Kingdom of Imereti

The Kingdom of Imereti (Georgian: იმერეთის სამეფო, romanized: imeretis samepo) 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, of which a cadet branch of the Bagrationi royal family held the crown.^[1]

Kingdom of Imereti იმერეთის სამეფო
1455–1810
Final coat of arms of the Kingdom of Imereti.
The Kingdom of Imereti in 1490
Capital	Kutaisi
Common languages	Georgian
Religion	Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Government	Monarchy
King
• 1260–1293	David IV (first)
• 1789–1810	Solomon II (last)
History
• Established	1455
• Independence from Georgia	1455
• Vassal of the Ottoman Empire	29 May 1555
• Vassal of the Russian Empire	25 April 1804
• Russian Annexation	20 February 1810
Preceded by Succeeded by Georgia Russia Abkhazia Svaneti Mingrelia Guria
Today part of	Georgia

Kingdom of Imereti under Bagrat III after annexing Samtskhe-Saatabago in 1535

Royal symbols of Imereti, 1803.

The realm was conquered by George V the Brilliant and once again united with the east Kingdom of Georgia.^[2] From 1455 onward, however, Imereti became a constant battleground between Georgian and Ottoman forces for several centuries, resulting in the kingdom's progressive decline due to this ongoing instability. These threats pushed local Georgian rulers to seek closer ties with Tsardom of Russia. In 1649, Imereti sent ambassadors to the Russian royal court and Russia returned favor in 1651. In the presence of Russian ambassadors, Alexander III of Imereti swore an oath of allegiance to Tsar Alexis of Russia.^[3] However, internal conflicts among Georgian royalty continued and, although Alexander III briefly managed to control all of Western Georgia, this consolidation was short lived. By the time of his death in 1660, Western Georgia was still in a state of flux.^[4] In this chaotic period, Archil of Imereti was enthroned and deposed several times. His efforts to secure assistance from Russia and, later, Pope Innocent XII proved unsuccessful and he was finally exiled to Russia.^[5]

Under pressure from Pavel Tsitsianov, in 1804 Solomon II of Imereti accepted Russian Imperial suzerainty, only to be deposed entirely in 1810. During the time that Imereti was a vassal state, the Mingrelia, Abkhazia and Guria princedoms declared their independence from Imereti and established their own governments.

Kings of Imereti

See also: List of Georgian monarchs and Imereti kings family tree

First House of Imereti

• David VI (1258–1293)
• Constantine I (1293–1326)
• Michael (1326–1329)
• Bagrat I (1329–1330)
• Vacant (1330–1387)
• Alexandre I (1387–1389)
• George I (1389–1392)
• Vacant (1392–1396)
• Constantine II (1396–1401)
• Demetrius I (1401–1455), only recognized as Duke by Alexander I of Georgia

Second House of Imereti

• Demetrius II (1446–1452)
• Bagrat II (1463–1478)
• Alexander II (1478–1510)
• Bagrat III (1510–1565)
• George II (1565–1585)
• Leon (1585–1588)
• Rostom (1588–1589, 1590–1605)
• Bagrat IV (1589–1590)
• George III (1605–1639)
• Alexander III (1639–1660)
• Bagrat V (1660–1661, 1663–1668, 1669–1678, 1679–1681)
• Vakhtang Tchutchunashvili (1661–1663)^[6]
• Archil (1661–63, 1678–79, 1690–91, 1695–96, 1698)
• Demetre (1663–1664)^[6]
• George IV (1681–1683)^[6]
• Alexander IV (1683–1690, 1691–1695)
• Simon (1699–1701)
• George V (1696–1698)^[6]
• Mamia (1701–02, 1711, 1713)^[6]
• George VI (1702–1707)^[6]
• George VII (1707–11, 1712–13, 1713–16, 1719–1720)
• George VIII (1716)^[6]
• Alexander V (1720–1741, 1741–1746, 1749–1752)
• George IX (1741)
• Mamuka (1746–1749)
• Solomon I (1752–1766, 1768–1784)
• Teimuraz (1766–1768)
• David II (1784–1789, 1790–1791)
• Solomon II (1789–1790, 1792–1810)

