forced to accept the sovereignty of the Mongol Khan in 1242, to pay an annual tribute and to support the Mongols with a Georgian army. |
David VI & I the Younger (დავით VI ნარინი) |
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1225 Son of Ghias ad-din and Queen Rusudan |
1245–1259 (From 1248 junior co-ruler of David VII) |
1293 Tbilisi aged 67–68 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Tamar Amanelisdze before 1254 three children Theodora Doukaina Palaiologina of Byzantium 1254 one child |
Co-ruler with his mother since 1230. Forced by the Mongols to share power with his cousin David VII (1248), he rose against Mongol domination (1259), but failed, and became restrained to an eastern kingdom, named Imereti, from 1259, where he ruled alone, passing it to his descendants. As King of Imereti, developed friendly relations with the Golden Horde and Bahri dynasty of Egypt, and repulsed the Ilkhanate attacks. He also interfered in Trebizond's politics. |
1259-1293 | Western Georgia | ||||||
David VII the Elder (დავით VII ულუ) |
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1215 Illegitimate son of George IV |
1248–1259 (as senior co-ruler of David VI) |
1270 Tbilisi aged 54/55 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Jigda-Khatun before 1252 no children Altun of Alania (in bigamy, repudiated 1252) c.1249 Gvantsa Kakhaberidze (in polygamy until 1252) 1250 one child Esukan 1263 no children |
Co-ruler with his cousin until 1259. Forced by the Mongols to share power with his cousin David VI (1248), he rose against Mongol domination (1262), but failed. However, his negotiation of peace made him lord of the western part of the Georgian Kingdom, which kept the original name, Georgia. A heavy burden of Mongol dominance led to a political and economic crisis in the kingdom. |
1259-1270 | Eastern Georgia | ||||||
Between 1259 and 1330, due to the consequences of the Mongol invasions, Imereti was ruled by distinct kings from the rest of Georgia. David VI and David VII, who had ruled together as vassals of the Mongols, now ruled distinct parts of the country. Imereti had a few more periods of independence, between 1387 and 1412 (during Timur's invasions of Georgia), and again between 1446 and 1452. | |||||||
Demetrius II the Devoted (დემეტრე II თავდადებული) |
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1259 First son of David VII and Gvantsa Kakhaberidze |
1270–1289 | 12 March 1289 Movakani aged 29/30 |
Eastern Georgia | Theodora Megala Komnene of Trebizond 1277 five children Solghar of Mongolia (in polygamy?) Before 1280 three children Natela Jaqeli (in polygamy?) 1280 one child |
Criticized for his possible polygamy. Executed by the Great Khan. |
Vakhtang II[11] (ვახტანგ II) |
Before 1254 First son of David VI and Tamar Amanelisdze |
1289–1292 | 1292 aged at least 37/38 |
Eastern Georgia | Oljath Khan 1289 no children |
Ascended in Georgia, with the consent of the Mongols. | |
Constantine I (კონსტანტინე I) |
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Before 1254 Second son of David VI and Tamar Amanelisdze |
1293–1327 | 1327 aged at least 72/73 |
Western Georgia | unknown Before 1327 no children |
Unlike his western counterparts, Constantine remained independent from the Ilkhanid hegemony. However, his troubled reign was marked by the opposition of his brother, Michael. |
David VIII (დავით VIII) |
1273 First son of Demetre II and Theodora Megala Komnene of Trebizond |
1292–1302 1308-1311 |
1311 aged 37/38 |
Eastern Georgia | Oljath Khan 1291 no children Unknown, from Surameli family 1302 one child |
Refused to submit to the orders of the Mongols, and between 1299 and 1308 he was declared a deposed king, as his own brothers were supported by the Mongol Khan. Albeit forced to abdicate of the throne by his brother Vakhtang, after the latter's death he was restored as king. | |
George V the Brilliant (გიორგი V ბრწყინვალე) |
1286 or 1289 Son of Demetre II and Natela Jaqeli |
1299–1302 1313-1330 |
1346 aged 56/57 or 59/60 |
Eastern Georgia | Unknown before 1346 one son |
In 1299, the Ilkhanid khan Ghazan installed him as a rival ruler to George's elder brother, the rebellious Georgian King David VIII. However, George's authority did not extend beyond the Mongol-protected capital Tbilisi, so George was referred to during this period as "The Shadow King of Tbilisi". In 1302, he was replaced by his brother, Vakhtang III. After deposition, was named regent for his nephew, George VI, who died as a minor. He then re-ascended as king, reuniting Georgia in 1330. A flexible and far-sighted politician, he recovered Georgia from a century-long Mongol domination, restoring the country's previous strength and Christian culture. | |
1330-1346 | Kingdom of Georgia | ||||||
Vakhtang III (ვახტანგ III) |
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1276 Second son of Demetre II and Theodora Megala Komnene of Trebizond |
1302–1308 | 1308 aged 31/32 |
Eastern Georgia | Ripsime before 1308 two children |
|
George VI the Minor (გიორგი VI მცირე) (Under guardianship of Prince George) |
c.1302 Son of David VIII |
1311–1313 | 1313 aged 10/11 |
Eastern Georgia | Unmarried | Under regency of his uncle, George V. Died as a minor. | |
Michael I (მიქელ I) |
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Before 1254 Third son of David VI and Tamar Amanelisdze |
1327–1329 | 1329 aged at least 74/75 |
Western Georgia | unknown Before 1329 one child |
Opposed his brother, Constantine I. Sought to resubjugate to the crown the great nobles and provincial dynasts who had asserted greater autonomy for themselves in the reign of Constantine I. |
