Style of the Georgian sovereign

The style of the Georgian sovereign (Georgian: ქართველი მეფის წოდება, romanized: kartveli mepis ts'odeba) refers to the formal mode of address to a Georgian monarch (mepe) that evolved and changed many times since the establishment of the ancient Kingdom of Iberia, its transformation to the unified Kingdom of Georgia and its successive monarchies.

A copper coin of King David IV of Georgia minted in Georgian Asomtavruli script reads
ႣႧႫႴႵႣႧႫႴႤႠႴႧႵႰႬႩႾႧႱႾႧ
meaning "Jesus Christ, [glorify] King David, of the Abkhazians, Iberians,[c] Ranis, Kakhetians, and Armenians". The king is depicted wearing sakkos with an imperial crown having pendilia and holding a cross alongside globus cruciger. Kept at the British Museum in the United Kingdom.
A copper coin of Queen Tamar of Georgia minted in Georgian Asomtavruli script reads ႧႰႣႧ with ႵႩჃႩ representing Georgian numeral system, meaning "Tamar, David, AD 1200"; the text written in Arabic script reads ملكة الملكات جلال الدنيا والدين تامار ابنة كيوري ظهير المسيح meaning "Queen of Queens, the glory of the world and of the faith, Tamar daughter of Giorgi, champion of the Messiah".

Pre-Christian Georgian monarchs of the Pharnavazid dynasty were divinely assigned xwarrah and its loss usually led to the monarch’s imminent death or overthrow in Georgian kingship.[1][a] Introductory part of the style for the monarchs from the Bagrationi dynasty always started with "By the Grace of God, We, of Jesse, David, Solomon, Bagrationi, Supreme by God, anointed and crowned by God",[2] underlining their divine right and claim for biblical descent.[3] The consolidation of the Bagrationi dynasty and its unprecedented political unification of lands,[4] would inaugurate the Georgian Golden Age and creation of the only medieval pan-Caucasian empire that would rule for a thousand years.[5] The imperial legacy of the dynasty continues to bear fruit even today, with its self-image as the unrivalled pinnacle of the Georgian politics, culture and society.[6]

According to King Vakhtang VI, the Georgian monarchs enjoyed sovereign immunity, so there was no official punishment for lèse-majesté.[7]

Style

Sovereigns of Iberia
Style Sovereign
King of all Kartli and Eguri.[8][b] King Pharnavaz I
King of the Iberians.[9][c] King Artoces
King of the Iberians.[10] King Pharnavaz II
King of the Iberians.[11] King Artaxias II
Great King of Iberia.[12] King Pharasmanes I
King of the Iberians.[d] King Mithridates I
King of Iberia.[e] King Pharasmanes II
Great King of the Iberians.[13] King Ghadam
King of the Iberians.[14] King Aspacures I
King of Iberia, Somkhiti, Rani, Hereti, Movakani and Colchis.[15] King Mirian III
King of the Iberians.[16] King Mithridates V
King of Iberia, King of the Ten Kings.[17] King Vakhtang I
King of the Iberians.[18] King Bacurius III
King of the Iberians.[19] King Adarnase IV
King of the Iberians.[20] King David II
King of the Iberians.[21] King Bagrat II
King of the Iberians, the kouropalates.[22] King David III
King of Kings of the Iberians.[23][24] King Gurgen

Sovereigns of the united Georgia
Style Sovereign
King of the Abkhazians and Iberians, of Tao, and of the Ranis and Kakhetians, and the great kouropalates of all the East.[25] King Bagrat III
King of Kings, of the Abkhazians, strong and invincible, the nobilissimus of all the East, the kouropalates, the sebastos.[26][27][28] King Bagrat IV
King of the Abkhazians and Iberians, the nobilissimus, the sebastos, the caesar.[29][30] King George II
King of Kings, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Armenians, Ranis, Kakhetians, sword of the Messiah, emperor (basileus) of all the East.[31][32][33] King David IV
King of Kings, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis and Kakhetians, shirvanshah and shahanshah, master of the East and the North, son of Demetre, sword of the Messiah.[34][35] King George III
King of Kings, Queen of Queens, autokrator of all the East and West.[36][37] Queen Tamar
King of Kings, son of Tamar, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah, the Sovereign of all the East and the West, sword of the Messiah.[38][39] King George IV
Queen of Queens, the glory of the world and of the faith, daughter of Tamar, champion of the Messiah.[40] Queen Rusudan
King of Kings, son of King of Kings Rusudan, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah, the Sovereign of all Georgia and the North.[41] King David VI
King of Kings of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians, Shahanshah and Shirvanshah, of the East and the West, of the South and the North, of both countries, of two thrones and crowns, the godlike Suzerain and the Sovereign.[42] King George V
King of Kings of all.[43] King David IX
King of Kings of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shahanshah and Shirvanshah, the Suzerain and Sovereign of all the North, the East and the West, descendant of Gorgasali.[44] King Bagrat V
King of Kings of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah, of all Georgia, of all the East and the West, the Sovereign and Suzerain of two kingdoms.[45] King George VII
King of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah of all the East and North, the Sovereign.[46] King Constantine I
King of Kings, of many, Shirvanshah, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians, of all Georgia and the North, of the West and the East, the Suzerain and Sovereign of two golden thrones and all the lands.[47][48] King Alexander I
King of Kings, Suzerain and Sovereign of two thrones and kingdoms, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, descendant of Nimrod.[49] King George VIII
King of Kings, strong and invincible, majestic and protector of the holy kingdom, of the Jikians, Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah, of all the East and the West, of all Georgia, of all the North, the Suzerain and Sovereign of the throne.[50] King Bagrat VI