Senior branch of the Bagrationi dynasty of Imereti Heirs of Solomon I of Imereti The dynastic senior line of the Imeretian Bagrationi since 1784. In Russia, its representatives bore the title of His Serene Highness the Princes of Bagration-Imereti (since June 20, 1865). Alexander (VI) Georgievich, great-grandson of Solomon I and grandson of Solomon II's cousin (23 April 1784 / 7 February 1815 — 5 February 1862) Alexander (VII) Dmitrievich, His nephew (5 February 1862 — 17 November 1880) Alexander (VIII) Aleksandrovich, His son (17 November 1880 — after 1901) ×

Second branch of the Bagrationi dynasty of Imereti Heirs of Alexander V of Imereti Dynastically the second line of Imereti Bagrationi since 1784. In Russia its representatives bore the title of Lightest Princes Bagration (since June 20, 1865). Prince Bagrat of Imereti (1741–1800) (23 April 1784 — 1800) David III Bagratovich, his son, Solomon II's cousin (1804 / 7 February 1815 — 1 September 1820) Ivan (I) Davidovich, his son (1 September 1820 — 9 May 1869) Alexander (VI) Ivanovich, his son (9 May 1869 — 7 February 1895) David (IV) Aleksandrovich, his son and the last male representative of this branch (shot ) (7 February 1895 — 30 September 1937) Svimon Rostomovich (30 September 1937 — 1951) Irakli (I) Grigolovich (1925—2013) (30 September 1937 / 1951—2013), son of Grigol David (V) Iraklievich (born 1948) (2013–2017), son of Irakli. transmitted his headship to his son Irakli (II) Davidovich (born 1982), son of David. (from 6 May 2017)[7]

Junior branch of the Bagrationi dynasty of Imereti Heirs of David II of Imereti 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 the Kingdom of Imereti. Hereditary Prince Constantine (I) (7 February 1815–3 May 1844), son of king David II Constantine (II) (3 May 1844–15 December 1885), son of Prince Constantine (I) Mikheil (15 December 1885–1888), son of Prince Constantine (II) George (I) (1888–26 March 1932), son of Prince Mikheil George (II) (26 March–24 March 1972), son of Prince George (I), had no issue Constantine (III) (March 1972–20 November 1978), young brother of George (II) Princess Thamar (would have been Head of House from 1978), daughter of Prince Mikheil Imeretinsky (1900–1975), younger brother of Constantine (III) After the death of Hereditary Prince Constantine (III) (1898–1978), because the male-offspring of this branch came to end, the headship of the House of Bagrationi-Imereti transmitted to Prince Irakli Bagrationi (1925–2013), son of Prince Grigol, the male-line descendant of Prince Bagrat, younger brother of King Solomon I of Imereti (1752–1784). ×

See also

Genealogy of Imereti houses after the division of the Georgian kingdom into three parts^[8][9]

Bagrations (Kings of Georgia)

Bagrations (Kings of Imereti)

Constantine I (1369–1412) King of Georgia 1407–1412

Demetrius Duke of Imereti 1401–1455

Dulandukht Orbeliani

Alexander I (1386–1446) King of Georgia 1412–1442

Tamar

Bagrat co-king

Georges co-king 1408–1412

Gulkhan († 1471)

Vakhtang IV (1413–1446) King of Georgia 1442–1446

A daughter

Demetrius (c. 1413 – 1453) co-king with Alexander I 1433–1442, with Vakhtang IV 1442–1446

George VIII (1417–1476) Kings of Georgia 1446–1462 King of Kartli-Kakheti 1462–1466 King of Kakheti as George I 1466–1476

David

Zaal

Bagrat II[10] (1439–1478) King of Imereti as Bagrat II 1462–1466 King of kartli-Imereti 1466–1478

branch of Kartli

branch of Kakheti

Alexander II[10] King of Imereti (1484–1510)

Bagrat III[10] (1495-1565) King of Imereti 1510–1565

Vakhtang Prince of Imereti († 1548)

George II King of Imereti 1565–1585

Constantine III[10] Prince of Imereti († 1587)

