The lands inhabited by Georgians were invaded many times by both neighbors and distant aggressors, such as the Mongols and Arabs. Georgians themselves often lived in fragmented, conflicting principalities, where each feudal lord shored his power and imposed his rights. But in the 11th century, thanks to strong political figures, the principalities united in the Georgian kingdom, which for one and a half centuries became the most powerful and influential state in the Caucasus region.
Before merging
The first feudal Georgian state with its capital in Mtskheta was known to the Romans and Greeks in the last centuries BC under the name of Iberia. The Georgians called it the Kartli Kingdom, and it was between two powerful and irreconcilable powers: Sassanid Iran and the Roman Empire. At first, the Kartli kingdom was in the zone of influence of Rome, Georgians even managed to convert to Christianity in the 3rd century.
However, when the Western Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century, Georgian kings gradually turned into obedient vassals of the Iranian monarch. Moreover, at the end of the 5th century in Tbilisi (the new capital of the Kartli kingdom) the Persian governor was already seated and in charge of all affairs. In the 6th century, the disgruntled Georgian feudal nobility was able to overthrow the governor, put the ruler of the state from their midst, and even swore allegiance to Byzantium, which replaced its predecessor - the Roman Empire.
But the peace for the Georgians did not last long. In the 7th century, the ancient Georgian kingdom was conquered by the forces of the Arab Caliphate, the emir sent by the caliph ruled in Tbilisi now, and the population was heavily taxed. But the Caliphate was weakening, like the Roman Empire in its time, losing power over the conquered territories. The emir made his title hereditary and turned into a local king. Without the support of the caliphs, the emirs could not subordinate vassals to their will, so in the 8th century the Kartli kingdom fell into several independent principalities.
David the Builder
The process of unification of the Georgian principalities began at the beginning of the 11th century and was largely caused by constant external threats against which it was easier for the Georgians to defend together. Throughout the 11th century, Georgian lands were devastated by the invasions of militant Seljuks. And since 1080, the Seljuk Turks, having ceased to be content with raids, began to populate these lands, build fortresses, turn orchards and vineyards into pastures, while continuing to engage in robbery and violence.
In addition, the Seljuks imposed a tribute on the local population. Georgian historians called this time the "Great Turechina." The position of the Georgians was unbearable, they could no longer tolerate the Turks, and at that time the brilliant Prince David from the royal Bagration dynasty appeared, endowed with an amazing combination of military, administrative and political talents.
In 1089, at the age of 16, David took power bloodless from his father, the weak and short-sighted Tsar George II. King David was so active and fruitful in his endeavors and accomplishments that he rightfully earned the nickname the Builder from a common people and nobility. He really was the builder of the new Georgian kingdom - a powerful, integral and prosperous state.
Reorganization of the army and the church
First of all, the young king conducted a church and military reorganization, realizing that without this it would be unthinkable to create a strong kingdom capable of successfully defending itself from internal and external threats. The highest church posts were occupied by the proteges of the feudal nobility; this did not suit David. In 1103, at the church council, all objectionable priests were replaced by clergymen and a Catholicos loyal to the tsar. From now on, an effective and reliable instrument of influence on public opinion appeared in the hands of David.
The tsar turned disparate feudal military detachments into disciplined, well-equipped military units, which consisted of aznaura landlords and free royal peasants. The troops were distinguished by their excellent fighting efficiency, mobility, and were governed by the united will of the tsar and his military leaders. The Seljuks had a formidable enemy.
Liberation wars
A series of battles began, in which David the Builder invariably beat the Turks. In 1105, more of the Turkish army was defeated in Kakheti, and by 1118 most of the cities of the Georgian kingdom were liberated, but Tbilisi was still in the hands of enemies, David did not have enough military resources to drive out the Turkish garrison.
The king went on a non-standard move, demonstrating his outstanding strategic abilities. He concluded a very profitable alliance with the steppe Kypchaks, inviting 40 thousand Kypchak families to settle on Georgian lands with the condition that each family provide him with one warrior. So David the builder received a large army, consisting of excellent nomad warriors.
This predetermined the amazing victory that the army of Tsar David won in 1121 near Tbilisi over the huge coalition army of the Turks. The following year, Tbilisi fell, after four centuries of occupation, the city again became the capital of the Georgian kingdom. And in 1123, the Turkish conquerors were finally expelled from Georgia when they surrendered the city of Dmanisi. But David did not stop there, he continued to drive the Turks in the territory of Armenia. However, the greatest Georgian king failed to complete the rout, having died in 1124.
Queen Tamara: Georgian kingdom at the zenith of its glory
The next great ruler came to power only 60 years later. More precisely, she came. In 1184, Queen Tamara, nicknamed the Great, ascended the Georgian throne. Under her Georgia survived the golden age, achieved the highest political and military successes. Contemporaries praised the queen for wisdom, courage, beauty, sincere religiosity, extraordinary meekness, energy and hard work. Her hands sought the Syrian sultan, the Byzantine prince, the Persian shah.
During the reign of the Queen, the Georgian kingdom occupied the largest territory, successfully repelled the attacks of the Turks, and even invaded Armenia and Persia, taking the occupied lands under its protectorate. In 1204, the crusaders captured Constantinople, this geopolitical event for some time made Georgia the most powerful and influential state not only in the Caucasus, but also on the entire eastern coast of the Black Sea. Queen Tamara patronized scientists, poets, artists, philosophers. Georgia flourished, agriculture, crafts and trade developed.
Decline
The Great Queen died in 1207, and the slow but inevitable decline of the Georgian kingdom began. After Tamara, her children reigned, who were too weak monarchs to maintain a single state. Tsar George Four at first tried to continue the policy of his mother. But then a real disaster struck: warlike, not knowing the pity of the Tatar-Mongols came to the borders of Georgia, who in 1221 defeated George’s 90,000th army in several battles.
Despite the fact that the Horde did not dare to move deeper into Georgia, the defeat greatly weakened the power and authority of the Georgian kingdom, and the vassal states that David and Tamara had conquered gradually began to withdraw from obedience. Wounded in battle, George, never recovering, died in 1223. The throne went to Queen Rusudan, but her reign was not peaceful for long.
In 1225, Khorezm troops invaded Georgia, in 1226 they captured and devastated Tbilisi. Tsarina Rusudan was forced to turn to the Koni Sultan for help, in return giving almost all of the eastern Georgian lands under Turkish rule. In 1236, the Georgian kingdom was so weakened by wars that it was completely powerless before the new Mongol invasion.
By 1240, the nomads conquered all of Georgia, and in 1242 Rusudan signed a peace treaty with the conquerors, recognizing Georgia as a tributary and vassal of the Mongol khan. The once strong and independent Georgian state only outwardly maintained unity, internal conflicts and the weakness of tsarist power led to its disintegration into separate kingdoms at the beginning of the 14th century.
"History of the Kingdom of Georgia" Vahushti Bagrationi
One of the most significant literary monuments dedicated to the Georgian medieval kingdom is considered a scientific work, which in the 18th century was written by the Georgian prince Vakhushti Bagrationi. In his fundamental work, he spoke in detail about the emergence of a united kingdom, about its rulers, described the area, the traditions of medieval Georgians, Christian shrines and monuments. The work of Vakhushti Bagrationi is still relevant and is used in the creation of historical and artistic films about the history of the Georgian kingdom. directionality.