Bagrat I the Minor (ბაგრატ I მცირე) |
Before 1329 Son of Michael I |
1329–1330 | 1372 aged at least 42/43 |
Western Georgia | Unknown (a daughter of Qvarqvare II Jaqeli) 1358 three children |
Still a minor, was deposed by George V. | |
David IX (დავით IX) |
Before 1346 Son of George V |
1346–1360 | 1360 aged at least 13–14 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Sindukhtar before 1360 two children |
The prosperity of the kingdom did not last, as the Black Death swept through the area in 1348. In 1360, Georgia lost Armenia. | |
Bagrat V the Great (ბაგრატ V დიდი) |
Before 1360 Son of George V |
1360–1387 | 1393 aged at least 32/33 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Helena Megala Komnene of Trebizond before 1366 two children Anna Megala Komnene of Trebizond June 1366 one child |
A fair and popular ruler, was imprisoned by the Golden Horde. Agreed to convert from Christianity and become Muslim. | |
1387–1392 | Eastern Georgia | ||||||
1392-1393 | Kingdom of Georgia | ||||||
Alexander I (ალექსანდრე I) |
After 1358 First son of Bagrat I |
1387–1389 | 1389 aged not more than 30/31 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Anna Orbeliani Before 1389 two children |
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George I (გიორგი I) |
After 1358 Second son of Bagrat I |
1389–1392 | 1392 aged not more than 33/34 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Unmarried | In 1392 Imereti is reannexed to Georgia. | |
George VII (გიორგი VII) |
Before 1366 Son of Bagrat V and Helena Megala Komnene of Trebizond |
1393–1396 | 1407 aged at least 40/41 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Unmarried | Western Georgia was lost again in 1396. | |
1396–1407 | Eastern Georgia | ||||||
Constantine II (კონსტანტინე II) |
After 1358 Second son of Bagrat I |
1396–1401 | 1401 aged not more than 42/43 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Unmarried | In 1396, Constantine took advantage of George VII's continuous war with Timur—in which a great number of Imeretians died—and the death of Vameq Dadiani and returned to Imereti. | |
Constantine I (კონსტანტინე I) |
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c.1366 Son of Bagrat V and Anna Megala Komnene of Trebizond |
1407–1412 | 1412 aged 45/46 |
Eastern Georgia | Natia Amirejibi c.1389 three children |
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Demetrius I (დემეტრე I) |
Before 1389 Son of Alexander I and Anna Orbeliani |
1401–1412 | 1445 aged at least 55/56 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Unknown Before 1445 no children |
From 1412 accepts suzerainty from Georgia and rules as duke. | |
Alexander I the Great (ალექსანდრე I დიდი) |
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1386 Son of Constantine I and Natia Amirejibi |
1412–1442 | 27 August 1445 or 7 March 1446 aged 58–60 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Dulandukht Orbeliani c.1411 three children Tamar of Imereti c.1414 three children |
Regains Imereti in 1412. Despite his efforts to restore the country from the ruins left by the Turco-Mongol warlord Timur's invasions, Georgia never recovered and faced the inevitable fragmentation that was followed by a long period of stagnation. He was the last ruler of a united Georgia which was relatively free from foreign domination. Abdicated. |
Demetrius III (დიმიტრი III) |
1413 Son of Alexander I and Dulandukht Orbeliani |
1433–1446 | 1453 aged 39/40 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Gulkhan of Imereti (d.1472) c.1450 one child |
Co-ruler since 1433, ruled with his father and then his brother Vakhtang. | |
Vakhtang IV (ვახტანგ IV) |
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1413 Son of Alexander I and Dulandukht Orbeliani |
1442–1446 | December 1446 aged 32/33 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Sitikhatun Panaskerteli-Tsitsishvili c.1442 no children |
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George VIII (გიორგი VIII) |
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1417 Son of Alexander I and Tamar of Imereti |
1446–1463 | 1476 aged 58/59 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Tamar 1445 five children? Nestan-Darejan 1456 five children? |
In 1463 lost Imereti once more. From 1465, renounced Georgia and ruled only in Kakheti. |
1463-1466 | Eastern Georgia | ||||||
1466-1476 | Kingdom of Kakheti | ||||||
Bagrat VI (ბაგრატ VI) |
1439 Son of Prince George of Georgia and Gulkhan of Imereti |
1463–1466 | 1478 aged 58/59 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Helena (d. 3 November 1510) three children |
Paternal grandson of Constantine I of Georgia. In 1463 rose as King of Imereti, and in 1466 ascended in Kartli (the part George VIII renounced), reuniting it with Imereti. | |
1466-1478 | Kingdom of Georgia | ||||||
Alexander I (ალექსანდრე I) |
1445 Son of George VIII and Tamar or Nestan-Darejan |
1476-1511 | 27 April 1511 aged 65/66 |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Anna Cholokashvili two children Tinatin(the same person as Anna?) |
Alexander's pliancy and flexible diplomacy earned him security from the neighboring powers, only to be murdered by his own son George II "the Bad". He recognized the suzerainty of Shah ("King") Ismail I of Safavid Iran at the beginning of the 16th century.[12] | |
Alexander II (ალექსანდრე II) |
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Before 1478 Son of Bagrat VI and Helena |
1478 | 1 April 1510 aged at least 31/32 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Tamar (d. 12 March 1510) seven children |