Teimuraz

Levan (c. 1573 – 1590) King of Imereti 1585–1590

Rostom (1571–1605) King of Imereti 1588–1589 1590–1605

George III[10] King of Imereti 1605–1639

Bagrat IV King of Imereti 1589–1590

Alexander III[10] (1609–1660) King of Imereti 1639–1660

Bagrat V[10] King of Imereti 1660–1661, 1663–1668, 1669–1678, 1679–1681

Alexander IV[10] King of Imereti 1683–1690, 1691–1695

Simon King of Imereti 1698–1701

George VII[10] King of Imereti 1703–1720

Alexander V[10] King of Imereti 1720–1741, 1741–1746, 1749–1752

Mamuka King of Imereti 1746–1749 († 1769)

George IX (1718–1778) King of Imereti 1741

Solomon I (1735–1784) King of Imereti 1752–1766, 1768–1784

Prince Bagrat (VI)[10] (1741 † 1800) Head of the House of Imereti 23 April 1784 — 1800

Archil († 1775)

Teimuraz King of Imereti (1766–1768) ×

David II (1755 † 1795) King of Imereti 1784–1789

Prince Alexander (1760 † 1780)

David (III) (1781 † 1820) Head of the House of Imereti 7 February 1815 — 1 September 1820

Simon[10] (1771 †)

Solomon II (1772–1815) King of Imereti 1789–1810 ×

Constantin (I) (1789 † 1844) Head of the House of Imereti 7 February 1815 — 3 May 1844

Prince Giorgi (1778 † 1807)

Ivan (I) (1810 † 1869) Head of the House of Imereti 1 September 1820 — 9 May 1869

Rostom[10] (1791 † )

Constantine (II) (1827 † 1885) Head of the House of Imereti 3 May 1844 — 15 December 1885

Alexander (VI) Georgievich (1796 † 1862) Head of the House of Imereti 23 April 1784 / 7 February 1815 — 5 February 1862

Dimitry Bagrationi of Imereti (1799 † 1845)

Alexander (VI) (1851 † 1895) Head of the House of Imereti 9 May 1869 — 7 February 1895

Simon[10] (1812 †)

Mikheil (1843 † 1892) Head of the House of Imereti 15 December 1885—1888

Alexander (VII) Dmitrievich (1843 † 1880) Head of the House of Imereti 5 February 1862 — 17 November 1880

Dimitry (1846 † 1885)

David (IV) (1894 † 1937) Head of the House of Imereti 7 February 1895 — 30 September 1937 ×

Rostom[10] (1845 † )

Giorgi (I) (1872 † 1932) Head of the House of Imereti 1888 — 26 March 1932

Alexander (VIII) Aleksandrovich (1879–?) 17 November 1880 — after 1901 ×

Nino (1915 † 2009)

Svimon (1874 † 1951) Head of the House of Imereti 30 September 1937 — 1951

Grigol[10] (1885 † 1937)

Giorgi (II) (1897 † 1972) Head of the House of Imereti 26 March 1932 — 24 March 1972

Constantine (III) (1898 † 1978) Head of the House of Imereti 24 March 1972 — 20 November 1978 ×

Mikheil (1900 † 1975)

Tavadi Giorgi Bagration-Japaridze (Born. 1945)

Alexander (1918 † 1940)

Irakli (I)[10] (1925 † 2013) Head of the House of Imereti 1951/ 20 November 1978 — 2013

Thamar (Born. 1926)

Natalia Imeretinsky (born. 1930)

Nadezhda Imeretinsky (born. 1941)

Tornike (Born. 1980)

Salome (Born. 1986)

Nargiza (Born. 1940)

David[10] (Born. 1948) Head of the House of Imereti 2013 — 2017

Maia (Born. 1953)

Teona Judith Smith-Dorrien-Smith (1946–1997)

Alexandra Smith-Dorrien-Smith (1948–2007))

Robert Arthur Smith-Dorrien-Smith (born. 1951)

Charlotte Sophia Smith-Dorrien-Smith (1954–1997)

James Smith-Dorrien-Smith (born. 1957)

Hon. Nino Natalia O'Hagan Strachey (born. 1968)

Ketevan (Born. 1979)

Thamar (Born. 1980)

Irakli (II)[10] (Born. 1982) Head of the House of Imereti from 6 May 2017