First King of United Georgia Bagrat III of Georgia from the royal Bagrationi dynasty. The nation of Georgia (Georgian: საქართველო sakartvelo) was first unified as a kingdom under the Bagrationi dynasty by the King Bagrat III of Georgia in the 9th to 10th century, arising from a number of predecessor states of ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia. The first united Georgian monarchy was formed at the end of the 10th century when Curopalate David invaded the Earldom of Kartli-Iberia. Three years later, after the death of his uncle Theodosius the Blind, King of Egrisi-Abkhazia, Bagrat III inherited the Abkhazian throne. In 1001 Bagrat added Tao-Klarjeti (Curopalatinate of Iberia) to his domain as a result of Davids death. In 1008–1010, Bagrat annexed Kakheti and Ereti, thus becoming the first king of a united Georgia in both the east and west. Bagrat III (Georgian: (c. 960 – 7 May 1014), of the Georgian Bagrationi dynasty, was King of the Abkhazians from 978 on (as Bagrat II) and King of Georgia from 1008 on. As with other Georgian monarchs he was commonly known by the monarchical title Mepe. He united these two titles by dynastic inheritance and, through conquest and diplomacy, added some more lands to his realm, effectively becoming the first king of what is generally known as a unified Georgian monarchy. Before Bagrat was crowned as the king, he had also reigned as a dynast in Kartli from 976 to 978. He oversaw the construction of Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi, western Georgia. The cathedrals ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He proved an able ruler and succeeded in restoring law and order in his kingdom. While he was in Kutaisi, the aristocratic opposition of Kartli led by Kavtar Tbeli disregarded Gurandukht’s authority and ran their fiefdoms as semi-independent rulers. When Bagrat returned to Kartli to deal with this situation, the nobles offered him an armed resistance, but the king won the battle at Moghrisi, and forced the rebels into submission. Finally he directed his attention towards Kldekari in Lower Kartli, whose duke Rati continued to ignore the royal authority and ruled rather independently. Bagrat succeeded him as King of Kings of the Georgians, becoming thus the first king of a unified realm of Abkhazia and Kartli (in their broadest sense these two included Abkhazia proper/Abasgia, Egrisi/Samegrelo, Imereti, Svaneti, Racha-Lechkhumi, Guria, Ajaria, Kartli proper, Hither Tao, Klarjeti, Shavsheti, Meskheti, and Javakheti) what was to be henceforth known as Sakartvelo – all-Georgia. Bagrat was also known as a great promoter of Georgian Orthodox culture. Not only did he encourage learning and patronize the fine arts, but he built several churches and monasteries throughout his kingdom with the Bagrati Cathedral at Kutaisi, Bedia Cathedral in Abkhazia, and Nikortsminda Cathedral in Racha being the most important. Bagrat III died in 1014 in the Panaskerti Castle in Tao. He was entombed in the previously mentioned Bedia Cathedral in today’s Abkhazia. This year, in 2014, the Royal House of Georgia honors the 1000 year of the death of the first United King of Georgia: Bagrat III
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 14:12:54 +0000
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