After being deposed by Constantine II, Alexander recovered Imereti after Constantine's defeat at the hands of Qvarqvare II Jaqeli, a powerful atabeg of Samtskhe, in 1483, but lost Kutaisi to Constantine again a year later. In 1488, Alexander took advantage of the Ak Koyunlu Turkoman invasion of Kartli, and seized control of Imereti. |
1488-1510 | Kingdom of Imereti | ||||||
Constantine II (კონსტანტინე II) |
1447 Son of Demetrius III and Gulkhan of Imereti |
1478-1488 | 1505 aged 57/58 |
Kingdom of Georgia | Tamar (d. 1492) 1473 eleven children |
Paternal grandson of Alexander I of Georgia. Early in the 1490s, he had to recognise the independence of his rival rulers of Imereti and Kakheti, and to confine his power to Kartli. | |
1488-1505 | Kingdom of Kartli (Remaining Georgia) | ||||||
In 1490, after several decades of dynastic infighting, a national council agreed on the division of the Kingdom of Georgia into three kingdoms.[13] The Kings of Georgia retained the largest portion of the divided kingdom which reverted to its old name of Kartli. Imereti and Kakheti emerged as the other two Bagrationi kingdoms created out of the division. | |||||||
David X (დავით X) |
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1482 Son of Constantine II and Tamar |
1505-1526 | 1526 aged 43/44 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Nestan-Darejan Baratashvili no children Tamar (d.1554) eight children |
Despite the fact that Constantine had recognised the independence of the breakaway Georgian kingdoms of Imereti and Kakheti, the rivalry among these polities was to continue under David. He had to defend his kingdom against the attacks by Alexander II of Imereti and George II of Kakheti. |
Bagrat III (ბაგრატ III) |
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23 September 1495 Son of Alexander II and Tamar |
1510-1565 | September 1565 aged 69/70 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Elena (d.1565) six children |
Faced repeated assaults from the Ottoman Turks as well as conflicts with his ostensible vassal princes of Mingrelia, Guria, and Abkhazia who were frequently joining the enemy. |
George II the Wicked (გიორგი II) |
1464 Son of Alexander I and Dulandukht Orbeliani |
1511-1513 | 1513 aged 48/49 |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Elena Irubakidze-Cholokashvili (d.1532) three children |
After a failed incursion in Kartli, ended in prison, where he was soon killed. | |
Kakheti briefly annexed to Kartli | |||||||
Leon (ლევანი) |
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1504 Son of George II and Elena Irubakidze-Cholokashvili |
1520-1574 | 1574 aged 69/70 |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Tinatin Gurieli (annulled 1529) two children Unknown (daughter of Kamal Kara-Musel, Shamkhal of Tarku) fourteen children |
Restored the kingdom of Kakheti and presided over the most prosperous and peaceful period in its history. |
George IX (გიორგი IX) |
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? Son of David X and Tamar Jaqeli |
1525-1527 | 1539 | Kingdom of Kartli | Unmarried | Abdicated to his brother |
Luarsab I (ლუარსაბ I) |
1502 or 1509 Son of David X and Tamar Jaqeli |
1527-1556/58 | 1556 or 1558 Garisi aged 47–56 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Tamar of Imereti eight children |
Persistent in his resistance against Safavid Persian aggression, he was killed in the Battle of Garisi. | |
Simon I the Great (სიმონ I დიდი) |
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1537 Son of Luarsab I and Tamar of Imereti |
1556-1569 1578-1599 |
1611 Constantinople aged 73/74 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Nestan-Darejan of Kakheti one child |
His first tenure was marked by war against the Persian domination of Georgia. In 1569 he was captured by the Persians, and spent nine years in captivity. In 1578 he was released and reinstalled in Kartli. During this period (i.e. his second tenure), he fought as a Persian subject against the Ottoman domination of Georgia. In 1599 Simon I was captured by the Ottomans and died in captivity. |
George II (გიორგი II) |
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Before 1510 Son of Bagrat III and Elena |
1565-1585 | 1585 aged at least 74/75 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Unknown one child Rusudan Shervashidze (d.1578) two children Tamar Diasamidze three children |
With his ascend to the throne, George found himself involved in the civil war among his vassals. |
David XI Dāwūd Khan II (დავით XI, داود خان, დაუთ-ხანი) |
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After 1537 Son of Luarsab I and Tamar of Imereti |
1569-1578 | c.1579 Constantinople aged less than 41/42 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Elene (relative of Alexander II of Kakheti) four children |
A convert to Islam, he was appointed as Khan of Kartli by the Persian Shah Tahmasp I from 1562 (effectively from 1569) to 1578. |
Alexander II (ალექსანდრე II) |
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1527 Son of Leon and Tinatin Gurieli |
1574-1601 1602-1605 |
12 March 1605 Dzegami aged 77/78 |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Tinatin Amilakhvari | In spite of a precarious international situation, he managed to retain relative economic stability in his kingdom and tried to establish contacts with the Tsardom of Russia. In October 1601, Alexander's son, David, revolted from the royal authority and seized the crown, forcing his father to retire to a monastery. David would die a year later, on October 2, 1602, and Alexander was able to resume the throne. Alexander fell victim to the Iran-sponsored coup led by his other son, Constantine. |
