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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Aleksey (Chichin) son of Dimitri Shervashidze (1880–1928) Vladimir Nikolaevich Avalishvili (1920–) Maria Alexandrovna Adlerberg (1849–1926) Ivan son of Rostom Saginashvili (1873–1956) Revaz Davidovich Chkheidze (Film director) (1925–2015) Rodam Iraklievna Amirejibi (1918–1994) Anastasia (Taso) Nikolaevna Tumanishvili (1901–1917) Nikoloz son of George Kazbegi (…–1915) Mariam (Meri) daughter of Prokofi Shervashidze (1888–1986) Varvara daughter of Iakob Orbeliani (1820–…) Dapina (Despina) daughter of Nikoloz (Nicholas) Tsereteli (1821–1909) David (Ucha) son of Konstantin Dadiani (1875–1932) Apollon son of Aleksandr Machabeli (…–1913) baroness Lidia Grigorevna Rozen (1817–1866) Lasha-Giorgi son of queen Tamar Bagrationi (King of Georgia George IV) (1191–1223) Aleksandra (Nutsa) daughter of Simon Japaridze (…–…) Giorgi Mikhailovich Gelovani (Theatre director) (1923–) Tinatin Pavlenishvili (1922–) Iosif son of Zakharia Andronikashvili (1855–1940) Ivlita daughter of Nestor Dadiani (…–…) Shalva son of Konstantin Amilakhvari (1894–1977) Simon (Svimon) son of David Tsereteli (…–…) Gaiane daughhter of Ilia Bagration-Gruzinskaya (1832–1903) Vasili Davidovich Sidamon-Eristavi (1896–1973) Leonida Georgievana Bagration of Mukhrani (Grand Duchess of Russia) (1914–2010) Ivan Aleksandrovich Javakhishvili (1876–1940) Alexander son of Mikhail Kazbegi (Georgian writer Aleksandr Kazbegi) (1848–1893) George (Baia) Iraklievich Machabeli (1913–1980) Kaikhosro son of Tariel Kajaia (…–1910) Yuliy Fedorovich Vitte (…–…) Nina daughter of David Bagrationi (Imeretian line) (1915–…) David son of Evstafy (Estate) Eristavi of Ksani (1843–1910) Aleksandr son of Garsevan Chavchavadze (1786–1846) Mikhail Konstantinovich Kalatozishvili (Mikhail Kalatozov) (1902–1973) Evgenia Avetisovna Meloian (1910–2006) Simon (Svimon) son of Nicholas Tsereteli (noble) (1868–…) Aleksandre Aleksis dze Chichua (1917–1983) Giorgi son of Rostom Tsereteli (1882–1905) Levan Grigorevich Gabashvili (…–1915) Okropir son of Giorgi Bagration-Gruzinsky (1795–1857) Sofia (Sofiko) Chiaureli (Аctress Sofiko Chiaureli) (1937–2008) Nikolay Vakhtangovich Orbeliani (1845–1925) Astamur son of Saat bey Inal-ipa (Inalishvili) (1886–1924) Sergo (Grigori) son of Konstantin Ordzhonikidze (1886–1937) Andrey Mikhailovich Eristavi of Guria (1855–1932) Vasily Dmitrievich Yakovlev (1882–1938) Ivan Dmitrievich Oklobzhio (1818–1880) Elena daughter of George Tsereteli (1877–1950) Princesse Vera Orbelioni (1877–1948) Zurab Levanis dze Amilakhvari (1949–) Aleksandr son of Grigol Shervashidze (Mayor of Sukhumi city) (1860–1932) Peter Alexandrovich Sidamon-Eristavi (1889–1970) Mariam daughter of Manuchar Dadiani (…–1682) Anna (Aneta) Aleksandrovna Eristavi of Ksani (1848–1934) Ekaterina daughter of Vasili Tarkhan-Mouravi (1885–1969)