Sovereigns of Kartli
Style Sovereign
King of Kings, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah.[51][52] King Simon I
King of Kings and Sovereign of Kartli.[53] King George X
King of Kings and Sovereign of Kartli.[54] King Rostom
King of Kings and Sovereign of Kartli.[55] King Vakhtang V
King of Kings and Sovereign of Kartli.[56][57] King Luarsab II
King of Kings and Sovereign of Kartli, by will of God, by mercy of Shah Abbas.[58] King Bagrat VII
King of Kings of Kartli.[59] King Simon II
King of Kings, Suzerain and Sovereign of Kartli.[60] King George XI
King and Sovereign of Kartli, Lord of all Georgia.[61] King Vakhtang VI

Sovereigns of Kakheti
Style Sovereign
King and Sovereign of Kakheti.[62] King Levan
King of Kings, Suzerain and Sovereign of Kakheti.[63] King Alexander II
King and Sovereign of Kakheti.[64] King Teimuraz I
King of Kings, Suzerain and Sovereign of Kakheti.[65] King Heraclius I
King of Kings, Sovereign of Kakheti, son of Great King and High Sovereign of Iran.[66] King David II
King of Kings, Sovereign of Kakheti, Beglarbeg of Yerevan, Lord of Shamshadin and Qazax.[67][68] King Constantine II
King of Kings, Suzerain and Sovereign of Kartli, Kakheti, Lord of Qazax and Borchali.[69] King Teimuraz II

Sovereigns of Imereti
Style Sovereign
King of Kings, Suzerain and Sovereign of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shahanshah and Shirvanshah, of all the East and the West, the South and the North, of both two thrones and kingdoms.[70][71] King Alexander II
King of Kings and the Sovereign of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shahanshah and Shirvanshah, of the East and the West.[72] King Bagrat III
King of Kings, Suzerain and Sovereign of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shahanshah and Shirvanshah, of all the East and the West, the South and the North, of both two kingdoms and countries, the High King, Godly anointed and invincible, the most excellent King of all, of the most brilliant purple crown, son of Great, all-powerful and invincible King of Kings.[73] King George II
King of Kings, the Sovereign of both two thrones.[74] King Levan
King of Kings, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Kakhetians, Armenians, Shahanshah and Shirvanshah, of all the East and the West, the South and the North, the Sovereign of both two thrones and countries, Godly given and anointed, great and invincible, the most excellent King of all, of the brilliant sceptre and a purple crown.[75] King Rostom
King of Kings, the Sovereign, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians, Shahanshah and Shirvanshah of all the other kings and countries, strong and invincible.[76][77] King George III
King of Kings, the Sovereign.[78] King Alexander III
King of Kings, the King.[79] King Alexander V
King of Kings, Suzerain and Sovereign of Imereti.[80] King Solomon I
King of Kings of all Imereti.[81] King David II
King of all Imeretians.[82] King Solomon II

Sovereigns of Kartli—Kakheti
Style Sovereign
King of Kartli, Kakheti and all Georgia, Lord of Ganja, Yerevan, Qazax, Shamshadin and Borchali.[83][84] King Heraclius II
King of all Georgia, King of all Kartli, Kakheti and all the other lands, the Lord.[85] King George XII

See also

Notes
  1. ^
    A custom dictated that the new monarch should have had a biological connection to the existing dynasty, in part because kingly xwarrah was the prerogative of certain families. King Pharnajom unwisely abandoned Georgian polytheism thus losing the kingship.[86]
  2. ^
    Kartli and Eguri were known in the classical antiquity as Iberia and Colchis respectively.[87]
  3. ^
    "Iberians" refers specifically to Kartvelians/Georgians.[88] The term Iberia/Iberian would undergo a transformation, its "all-Georgian" reach would be extended by the Bagrationi monarchs and their contemporaries.[89]
  4. ^
    Per Stele of Vespasian.
  5. ^
    Per Fasti Ostienses.