Leon (ლევანი) |
1573 Son of George II and Rusudan Shervashidze |
1585-1588 | 1590 aged 17/18 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Marekhi Dadiani no children |
With his ascend to the throne, Leon faced a revolt by his own uncle, Constantine, who defied the royal authority and took control of Upper Imereti. Leon made an alliance with the Mingrelian prince Mamia IV Dadiani, and forced Constantine to surrender in 1587. He then would also face the hostilities of Simon I of Kartli and his own brother-in-law, who deposed him. | |
Rostom (როსტომი) |
1571 (Illegitimate?) Son of Prince Constantine |
1588-1589 1590-1605 |
1605 aged 33/34 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Unmarried | Rostom was son of the rebellious prince Constantine, he was raised to the throne with support of Mamia IV Dadiani, who deposed Leon. Rostom's authority was defied, however, by his vassal Giorgi II Gurieli, who employed an Ottoman force to dethrone the king in favor of Bagrat IV, paternal grandson of Bagrat III. After Rostom fled to Mingrelia, Simon I of Kartli deposed Bagrat and brought most of Imereti under his control. Manuchar I Dadiani rejected Simon's ultimatum, moved into Imereti, defeated the invaders and reinstated Rostom as king. However, the authority started to be held by an aristocratic élite, notably by the prince of Mingrelia. | |
Bagrat IV (ბაგრატ IV) |
1565 Son of Prince Teimuraz[14] |
1589-1590 | After 1590 aged at least 24/25 |
Kingdom of Imereti | |||
George X (გიორგი X) |
1561 Tbilisi Son of Simon I and Nestan-Darejan of Kakheti |
1599-1606 | 7 September 1606 Constantinople aged 44/45 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Mariam/Tamar Lipartiani (d.1614) 15 September 1578 five children |
Fought alongside his father against the Ottoman occupation forces since 1598. Held power after Simon was taken captive by the Turks at the Battle of Nakhiduri in 1599. George attempted several times, though vainly, to ransom his father (who would die as a prisoner in 1612) from captivity and even offered to the Sublime Porte his son as hostage. Supported the Persians against the Ottomans. He was also the first king of Kartli who attempted to establish diplomatic ties with the northern co-religionist power of Muscovy. George decided even to give his daughter Elene to the Czar Boris Godunov in marriage. However, unstable political situation in both countries terminated these contacts. | |
David I (დავით I) |
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1569 Gremi Son of Alexander II and Tinatin Amilakhvari |
1601-1602 | 21 October 1602 Gremi aged 31/32 |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Ketevan of Mukhrani the Martyr 1581 four children |
In mid-1601, he capitalized on the illness of his father and gained an effective control of the government. However, died a year later. His father then recovered the throne. |
Constantine I Kustandil Khan (კონსტანტინე I, کنستانتین خان, კონსტანტინე ხანი) |
1567 Son of Alexander II and Tinatin Amilakhvari |
1605 | 22 October 1605 aged 33/34 |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Unknown (a granddaughter of Alexander II) |
His subjects refused to recognize a patricide (he murdered Alexander II) and revolted. The rebellion was led by Constantine's sister-in-law, the widow Ketevan, who requested aid from George X of Kartli. Constantine bribed some of the rebel nobles, but in the end had to flee. The rebels sent emissaries to Abbas I of Persia and pledged loyalty, provided that Abbas confirmed their candidate, Ketevan's son Teimuraz, as a Christian king of Kakheti. | |
George III (გიორგი III) |
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Before 1605 Son of Prince Constantine and Elena Gurieli |
1605-1639 | 1639 aged at least 33/34 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Tamar (d.1639) no children |
His authority was seriously challenged by the energetic prince of Mingrelia, Levan II Dadiani, whose increasing influence over the western Georgian polities George tried to restrict without any success. |
Teimuraz I (თეიმურაზ I) (Under guardianship of Ketevan of Mukhrani (ქეთევან წამებული) (1605-1614)) |
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1589 Son of David I and Ketevan of Mukhrani |
1605-1648 | 1661 Gorgan aged 71/72 |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Anna Gurieli c.1605 three children Khorashan of Kartli 1612 two children |
A versatile poet and admirer of Persian poetry, Teimuraz translated into Georgian several Persian love-stories and transformed the personal experiences of hisreign into a series of original poems influenced by the contemporary Persian tradition.[15] From 1614 on, he waged a five-decade long struggle against the Safavid Iranian domination of Georgia in the course of which he lost several members of his family. That's why he was deposed twice by the Persians (1616–25, 1633–34), during which years Kakheti was under Persian governorship. Teimuraz ended up his life as the shah's prisoner at Astarabad at the age of 74. |
Kakheti briefly annexed to Kartli and then to Persia | |||||||
Luarsab II the Holy Martyr (ლუარსაბ II) (Under guardianship of Shadiman Baratashvili (შადიმან ბარათაშვილი) (1606-1610)) |
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1592 Tbilisi Son of George X and Mariam/Tamar Lipartiani |
1606-1615 | 1 July 1615 Shiraz aged 22/23 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Makrine Saakadze no children |
He is known for his martyr's death at the hands of the Persian shah Abbas I. The Georgian Orthodox Church regards him as saint and marks his memory on the day of his death, July 1. |
