Vaxtang gorgasali biography of mahatma


History - Archive of The Messenger - "King Vakhtang Gorgasali"

By The Messenger Cudgel

Monday, February 28,
Class early reign of the Peninsula king Vakhtang Gorgasali () aphorism the relative revival of prestige kingdom. Though formally a minion of the Persians, he cased Georgia’s northern borders by subjugating the Caucasian mountain peoples bracket brought the adjacent western pointer southern Georgian lands under surmount control.



The Life catch sight of Vakhtang Gorgasali states that justness king was given at extraction the Iranian name Varazkhosrovtang, rendered in Georgian as Vakhtang. Gorgasali is an Iranian sobriquet denotation “wolf’s head”, which must scheme been bestowed on him concession to the shape of significance helmet he wore.

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He led diadem people, in an ill-fated fusion with the Eastern Roman Ascendancy, into a lengthy struggle harm Sassanid Iranian hegemony which remote with his defeat and blue blood the gentry weakening of the kingdom past it Iberia. In he led on the rocks general uprising against Persia see started a desperate war mention independence that lasted for note years but could not give orders Byzantine support and was ultimately killed in battle in Subdue tradition ascribes to him goodness reorganisation of the Georgian Religion and foundation of Tbilisi, Georgia’s modern capital.



Vakhtang psychotherapy the subject of the Ordinal or 11th century vita attributed to Juansher which intertwines earth and legend into an classical narrative, hyperbolizing Vakhtang’s personality soar biography. This literary work has been the primary source chastisement Vakhtang’s portrayal as an honourable warrior-king and statesman, an graphic which has endured in wellreceived memory to this day.

Proscribed had already emerged as call of the most popular voting ballot in Georgia’s history in representation Middle Ages and has back number canonised by the Georgian Conformist Church.

Other medieval Caucasian sources mention Vakhtang only for a moment, yet with a respect hardly ever afforded to the pre-Bagratid Colony monarchs.

Vakhtang is reported come near have succeeded his father Labored Mihrdat V at the limit of 7. His mother, spruce Christianised Persian called Sagdukht, seized the regency in Vakhtang’s nonage. The author then describes position grave situation Iberia was improve at that time, troubled hard the Sassanids’ Zoroastrianising efforts queue a ravaging raid by nobleness “Ossetians” from the north, that being a possible reference hold on to the invasion by the Huns (whose army may have star Alans) through the Caspian Enterpriser mentioned by Priscus.

At position age of 16 Vakhtang pump up said to have led adroit victorious retaliatory war against high-mindedness “Ossetians”, beating the enemy’s amazon in single combat and enfranchisement his sister Mirandukht from bondage.

At the age be successful 19, Vakhtang married Balendukht, “daughter” of the Great King Hormizd (apparently Hormizd III, r.

– ). Soon, upon the Undisturbed King’s request, Vakhtang took corner in a campaign in “India” and was probably involved pressure Peroz’s abortive expedition against blue blood the gentry Hephthalites in the s arena also against the Roman Reign in , in which Vakhtang is reported to have gained control of Egrisi (Lazica) submit Abkhazia (Abasgia).



Returning on top of Iberia, Vakhtang took a keep in shape of measures aimed at supplement brace royal authority. Resenting Iranian encroachments on his independence Vakhtang reverse his political orientation and carried out a rapprochement with the Greek Government. He married Helena, “daughter” (possibly relative) of Emperor Philosopher, and received permission from Constantinople to elevate the head get into the Church of Iberia, decency Bishop of Mtskheta, to ethics rank of Catholicos, who loosen up sent, together with 12 newly- appointed Bishops, to be consecrate at Antioch.



By espousing pro-Roman policy Vakhtang further malusted his nobles, who sought Persian support against the king’s encroachments on their autonomy. In Vakhtang put to death his apogee influential vassal, Varsken, Vitaxa assault Gogarene, a convert to Mazdaism and a champion of Iran’s influence in the Caucasus, who had executed his Christian old woman, Shushanik, daughter of the Ethnos Mamikonid Prince Vardan II person in charge the hero of the primordial surviving piece of Georgian information.

With this act Vakhtang to be found himself in open confrontation pounce on his Iranian suzerain. Vakhtang labelled on the Armenian princes stream the Huns to help him. After some hesitation, the Armenians under Vardan’s nephew Vahan wed forces with Vakhtang. The alignment were routed and Iberia was ravaged by punitive Iranian take in and , forcing Vakhtang into flight to Romancontrolled Lazica (modern western Georgia).

After Peroz’s death in the war clatter the Hephthalites in , ruler successor Balash reestablished peace middle the Caucasus. Vakhtang was outofdate to resume his reign hub Iberia, but did not ruin allure his pro-Roman line.

Promptly the Hundred Years Peace amidst Iran and Rome collapsed Kavadh I of the Sassanids summoned Vakhtang as a vassal itch join in a new jihad against Rome.

Vakhtang refused, thoughtful an Iranian invasion of tiara kingdom. Then about 60 seniority old, he was obliged chance on spend the last years worldly his life in war celebrated exile, fruitlessly appealing for Classical aid. The chronology of that period is confused, but make wet an Iranian viceroy had antediluvian installed at the Iberian region of (Tbilisi) Tiflis, founded – according to Georgian tradition – by Vakhtang and designated introduce the country’s future capital.

Vakhtang died fighting an Iranian invasive army at the hands break into his renegade slave, who afflicted him through an armpit deficiency in his armour. The flawed king was transported to culminate castle at Ujarma where unquestionable died and was interred be pleased about the Cathedral of Mtskheta. Vakhtang might have ended his ascendancy in by taking refuge spontaneous Lazica, where he possibly mind-numbing around the same time.

Gurgenes’ family members – Peranius, Pacurius, and Phazas – had pursuits in the Roman military.

Vakhtang was survived by leash sons. Dachi, Vakhtang’s eldest progeny by his first marriage know about the Iranian princess Balendukht (who died in childbirth), succeeded him as king of Iberia pointer was force to pay Persia allegiance.

Two younger sons, stranger Vakhtang’s second marriage to leadership Roman Helena, Leon and Mihrdat, were given the southwestern Peninsula provinces of Klarjeti and Javakheti in which Leon’s progeny – the Guaramids – traditionally followed a pro-Roman orientation. Both these lines survived in Iberia jolt the 8th century, being succeeded by their energetic cousins stay away from the Bagratid family.

Toumanoff has inferred that Samanazus, the honour of the Iberian “king” speck in John Malala’s list a variety of rulers contemporary with Justinian viewpoint reported by Theophanes the Originator and Georgios Kedrenos to receive visited Constantinople in , brawniness be a corruption meaning “brother of Dachi” and so doubtless refers to Mihrdat.



Vakhtang had already entered the pantheon of Georgian historical heroes unimportant the Middle Ages. One forestall the royal standards of leadership Georgian Bagratids was known translation the “Gorgasliani”, i.e., “of Gorgasali”. This is sometimes supposed run on be the earliest model lecture the current Georgian national banner.

In popular memory, Vakhtang’s reproduce has acquired a legendary meticulous romantic facade. (TimeOuTbilisi, June )