References
  1. Rapp (2016) location: 6731
  2. Takaishvili, vol. III pp. 146—206
  3. Khakhanov, pp. 6—7
  4. Rapp (2016) location: 492
  5. Rapp (2016) location: 453
  6. Rapp (2016) location: 459
  7. Khakhanov, p. 6
  8. Rapp (2016) location: 6323
  9. The Georgian Chronicles: 30—14
  10. The Georgian Chronicles: 32—8
  11. The Georgian Chronicles: 33—17
  12. Rayfield, p. 32
  13. Rayfield, p. 34
  14. The Georgian Chronicles: 62—8
  15. Rapp (2016) location: 7131—7140
  16. The Georgian Chronicles: 139—5
  17. Rapp (2016) location: 9500
  18. The Georgian Chronicles: 216—13
  19. Bakhtadze, p. 4
  20. Bakhtadze, p. 10
  21. Bakhtadze, p. 11
  22. Bakhtadze, p. 20
  23. Rayfield, p. 69
  24. Bakhtadze, p. 17
  25. Rapp (2016) location: 4175
  26. Khakhanov, p. 11
  27. Dundua & Tavadze, p. 458
  28. Dolidze, p. 7
  29. Rayfield, p. 85
  30. Dundua & Tavadze, p. 459
  31. Rapp (2016) location: 4185
  32. Rayfield, pp. 89—93
  33. Dolidze, p. 18
  34. Rapp (2016) location: 4194
  35. Dundua & Tavadze, p. 460
  36. Rapp (2016) location: 4182
  37. Rayfield, p. 109
  38. Dundua & Tavadze, p. 461
  39. Silogawa, p. 16
  40. Dundua & Tavadze, p. 392
  41. Silogawa, pp. 72—73
  42. Silogawa, p. 26
  43. Dolidze, p. 100
  44. Takaishvili, vol. II p. 13
  45. Silogawa, p. 100
  46. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 434
  47. Takaishvili, vol. II p. 35
  48. Dolidze, p. 118
  49. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 436
  50. Silogawa, p. 19
  51. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 140
  52. Dolidze, p. 205
  53. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 534
  54. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 2
  55. Dolidze, p. 224
  56. Takaishvili, vol. II p. 39
  57. Kartvelishvili & Jojua, et al. p. 99
  58. Kartvelishvili & Jojua, et al. p. 145
  59. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 141
  60. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 144
  61. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 151
  62. Dolidze, p. 193
  63. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 185
  64. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 1
  65. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 4
  66. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 193
  67. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 252
  68. Dolidze, p. 231
  69. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 160
  70. Takaishvili, vol. II p. 517
  71. Kakabadze, p. 3
  72. Kakabadze, pp. 7—8
  73. Kakabadze, p. 17
  74. Kakabadze, p. 34
  75. Kakabadze, p. 36
  76. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 537
  77. Kakabadze, p. 37
  78. Kakabadze, p. 63
  79. Kakabadze, p. 119
  80. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 253
  81. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 257
  82. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 235
  83. Khakhanov, p. 9
  84. Takaishvili, vol. III p. 168
  85. Takaishvili, vol. III pp. 183—308
  86. Rapp (2016) location: 6776
  87. Rapp (2016) location: 702
  88. Rapp (2016) location: 686
  89. Rapp (2016) location: 665

Bibliography
  • The Georgian Chronicles, Life of the Georgian kings, royal annals
  • Rapp, S. H. Jr. (2016) The Sasanian World Through Georgian Eyes, Caucasia and the Iranian Commonwealth in Late Antique Georgian Literature, Sam Houston State University, USA, Routledge, ISBN 9781472425522
  • Rayfield, D. (2013) Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia, Reaktion Books, ISBN 9781780230702
  • Bakhtadze, M. (2015) Georgian titles of the Bagrationi rulers of Tao-Klarjeti, Institute of the Georgian History, Tbilisi State University, ISSN 1987-9970
  • Khakhanov, A. (1895) Title, coronation and regalia of the Georgian kings, Tbilisi
  • Takaishvili, E. (1909) The Georgian Antiquities, Georgian History and Ethnography, Volume II, Tbilisi
  • Takaishvili, E. (1910) The Georgian Antiquities, Georgian History and Ethnography, Volume III, Tbilisi
  • Kakabadze, S. (1921) Diplomata ecclesiastica Georgiae occidentalis, Monumenta Georgica, V, Tbilisi State University
  • Dundua, T. & Tavadze, L. (2017) Imperial Titulature of the Georgian Kings, Tbilisi State University
  • Silogawa, W. (1984) Georgian Historical Documents of IX-XIII centuries, Vol. I, Metsniereba Publishing, Tbilisi
  • Kartvelishvili, T. Jojua, T. Baindurashvili, Kh. Gelashvili, I. Gogoladze, T. & Shaorshadze, M. (2019) Sources of the XVII century about the Kings of Kartli and Kakheti, Vol. I, Tbilisi
  • Dolidze, I. (1965) Georgian monuments of Law, V. II, Metsniereba Publishing, Tbilisi
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