The Georgian Chronicles
The Georgian Chronicles is a conventional
The chronicles are also known as The Georgian Royal Annals, for they were essentially the official corpus of history of the Kingdom of Georgia.[1][2]
Chronicles
The Chronicles consist of a series of distinct texts dating from the 9th to the 14th century. The dating of these works as well as the identification of their authors (e.g.,
During the 11th century, the first three works – the "History of the Kings and Patriarchs of the Georgians", the "History of King Vakhtang Gorgasali", and the "Martyrdom of Saint Archil" – already made up a first corpus which covered the Georgian history from the earliest times through the reign of
Manuscripts
The extant Georgian manuscripts of Kartlis Tskhovreba are relatively late, with the earliest, the so-called Anaseuli or "Queen Anna" codex, dating from the period of 1479-1495. Another major variant, Mariamiseuli or "Queen Mariam" codex, was copied in the years 1633-1645/1646. However, the surviving Georgian manuscripts are predated by the Chronicles' abridged Armenian adaptation known as "The History of Georgians" (Patmut'iwn Vrats'), most probably made in the 12th century, with its earliest extant manuscript being copied in the period of 1279-1311.[1]
A number of translations are available in French, Russian, English and German, but each one covers only a selected number of these texts.
Authenticity
Some modern scholars, such as Ivane Javakhishvili, have questioned the authenticity of the early components of "The Georgian Chronicles" and have called for extreme caution when working with them. Indeed, strict historical facts are frequently intermingled with mythical ones, making it sometimes difficult to discern true historiography and mythology. However, critical analyses against other sources, including the Classical authors, and a series of recent archaeological studies have proved the trustworthiness of many of the Chronicles' accounts. These texts relate evidence not only for the history of Georgia, but also Armenia and the Caucasus in general, Iran, Syria, Anatolia, the Roman Empire, the Khazars, and the Turks.[1]
Components
English name | Georgian name | Transliteration | Date | Author | Period covered |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
History of the Kings and Patriarchs of the Georgians | ცხოვრება ქართუელთა მეფეთა და პირველთაგანთა მამათა და ნათესავთა | tskhovreba kartuelta mepeta da pirveltaganta mamata da natesavta | 9th or 11th century | Leonti Mroveli (?) | 4th century BC – 5th century AD |
History and life of King Vakhtang Gorgasali
|
ცხოვრება და მოქალაქეობა ვახტანგ გორგასლისა | tskhovreba da mokalakeoba vakhtang gorgaslisa | c. 800 or 11th century | Juansher Juansheriani | 5th–8th centuries |
Martyrdom of Holy and Magnificent Archil | წამება წმიდისა და დიდებულისა არჩილისი | tsameba tsmidisa da didebulisa archilisi | 9th or 11th century | Juansheriani or Mroveli | 736–786 |
Chronicle of Kartli | მატიანე ქართლისა | matiane kartlisa | 11th century | Anonymous | 786–1072 |
History of the King of Kings David | ცხოვრება მეფეთ მეფისა დავითისი | tskhovreba mepet mepisa davitisi | 12th century | Anonymous | 1072–1125 |
History of the Bagratids
|
ცხოვრება და უწყება ბაგრატონიანთა | tskhovreba da utsqeba bagratonianta | 11th century | Sumbat Davitis-Dze
|
6th century–1031 |
Histories and Eulogies of the Sovereigns | ისტორიანი და აზმანი შარავანდედთანი | istoriani da azmani sharavandedtani | 13th century | Archbishop-Chancellor Theodore of Chqondidi[3] | 1156-1212 |
History of the Five Reigns (also called The Chronicle of Giorgi Lasha) | ლაშა-გიორგის დროინდელი მატიანე | lasha-giorgis droindeli matiane | 1223 | Historian of George IV | 1125-1223 |
History of the King of Kings Tamar | ცხოვრება მეფეთ მეფისა თამარისი | tskhovreba mepet mepisa tamarisi | 1210-1213 | Basili, Master of the Court[4] | 1184–1210/1213 |
Chronicle of a Hundred Years | ასწლოვანი მატიანე | astslovani matiane | 14th century | Anonymous | 1212-1318 |
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 90-429-1318-5. Retrieved on 26 April 2009.
- ^ Toumanoff, Cyril (1963). Studies in Christian Caucasian History. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, passim.
- ^ MEDIEVAL GEORGIAN HISTORICAL LITERATURE (VIIth–XVth Centuries) by Cyril Toumanoff
- ^ MEDIEVAL GEORGIAN HISTORICAL LITERATURE (VIIth–XVth Centuries), by Cyril Toumanoff
External links
- The Corpus of Georgian Chronicle (in Georgian)
- The Georgian Chronicle (in Georgian)
- The Georgian Chronicle (in English)
- The Georgian Chronicle (in English - mirror if main site unavailable)
- Kartlis Cxovreba / Historia Iberorum / The Georgian Chronicle (in Georgian)
- Kartlis Cxovreba (in English)
- The Georgian Chronicle (in Georgian)