Bagrat VII Bagrat Khan (ლუარსაბ II) |
1569 Son of David XI and Elene |
1615-1619 | 1619 aged 49/50 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Anna of Kakheti two children |
Installed by Abbas I as a puppet king/khan in Kartli on the deposition of his cousin, Luarsab II. He exercised only a limited power confined to Lower Kartli and largely relied on Persian forces. Considered as a renegade, he was disgusted by most of the kingdom's population and, in spite of the Persian presence, he was unable to control even seemingly loyal nobility. | |
Simon II Semayun Khan (სიმონ II) (Under regency of Giorgi Saakadze (გიორგი სააკაძე) (1619-1625)) |
c.1610 Son of Bagrat VII and Anna of Kakheti |
1619-1630 | 1630 aged around 19/20 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Jahan Banu Begum one child |
Largely unpopular with his Christian subjects, Simon's "khanate" never stretched beyond Tbilisi and the Lower Kartli province, where the districts of Somkhiti and Sabaratiano were occupied by Persian forces. | |
Kartli briefly annexed to Kakheti | |||||||
Rostom Rustam Khan (როსტომი, როსტომ ხანი) |
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1565 Son of David XI and Elena |
1633-1658 | 1658 aged 92/93 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Ketevan Abashishvili 1635 no children Mariam Dadiani 1638 no children |
Took control of Kartli and garrisoned all major fortresses with Persian forces, bringing them under his tight control. His willingness to cooperate with his suzerain won for Kartli a larger degree of autonomy. A period of relative peace and prosperity ensued, with the cities and towns being revived, many deserted areas repopulated and commerce flourished. Although Muslim, Rostom patronised Christian culture, albeit Islam and Persian habits predominating at his court. He ruthlessly crushed an opposition of local nobles. |
Alexander III (ალექსანდრე III) |
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1609 Son of George III and Tamar |
1639-1660 | 1 March 1660 aged 50/51 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Tamar Gurieli 1618 (annulled 1620) three children Nestan-Darejan of Kakheti 1629 no children |
Most of his reign was spent in the struggle against the powerful prince of Mingrelia, Levan II Dadiani, who refused to acknowledge the king of Imereti as his overlord, and aspired to displace him from his throne. |
Vakhtang V Shah-Nawaz Khan (ვახტანგ V) |
1618 Son of Teimuraz I, Prince of Mukhrani and Anna Eristavi Adopted son of Rostom |
1658-1675 | September 1675 aged 56/57 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Rodam Kaplanishvili-Orbeliani (annulled 1658) ten children Mariam Dadiani 1658 no children |
Originally great-great-grandson of Constantine II of Georgia, he came from the Mukhrani line, being adopted by his predecessor Rostom to succeed him. Followed the policy of his predecessor, managing to maintain a peaceful relationship with his Persian suzerains and to revive the economy of Kartli. Made efforts to bring other Georgian polities under his control. Intervened in Imereti's bitter power struggles. | |
Bagrat V (ბაგრატ V) |
1620 Son of Alexander III and Tamar Gurieli |
1660 1664-1668 1668-1678 1679-1681 |
1681 aged 60/61 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Ketevan of Kakheti (annulled 1661) no children Tatia of Mukhrani (annulled 1663) no children Tamar of Mukhrani four children |
With his reign began a period of dynastic troubles in Imereti, marked by extreme instability and feudal anarchy in the kingdom: Some nobles, who already had power, try to ascend as kings. | |
Vakhtang Tchutchunashvili (ვახტანგ ჭუჭუნაშვილი) |
? | 1660-1661 1668 |
1668 | Kingdom of Imereti | Unmarried | Non-dynastic. Lover of queen Nestan-Darejan of Kakheti, who blinded her stepson Bagrat V in 1660. | |
Archil (არჩილი) |
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1647 Son of Vakhtang V of Kartli and Rodam Kaplanishvili-Orbeliani |
1661-1663 | 16 April 1713 Moscow aged 65/66 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Unknown (daughter of Prince Nodar Tsitsishvili) no children Ketevan of Kakheti 1668 four children |
Restored the independence of Kakheti from Persia. 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. He was also a lyric poet. |
1664-1675 | Kingdom of Kakheti | ||||||
1678-1679 1690-1691 1695-1696 1698-1699 |
Kingdom of Imereti | ||||||
Demetrius Gurieli (დემეტრე გურიელი) |
? Son of Simon I Gurieli |
1663-1664 | 1668 | Kingdom of Imereti | Unmarried | Non-dynastic. Also Prince of Guria 1658–1668. In 1664, the Imeretians deposed and blinded him, and restored Bagrat V. | |
George XI Gurgin Khan (გიორგი XI) |
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1651 Son of Vakhtang V of Kartli and Rodam Kaplanishvili-Orbeliani |
1675-1688 1703-1709 |
21 April 1709 Kandahar aged 57/58 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Tamar Davitishvili (d.4 December 1683) 1676 two children Khoreshan Mikeladze (d.24 February 1695) 1687 Kojori one child |
He is best known for his struggle against the Safavids which dominated his weakened kingdom and later as a Safavid commander-in-chief in what is now Afghanistan. Being an Eastern Orthodox Christian, he converted to Shia Islam prior to his appointment as governor of Kandahar. |
Heraclius I Eregli Khan Nazar Ali Khan (ერეკლე I, ارگلی خان, ნაზარალი-ხანი, نظر علی خان) |
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1642 Son of Prince David of Kakheti and Elene Diasamidze |
1675-1676 | 21 April 1709 Isfahan aged 66/67 |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Anna Cholokashvili |
