Giorgi-Malakia Abashidze
Encyclopedia
Giorgi-Malakia Abashidze (died October 15, 1722) was a Georgian
nobleman and King of Imereti as George VI (or George V) from 1702 to 1707. He was a member of the prominent Abashidze
family.
The youngest son of Prince Paata Abashidze, he was served as a priest until about 1684 when he entered politics and began aggressively expanding his patrimonial fiefdom. He dispossessed the Chkheidze family of Shorapani
, and the Agiashvili
of Tsutskhvati, and took control of the royal domain in Upper Imereti. His daughter, Tamar, was married to the two successive kings of Imereti, Alexander IV
and George V
. During the reign of the latter monarch, Abashidze effectively ran the government and acted as an all-powerful kingmaker. In 1699, he gave his daughter Anika in marriage to King Simon of Imereti
, but they divorced in 1700. In 1701, Abashidze deposed King Mamia of Imereti
and seized the throne. He managed to establish a degree of stability in Imereti, ceased to pay tribute to the Ottoman Empire
, and patronized culture and learning. Deposed after a revolt by the nobles, in favour of the rightful Bagrationi king George VII
, Abashidze took refuge at the court of Vakhtang VI of Kartli
in Tbilisi
. He died there in 1722, and was buried in the Katskhi Monastery in Imereti.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
nobleman and King of Imereti as George VI (or George V) from 1702 to 1707. He was a member of the prominent Abashidze
Abashidze
Abashidze is a Georgian family and a former princely house. Appearing in the 15th century, they achieved prominence in the Kingdom of Imereti in western Georgia in the late 17th century and branched out in eastern Georgian kingdoms of Kakheti and Kartli as well as the then-Ottoman-held...
family.
The youngest son of Prince Paata Abashidze, he was served as a priest until about 1684 when he entered politics and began aggressively expanding his patrimonial fiefdom. He dispossessed the Chkheidze family of Shorapani
Shorapani
Shorapani is a small Georgian town, situated in the Zestaponi District, part of the region of Imereti. Founded in the 3rd century BC, it served as a residence of the eristavi of Argveti in the Antiquity and the early Middle Ages.Near the town are the ruins of a fortress, mentioned as Sarapana by...
, and the Agiashvili
Agiashvili
Agiashvili was a Georgian noble family, whose roots can be traced back to the 12th century. The members were entitled as the joint-High Constables of the Kingdom of Imereti, and held the key fortress of Ts'uts'khvat'i near Kutaisi in western Georgia. After the Russian annexation of Imereti, they...
of Tsutskhvati, and took control of the royal domain in Upper Imereti. His daughter, Tamar, was married to the two successive kings of Imereti, Alexander IV
Alexander IV of Imereti
Alexander IV , of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a king of Imereti from 1683 to 1690 and again from 1691 to 1695.A natural son of Bagrat V of Imereti, he was a political hostage at the eastern Georgian court of George XI of Kartli at the death of his father in 1681...
and George V
George V of Imereti
George V "Gochia" was King of Imereti from 1696 to 1698. He is frequently referred to as George IV when Giorgi III Gurieli, who had reigned as George IV of Imereti from 1681 to 1683, is omitted from the list of the kings of Imereti....
. During the reign of the latter monarch, Abashidze effectively ran the government and acted as an all-powerful kingmaker. In 1699, he gave his daughter Anika in marriage to King Simon of Imereti
Simon of Imereti
Simon , of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was King of Imereti from 1699 to 1701. An illegitimate son of Alexander IV of Imereti, he was brought up at the court of Erekle I of Kartli, while Imereti was embroiled in the civil war among several claimants to the throne. In 1699, the Ottoman government...
, but they divorced in 1700. In 1701, Abashidze deposed King Mamia of Imereti
Mamia III Gurieli
Mamia III "the Great", of the Gurieli, also known as the Black Gurieli was Prince of Guria from 1689 to 1714 and King of Imereti in 1701-02, 1711 and 1713....
and seized the throne. He managed to establish a degree of stability in Imereti, ceased to pay tribute to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, and patronized culture and learning. Deposed after a revolt by the nobles, in favour of the rightful Bagrationi king George VII
George VII of Imereti
George VII , of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was King of Imereti in the periods of 1707-11, 1712-13, 1713-16, and 1719–1720....
, Abashidze took refuge at the court of Vakhtang VI of Kartli
Vakhtang VI of Kartli
Vakhtang VI , also known as Vakhtang the Scholar and Vakhtang the Lawgiver, was a Wāli of Kartli, eastern Georgia, as a nominal vassal to the Persian shah from 1716 to 1724. Traditionally, he has been still styled as king of Kartli...
in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
. He died there in 1722, and was buried in the Katskhi Monastery in Imereti.