Kingdom of Imereti

Kingdom of Imereti
იმერეთის სამეფო
1260–1810
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Coat of Arms
Kingdom of Imereti in 1490
Status Kingdom, Part of Kingdom of Georgia (1330–1387, 1412–1446, 1453–1455, 1465–1478), vassal of Ottoman Empire (1555–1810), vassal of Russia (1804–1810)
Capital Kutaisi
Common languages Georgian
Religion Orthodox Christianity
Government Monarchy
King  
 1260–1293
David I (first)
 1789–1810
Solomon II (last)
History  
 Coronation of David I
1260
 Re-Annexation to Georgia
1330
 Restoration
1387
 Independence from Georgia
1455
 Vassal of the Ottoman Empire
May 29, 1555
 Vassal of the Russian Empire
April 25, 1804
 Russian Annexation
February 20 1810
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kingdom of Georgia
Russian Empire
Today part of  Georgia

The Kingdom of Imereti (Georgian: იმერეთის სამეფო) was a Georgian monarchy established in 1455 by a member of the house of Bagrationi when the Kingdom of Georgia was dissolved into rival kingdoms. Before that time, Imereti was considered a separate kingdom within the Kingdom of Georgia, to which a cadet branch of the Bagration royal family held the crown beginning in 1260 by David VI after he revolted against the Mongolian rule and fled to Abkhazia. This was due to the Mongolian conquest of the 13th century which decentralized and fragmented Georgia, forcing the relocation of governmental centers to the provinces. Imereti was conquered by Giorgi the Brilliant, who was subject to the Mongols, and united with the east Kingdom of Georgia.[1] From 1455 onward, however, the kingdom became a constant battleground between Georgian, Persian, and Turkish forces. On 25 April 1804 Solomon II of Imereti accepted Russian vassalage and in 1810 he was removed from the throne. Throughout the course of that time, Mingrelia, Abkhazia and Guria princedoms declared their independence from Imereti and became their own governments. In Persian - Azeri nomenclature the name of the region is changed to "baş açıq" which literally means "without a head scarf".[2]

Coat of arms of Imereti Kingdom during the reign of king Solomon II, 1803

Kings of Imereti

First House of Imereti

Second House of Imereti

Heads of House of Imereti after 1815

Since Solomon II of Imereti had no sons, he proclaimed Prince Constantine, son of king David II of Imereti, and his male-line senior descendants as heirs to the throne of Kingdom of Imereti.

  • Hereditary Prince Constantine (I) (1815–1844), son of king David II
  • Hereditary Prince Constantine (II) (1844–1885), son of Prince Constantine (I)
  • Hereditary Prince Mikheil (1885–1888), son of Prince Constantine (II)
  • Hereditary Prince George (I) (1888–1932), son of Prince Mikheil
  • Hereditary Prince George (II) (1932–1972), son of Prince George (I), had no issue
  • Hereditary Prince Constantine (III)(1898–1978), young brother of Prince George (I)

After death of Hereditary Prince Constantine (b.1898 – d.1978), because the male-offspring of this branch came to end, the headship of the House of Bagrationi-Imereti transmitted to Prince Irakli Bagrationi (b.1925 – d.2013), son of Prince Grigol, the male-line descendant of Prince Bagrat, young brother of King Solomon I of Imereti (1752-84).

References

  1. D.M.Lang - Georgia in the Reign of Giorgi the Brilliant (1314-1346), Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 17, pp. 74-91
  2. Vladimir Minorsky , La Perse au XV siècle entre la Turquie et Venice, Translation to Persian language , page 36
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Non-Bagrationi monarch.
  4. Kings of Imereti and heirs to the throne, Official site of House of Bagrationi - Imereti
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