Grandson of Teimuraz I of Kakheti. Raised in Russia, where he was known as Nikolai Davidovich. In 1662, he returned to take the vacant throne of Kakheti, but was defeated by prince Archil who had Iranian support. However, he managed to take Kakheti when Archil, conflicted with the Persian Empire, left the kingdom. With the annexation of his kingdom to Persia, and George XI of artli deposed, Heraclius was appointed the new king of Kartli. George XI returned to his throne in 1703 and, despite having also his kingdom restored, Heraclius never returned to it. |
1688-1703 | Kingdom of Kartli | ||||||
1703-1709 | Kingdom of Kakheti | ||||||
Between 1676 and 1703, Kakheti was annexed to Persia | |||||||
George IV Gurieli[16] (გიორგი III გურიელი) |
? Son of Kaikhosro I Gurieli and Khvaramze Goshadze |
1681-1683 | 1684 | Kingdom of Imereti | Tamar Chijavadze 1667 annulled 1677) five children Darejan of Imereti c.1677 no children Tamar of Mukhrani 1681 no children |
Non-dynastic. Also Prince of Guria 1658–1668. Married Darejan, daughter of Bagrat V, and then his mother-in-law. He was energetically involved in civil wars in western Georgian polities, which he sought to bring under his sway. He was killed in battle while trying to recover the lost throne of Imereti. | |
Alexander IV (ალექსანდრე IV) |
Before 1681 Illegitimate son of Bagrat V |
1683-1691 1691-1695 |
1695 aged at least 13/14 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Tamar Abashidze 1691 four children |
George XI of Kartli and the Imeretian nobles secured the Ottoman recognition for Alexander, who was enthroned in Imereti after deposing the Gurieli prince in 1683. Alexander transferred his loyalty to the Safavid shah Suleiman I of Persia in 1689, but was expelled by the Turks into Kartli in August 1690. In 1691, through the mediation of Erekle I of Kartli and the Persian government, Alexander was restored in Imereti after a year of anarchy and misrule. | |
George V Gochia (გიორგი V გოჩია) |
? A relative of the Bagrationi dynasty |
1696-1698 | 1695 aged at least 13/14 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Tamar Abashidze 1696 no children |
Put on the throne by Giorgi-Malakia Abashidze, George ruled virtually, under his powerful benefactor. | |
Simon (სიმონი) |
? Illegitimate son of Alexander IV |
1699-1701 | 1701 | Kingdom of Imereti | Anika Abashidze 1699 no children |
Brought up in the court of Erekle I of Kartli. Expelled by Giorgi-Malakia Abashidze and his daughter Tamar (widow of Alexander IV). | |
Mamia Gurieli the Great[17] მამია III გურიელი დიდი) |
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? Son of George IV and Tamar Chijavadze |
1701-1702 1711-1712 1713-1714 |
5 January 1714 | Kingdom of Imereti | Elena Abashidze 1698 (annulled 1711) seven children Tamar of Racha (d.1716) no children |
Non-dynastic. Also Prince of Guria 1689–1714. Involved in civil wars plaguing in Imereti, he became the kingdom's ruler three times. After his first reign as king for a year, he abdicated, being unable to tolerate the influence of his father-in-law Giorgi-Malakia Abashidze. Subsequent periods of his royal career was the result of a feud with George VII of Imereti. Mamia died while still sitting on the throne of Imereti, which then reverted to his rival. |
George VI-Malakia Abashidze (გიორგი-მალაქია აბაშიძე) |
? Son of Paata Abashidze |
1702-1707 | 15 October 1722 Tbilisi |
Kingdom of Imereti | Unknown seven children |
After controlling many kings behind the curtain, Giorgi-Malakia made his way to the throne, but ended up deposed by a revolt of the nobles. | |
George VII (გიორგი VII) |
1670 Illegitimate son of Alexander IV |
1707-1711 1712-1713 1713-1716 1719-1720 1707-1711 |
22 February 1720 Kutaisi aged 49/50 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Rodam of Kartli 1703 (annulled 1712) five children Tamar Abashidze c.1712 (annulled 1713) no children Tamar of Racha c.1713 no children Tamar Gurieli (d.1742) 1716 three children |
With the approval of the Ottoman government, a rightful king of Imereti by the loyal party of nobles in 1702, though it was not until 1707 that he was able to wrest the crown from the usurper Giorgi-Malakia Abashidze (George VI). Entered in a feud with Mamia Gurieli for the throne. | |
Kaikhosro (ქაიხოსრო) |
1 January 1674 Tbilisi Son of Prince Levan and Tuta Gurieli |
1709-1711 | 27 September 1711 Kandahar aged 37 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Ketevan (d.Moscow, 3 May 1730) four children |
Paternal grandson of Vakhtang V. He reigned in absentia since he served during the whole of this period as a Persian commander-in-chief in what is now Afghanistan. | |
David II Imām Qulī Khān (დავით II, امام قلی خان, იმამყული-ხანი) |
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1678 Isfahan Son of Heraclius I and Anna Cholokashvili |
1709-1722 | 2 November 1722 Magharo aged 44/45 |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Unknown (daughter of the shamkhal of Tarki) no children Yatri Jahan-Begum three children |
Although a Muslim and a loyal vassal of the Safavid dynasty of Iran, he failed to ensure his kingdom's security and most of his reign was marked by Lekianoba - incessant inroads by the Dagestani mountainous clansmen. |
Interregnum: 1711-1714 (Under regency of Prince Vakhtang) | |||||||
Jesse Ali-Quli Khan Mustafa Pasha (იესე) |
1680 Tbilisi Son of Prince Levan and Tuta Gurieli |
1714-1716 1724-1727 |
1727 Tbilisi aged 57/58 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Mariam Qaplanishvili-Orbeliani 1712 Elene-Begum of Kakheti 1715 eleven children |
