Bagrat I of Mukhrani
Encyclopedia
Bagrat, 1st Prince of Mukhrani or Mukhran-Batoni , (c. 1487 – c. 1540) was the third son of Constantine II of Georgia
, of the Bagrationi dynasty
, and the founder of the House of Mukhrani
.
now reduced to the province of Kartli
, made all of his sons, Bagrat among them, his co-kings, as is indicated by the position of the royal style after his name in the royal acts. Unlike his two elder brothers, however, David X
and George IX
, Bagrat never came to the throne of Kartli. Bagrat received in appanage the princedom of Mukhrani
and the title of High Constable of Upper Kartli in reward for his vital assistance to his brother David X against encroachements from the aggressive George II
, a neighboring Georgian ruler of Kakheti
, in 1512. Bagrat withheld a Kakhetian siege of his fortress at the river Ksani
and made George II retreat. In 1513, he captured George in an ambush and put in prison where the king died, leaving Kakheti vulnerable to Bagrat’s raids.
In 1539, Bagrat resigned in favor of his eldest son Vakhtang and took took holy orders
under the name of Barnabas. He authored a polemical work A Story of Religion of Ismaelite Infidels (მოთხრობაჲ სჯულთა უღმერთოთა ისმაილიტთაჲ), engaging in Christian apology
and critical of Islam
.
in the period of 1573-1576, and fathered Erekle I, the 3rd Prince of Mukhrani; Ashotan died in battle against the rebellious mountaineers of Pkhovi
; his daughter was Ketevan, queen consort of Kakheti and a saint of the Georgian Orthodox Church; Dedis-Imedi married Quarqvare III Jaqeli, Atabeg
of Samtskhe.
Constantine II of Georgia
Constantine II , of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Georgia since 1478. 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....
, of the Bagrationi dynasty
Bagrationi Dynasty
The Bagrationi dynasty was the ruling family of Georgia. Their ascendency lasted from the early Middle Ages until the early 19th century. In modern usage, this royal line is frequently referred to as the Georgian Bagratids, a Hellenized form of their dynastic name.The origin of the Bagrationi...
, and the founder of the House of Mukhrani
House of Mukhrani
The house of Mukhrani is a Georgian princely family, a collateral branch of the former royal dynasty of Bagrationi of which it sprung early in the 16th century, and received in appanage the domain of Mukhrani located in Kartli, central Georgia...
.
Biography
Constantine II, king of GeorgiaKingdom of Georgia
The Kingdom of Georgia was a medieval monarchy established in AD 978 by Bagrat III.It flourished during the 11th and 12th centuries, the so-called "golden age" of the history of Georgia. It fell to the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, but managed to re-assert sovereignty by 1327...
now reduced to the province of Kartli
Kartli
Kartli is a historical region in central-to-eastern Georgia traversed by the river Mtkvari , on which Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, is situated. Known to the Classical authors as Iberia, Kartli played a crucial role in ethnic and political consolidation of the Georgians in the Middle Ages...
, made all of his sons, Bagrat among them, his co-kings, as is indicated by the position of the royal style after his name in the royal acts. Unlike his two elder brothers, however, David X
David X of Kartli
David X was a king of the Georgian kingdom of Kartli from 1505 to 1525.He was the eldest son of Constantine II, whom he succeeded as king of Kartli in 1505 . Despite the fact that Constantine had recognised the independence of the breakaway Georgian kingdoms of Imereti and Kakheti, the rivalry...
and George IX
George IX of Kartli
George IX was a king of the Georgian kingdom of Kartli from 1525 to 1527 .The second son of the Georgian king Constantine II, he succeeded on the abdication of his elder brother, David X, in 1525. The relations of the king with other members of the royal family were strained...
, Bagrat never came to the throne of Kartli. Bagrat received in appanage the princedom of Mukhrani
Mukhrani
Mukhrani is a historical lowland district in eastern Georgia, currently within the borders of Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, north of the town of Mtskheta...
and the title of High Constable of Upper Kartli in reward for his vital assistance to his brother David X against encroachements from the aggressive George II
George II of Kakheti
George II also known as George "the Bad" or "the Evil" , of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a king of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1511 to 1513....
, a neighboring Georgian ruler of Kakheti
Kingdom of Kakheti
The Kingdom of Kakheti was a late medieval/early modern monarchy in eastern Georgia, centered at the province of Kakheti, with its capital first at Gremi and then at Telavi...
, in 1512. Bagrat withheld a Kakhetian siege of his fortress at the river Ksani
Ksani
Ksani is a small river in central Georgia, which rises on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range in South Ossetia and flows into the Kura River. Ksani is often associated with the Medieval Georgian Ksani Fortress which lies close to the Ksani River....
and made George II retreat. In 1513, he captured George in an ambush and put in prison where the king died, leaving Kakheti vulnerable to Bagrat’s raids.
In 1539, Bagrat resigned in favor of his eldest son Vakhtang and took took holy orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
under the name of Barnabas. He authored a polemical work A Story of Religion of Ismaelite Infidels (მოთხრობაჲ სჯულთა უღმერთოთა ისმაილიტთაჲ), engaging in Christian apology
Christian apologetics
Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections, and expose the perceived flaws of other world views...
and critical of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Family
Bagrat was married to a certain Helene by whom he had seven sons – Vakhtang, Archil (died 1581), Ashotan (died 1561), Erekle (1527-1556), Jonathan, Jothan, Alexander (died c. 1604) – and three daughters – Guldapar, Theodora, and Dedis-Imedi (1537-1591). Of these, Jonathan, Jothan, Guldapar, and Theodora did not reach adulthood and died somewhere after 1572. Vakhtang succeeded Bagrat as the Prince of Mukhrani; Archil served as a Georgian envoy to IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
in the period of 1573-1576, and fathered Erekle I, the 3rd Prince of Mukhrani; Ashotan died in battle against the rebellious mountaineers of Pkhovi
Pkhovi
Pkhovi , also known as Pkhoet'i , is a medieval term for the mountainous district in northeast Georgia comprising the latter-day provinces of Pshavi and Khevsureti along the upper reaches of the Aragvi, and in three alpine valleys just north of the main crest of the Greater Caucasus...
; his daughter was Ketevan, queen consort of Kakheti and a saint of the Georgian Orthodox Church; Dedis-Imedi married Quarqvare III Jaqeli, Atabeg
Atabeg
Atabeg, Atabek, or Atabey is a hereditary title of nobility of Turkic origin, indicating a governor of a nation or province who was subordinate to a monarch and charged with raising the crown prince...
of Samtskhe.