Georgia-Kartli

   Kartli is the Georgian name for the eastern Georgian kingdom known to the classical world as Iberia. The name is derived from the powerful Georgian tribe, the Karis, who emerged in the eastern part of the country in the eighth or seventh century BC. The Georgian name of the Georgian nation is Sakartvelo (land of the Kartvel-ebi). The names of both the country and the people are derived from the principal province and the tribe that first settled there.

  The Iberian or Kartlian Kingdom with its capital at Mtskheta-Armazi came into existence in approximately the sixth century BC. iberia-Kartli maintained contact with the Greeks, Achacmenid Persia, the Seleucids, Arsacid Iran, the Pontics, and many others. In the third century BC the first king of Iberia-Kartli, Parnavazi, rose to power in Miskheta-Armazi, establishing his dynasty over rival Iberian princes. As a result of the political organization created by Parnavazi, the differences between Georgian tribes were reduced and the tribes were gradually assimilated into the dominant Kartveli group.

   In the first century BC, because of Pompey's punitive expedition into the South Caucasus, Kartli-lberia fell under Roman domination. However, by the last decade of the first century AD Kartli-lberia was recognized as an ally of Rome, not a vassal state required to pay taxes. In 298 the Romans and Iranians signed the Peace of Nisibis, making Kartli-lberia a dependent state of Rome but putting an Iranian candidate, Mirian, on the throne. The orientation of Kartli-lberia to Rome allowed for the subsequent advent of Christianity, when St. Nino arrived preaching the gospel in 328. King Mirian converted in 334, and Christianity became the state religion of Kartli-lberia. In 588 the Byzantine emperor Maurice restored Kartli-Iberia’s autonomy after having defeated the Iranians, but instead of re-establishing the monarchy he appointed a ruling prince named Guaram (588-602). Byzantium and Iran reached an agreement in 591 that split Kartli-lberia between them: one region with the capital in Mtskheta ruled by a Byzantine appointee and the other ruled by Iran in Tbilisi. Guarani's son Stepanoz I (602-627) deserted the Byzantine camp and gave his allegiance to the Iranians, thus reuniting Kartli-lberia. Emperor Heraclius 1 (610-641) sent a punitive expedition to Kartli-lberia, captured Stepanoz I, and flayed him alive. Adarnase 1 of Kakheti was appointed ruler of Kartli-lberia, and Byzantium continued to wield authority over this region until the Arab invasions twenty years later.

  The Arabs captured the Kartli-lberian capital of Tbilisi in 645. 'Byzantium had no intention of giving up its interests in the Caucasus, and for the next two centuries Kartli-lberia was the prize for which the Byzantine and Arab armies constantly contended. By the end of the eighth century, local Georgian lords had wrested a degree of autonomy and ruled their individual regions as they saw fit, while the Arabs controlled the cities, including Tbilisi.

 The tenth century saw the rise, in Tao, of the powerful new Bagratid prince David. Favored by the Byzantine emperor Basil II (975-1025), David was ultimately instrumental in helping Bagrat III become the first king of a united Abkhazeti and Kartli-lberia. In 1068, however, the Seljuk Turks from Iran began incursions into Kartli. Tbilisi was captured and given to a Moslem emir. It remained in Moslem hands until the greatest of all Georgian kings, David the Builder (1089-1125), ascended the throne and recaptured the city in 1122. He made Tbilisi the capital of an expanding empire, which came to encompass all the land from the Black Sea to the Caspian and from the Caucasus south through greater Armenia. He established seats of learning and was especially generous to the monastery of Shiomgvime in Kartli.

  King Davids great-granddaughter. Queen Tamara (1184-1212), ruled at the height of the Georgian empires power and was instrumental in expanding her kingdoms borders and enriching its culture. When her son Giorgi IV Lasha look over in 1212, he inherited a kingdom that was respected throughout Christendom and the Middle East.

  The success was short-lived, however, with the coming of the Mongol invasions. By the end of the 15th century, Georgia was divided into three kingdoms: Kartli, Imereti, and Kakheti. The country was not to be reunited until the beginning of the 19th century when it was annexed by Russia.


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Benedikt son of Mose Melikishvili (…–…) Tamara Konstantinovna Eristavi of Ksani (1885–1975) Nicholas son of Teimuraz Amilakhvari (1897–1923) Gaiane daughhter of Ilia Bagration-Gruzinskaya (1832–1903) Grigori son of Simon Lordkipanidze (1870–1943) Gregory son of Kaikhosro Lordkipanidze (1878–1946) Salome daughter of Ioann Avalishvili (1795–1847) Mariam (Maia) daughter of Ivane Avalishvili (1758–1836) David son of Bagrat Bagration-Gruzinsky (1819–1888) George son of Irakli Bagration of Mukhrani (1944–2008) Andria son of Mikhail Benashvili (1867–…) Sofia daughter of Almaskhan Nizharadze (1845–1894) Petre son of Petre Bagration-Gruzinsky (1920–1984) Levan Shalvovich Amilakhvari (1922–1986) Alexander son of Konstantin Bagration-Imeretinsky (1837–1900) Princess Dzekve (Melania) daughter of Kamurza Chikovani (1888–1956) Olga Ilinichna Bagration-Gruzinskaya (1840–1913) George Alexandrovich Gruzinsky (1762–1852) Malkhaz Amashukeli (1961–) Simon (Svimon) son of David Tsereteli (…–…) Aleksandre Aleksis dze Chichua (1917–1983) Tamara daughter of Prokofi Shervashidze (1896–1931) Maria Antonietta Pasquini Countess of Costa Fiorita (1911–1944) Yuri Georgievich Gelovani (Neurosurgeon, oncologist) (1964–) Dmitry son of Ivan Orbeliani (Chevalier Guard Dmitry Orbeliani) (1875–1922) Dimitri (Davletbey) Alekseevich Shervashidze (1919–1944) Iason (Malkhaz) son of Irakli Chavchavadze (1896–1924) Pavel (Pavle) Ivanovich Papalov (one of the first photographers in Tiflis) (1851–…) Meri daughter of Severian Lordkipanidze (1916–) Chabua (Mzechabuk) son of Irakli Amirejibi (Georgian writer Chabua Amiradjibi) (1921–2013) Sograt Amashukeli (…–…) Maria daughter of Aleksey Chichua (1892–1979) Vakhtang son of Simon Amilakhvari (1891–1916) Aleksandr son of Erekle (Irakli) Bagrationi (1770–1844) George (Grigori) son of Konstantin Eristavi of Ksani (1875–1910) George (Gora) son of Iason Lordkipanidze (1903–1949) Kurt Fredrik Leonhard af Enehielm (1838–1897) Nina Aleksandrovna Chavchavadze (1812–1857) Levan son of Manuchar Dadiani (Levan II Dadiani) (1591–1657) Pavle (Paul) son of Aleksandr Chavchavadze (1899–1971) Shota son of Vasily Sulkhanishvili (1923–2009) Ekaterina Davidovna Tsulukidze (1872–1934) Aleksandr son of Grigol Shervashidze (Mayor of Sukhumi city) (1860–1932) Elena (Elo) daughter of Ivane Machabeli (1894–1982) Estate son of Joseph Tarkhan-Mouravi (1865–1933) Elguja (Melkisedek) Amashukeli (1932–2024) Nikoloz (Kola) Andreevich Kherkheulidze (1912–1942)