Paternal grandson of Vakhtang V. He proved to be incompetent and addicted to alcohol. Unable to maintain order in his possessions, he was replaced, in June 1716, with a brother, Vakhtang, who had finally agreed to renounce Christianity. After Ottoman invasion in Georgia that led to Vakhtang's escape, Jesse could return to the throne. After his death, the kingdom was abolished and united with Kakheti. | |
Vakhtang VI the Scholar Ḥosaynqolī Khan (ვახტანგ VI, حسینقلی خان) |
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15 September 1674 Tbilisi Son of Prince Levan and Tuta Gurieli |
1716-1724 | 26 March 1737 Astrakhan aged 61 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Rusudan of Circassia 1696 five children |
One of the most important and extraordinary statesman of early 18th-century Georgia, he is known as a notable legislator, scholar, critic, translator and poet. His reign was eventually terminated by the Ottoman invasion following the disintegration of Safavid Persia, which forced Vakhtang into exile in the Russian Empire. |
In 1727, the kingdom of Kartli was annexed to the Ottoman Empire, then to Persia (1735), and finally merged in Kakheti in 1744 | |||||||
George VIII Gurieli[18] (გიორგი IV გურიელი) |
? Son of Mamia and Khvaramze Goshadze |
1720 | 1726 | Kingdom of Imereti | Elena-Mariam Abashidze (annulled 1717) two children Khvaramze Dadiani no children |
Non-dynastic. Also Prince of Guria 1714–1726. Seized the crown of Imereti, but was forced to abandon the enterprise later that year. Returning to Guria, his rule was challenged by a faction of local nobility, which included his mother Elene and brother Kaikhosro III Gurieli. | |
Alexander V (ალექსანდრე V) |
1703 Kutaisi Son of George VII and Rodam of Kartli |
1720-1741 1741-1746 1746-1749 |
March 1752 Kutaisi aged 49/50 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Mariam Dadiani (d.1731) 1721 three children Tamar Abashidze (d.1772) 1732 five children |
Brought up at the court of Vakhtang VI of Kartli and enjoyed his support in the power struggle in Imereti. After visiting Istanbul, in August 1719 he returned with a detachment of Turkish auxiliaries, deposed George VIII Gurieli in June 1720, and was crowned king of Imereti. | |
Constantine II Mahmād Qulī Khān (კონსტანტინე II მაჰმად ყული-ხანი) |
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? Isfahan Illegitimate son of Heraclius I |
1722-1732 | 28 December 1732 Telavi |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Perejan-Begum one child |
He frequently feuded with his western neighbor and kinsman, Vakhtang VI of Kartli, who was declared by the Persian government deposed in 1723. |
Teimuraz II (თეიმურაზ II) |
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7 November 1700 Tbilisi Son of Constantine II and Perejan-Begum |
1732-1744 | 8 January 1762 Saint Petersburg aged 61 |
Kingdom of Kakheti | Tamar Eristavi (annulled 1711) no children Tamar II 2 February 1712 four children Ana-Khanum Baratashvili 19 August 1746 two children |
In 1735, fomented unrest against the Persian rule, but was captured in 1736. Part of Georgian nobles staged a powerful rebellion against the Persian regime, and the shah releases Teimuraz to suppress the opposition. In 1744, Teimuraz was confirmed by the shah as king of Kartli, and his son Erekle was given a Kakhetian crown, laying the ground for the eventual reunification of the Georgian kingdoms. They were recognised as Christian kings for the first time since 1632, and crowned as so. With their power growing increasingly stronger, Teimuraz and Erekle soon repudiated their allegiance to the Persian suzerain. |
1744-1762 (with Tamar II until 1746) |
Kingdom of Kartli | ||||||
The process of unification of Kartli and Kakheti was initiated in 1744, when Teimuraz II of Kakheti was confirmed as King of Kartli by the Persians, and left Kakheti to his son Heraclius II. It was fulfilled in 1762, when Teimuraz II died, and Heraclius joined the two crowns. The Russian southward expansion would however cut short this evolution; Kartli-Kakheti became a Russian protectorate in 1783 by the Treaty of Georgievsk, and was annexed in 1801 following the death of George XII. Imereti kept its independence a few years longer, until 1810. | |||||||
George IX (გიორგი IX) |
1718 Kutaisi Son of George VII and Tamar Gurieli |
1741 | 1778 Kutaisi aged 59/60 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Mzekhatun Lipartiani five children |
After his brother Alexander V was ousted in the Ottoman-sponsored coup of 1741, he was enthroned in Imereti, but was deposed in the same year. | |
Tamar II[19] (თამარი II) |
1696 Daughter of Vakhtang VI and Rusudan of Circassia |
1744-1746 (with Teimuraz II) |
12 April 1746 Kutaisi aged 59/60 |
Kingdom of Kartli | Teimuraz II 2 February 1712 four children |
From 1744 until her death in 1746, Tamar was a co-regnant with her husband in Kartli, while their son, Heraclius, began his lengthy reign in Kakheti. | |
Heraclius II (ერეკლე II) |
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7 November 1720 Telavi Son of Teimuraz II and Tamar of Kartli |
1744-1762 1762-1798 |
11 January 1798 Telavi aged 77 |
Kingdom of Kakheti Kingdom of Kakheti and Kartli |
Ketevan Pkheidze 1740 two children Anna Abashidze 1745 three children Darejan Dadiani 1750 twenty-three children |
Merged definitely Kartli with Kakheti after his father's death. His reign is regarded as the swan song of the Georgian monarchy. Aided by his personal abilities and the unrest in the Persian Empire, Heraclius established himself as a de facto autonomous ruler, unified eastern Georgia politically for the first time in three centuries, and attempted to modernize the government, economics, and military. Overwhelmed by the internal and external menaces to Georgia's precarious independence, he placed his kingdom under the formal Russian protection in 1783, but the move didn't prevent the invasion of Georgia from being devastated by the Persian invasion in 1795. |
Mamuka (მამუკა) |
c.1710 Kutaisi Son of George VII and Tamar Gurieli |
1746-1749 | 1769 Kutaisi aged 58/59 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Darejan Dadiani 1732 two children |
Installed as rival king to his brother Alexander, with the support of Otia Dadiani, Prince of Mingrelia, Zurab Abashidze and Grigol, Duke of Racha. | |
Solomon I the Great (სოლომონ I დიდი) |
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1735 Kutaisi Son of Alexander V and Tamar Abashidze |
1752-1766 1768-1784 |
23 April 1784 Kutaisi aged 48/49 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Tinatin Shervashidze one child Mariam Dadiani (d.1778) three children Gulkan Tsulukidze (1730–1800) no children |
Installed as rival king to his brother Alexander, with the support of Otia Dadiani, Prince of Mingrelia, Zurab Abashidze and Grigol, Duke of Racha. |
Teimuraz (თეიმურაზი) |
? Kutaisi Son of Mamuka and Darejan Dadiani |
1766-1768 | 1772 Kutaisi |
Kingdom of Imereti | Unknown (daughter of Rostom, Duke of Racha) no children |
Ruled under the Turkish protection, but Solomon regained the throne with Russian support in 1768. | |
David II (დავით II) |
1756 Kutaisi Son of George VII and Tamar Gurieli |
1784-1789 1790-1791 |
11 January 1795 Akhaltsikhe aged 38/39 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Ana Orbeliani c.1780 four children |
After the death of his cousin, King Solomon I, he became a regent but prevented the rival princes David (the future king Solomon II) and George from being crowned. With the support of Katsia II Dadiani, prince of Mingrelia, he seized the throne and proclaimed himself king on May 4, 1784. | |
Solomon II (სოლომონ II) |
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1772 Kutaisi Son of Prince Archil and Princess Elene of Georgia |
1789-1790 1791-1810 |
7 February 1815 Trabzon aged 42/43 |
Kingdom of Imereti | Anna Orbeliani 1787 no children Mariam Dadiani 1791 no children |
Grandson of Alexander V. Initially prevented of the succession by his regent, he managed to overthrow him twice. Ruled under threat of Russian annexation, made even more present after the Kakheti-Kartli conquest in 1800. The menace became an official act with his deposition by the Imperial Russian government in 1810. |
George XII (გიორგი XII) |
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10 November 1746 Telavi Son of Heraclius II and Anna Abashidze |
1798-1800 | 28 December 1800 Tbilisi aged 54 |
Kingdom of Kakheti and Kartli | Ketevan Andronikashvili 1766 twelve children Mariam Tsitsishvili 13 July 1783 eleven children |
His brief reign in the closing years of the 18th century was marked by significant political instability, which implied the near certainty of a civil strife and a Persian invasion. Weakened by poor health and overwhelmed by problems in his realm, George renewed a request of protection from Tsar Paul I of Russia. After his death, Imperial Russia took advantage of the moment and moved to annex the Georgian kingdoms, while sending the remnants of the Georgian royal family into forced exile in Russia. |
Many members of the Bagrationi dynasty were forced to flee the country and live in exile after the Red Army took control of the short-lived Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1921 and installed the Georgian Communist Party. Since Georgia regained independence in 1990 the dynasty have raised their profile, and in 2008 the two rival branches were united in marriage.[citation needed]
Timeline of Georgian monarchs[edit]
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20220117060620im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/ka7ix9u0c1e9ufiemjhcoz6iist1dx4.png)
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Ended by Russia's annexation
- ^ Commander of the Royal House of Georgia, The Royal House of Georgia.
- ^ Toumanoff, Cyrill (1969) „Chronology of the Early Kings of Iberia“ Traditio, Vol. 25, pp. 1–33.
- ^ For the titles used, see Style of the Georgian sovereign.
- ^ Numbered IV, as he was the fourth ruler of Iberia of that name, after Adarnase III of Iberia, of the Nersianid dynasty
- ^ From here continues the line of presiding princes of Iberia, now as kings of Iberia.
- ^ Usually counted as I, but he was the second Ashot ruling in Tao, after Ashot the Great.
- ^ Sometimes rendeed as Adarnase V, if counting with the Iberian kingdom line.
- ^ მარაბდა. ქართლის ცხოვრების ტოპოარქეოლოგიური ლექსიკონი, საქართველოს პარლამენტის ეროვნული ბიბლიოთეკა.
- ^ When numbering this king, the rule used often includes David III of Tao, which makes the Builder the fourth king David.
- ^ Styled II after Vakhtang I of Iberia.
- ^ Sanikidze, George (2000). "KAKHETI". Encyclopaedia Iranica.
- ^ Mikaberidze, Alexander (2015). Historical Dictionary of Georgia (2 ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1442241466.
- ^ Son of Bagrat III. Professor Cyril Toumanoff considered Bagrat to have been a son of another Teimuraz, son of Prince Vakhtang of Imereti.
- ^ Rayfield, Donald (16 December 2013). The Literature of Georgia: A History. ISBN 9781136825293. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- ^ George III as prince of Guria.
- ^ Mamia III as prince of Guria.
- ^ George IV as prince of Guria.
- ^ "Thamar II proclamée reine 1744", see Toumanoff (1990: 24).