Vakhtang I of Iberia
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Vakhtang I Gorgasali | |
---|---|
King of Iberia | |
Reign | c. 447/49 – 502/22 |
Predecessor | Mihrdat V |
Successor | Dachi |
Born | c. 439/43 Mtskheta, Kingdom of Iberia, Sasanian Empire |
Died | c. 502/22 (aged 62–63 or 78-79) Ujarma, Kingdom of Iberia, Sasanian Empire |
Burial | |
Spouse | Balendukht Elene |
Issue | Dachi Leon Mihrdat Two anonymous daughters |
Dynasty | Chosroid dynasty |
Father | Mihrdat V |
Mother | Sagdukht |
Religion | Georgian Orthodox Church |
Vakhtang I Gorgasali (
) in the second half of the 5th and first quarter of the 6th century.He led his people, in an ill-fated alliance with the Byzantine Empire, into a lengthy struggle against Sasanian Iranian hegemony, which ended in Vakhtang's defeat and weakening of the kingdom of Iberia. Tradition also ascribes him reorganization of the Georgian Orthodox Church and foundation of Tbilisi, Georgia's modern capital.[1]
Dating Vakhtang's reign is problematic. Ivane Javakhishvili assigns to Vakhtang's rule the dates c. 449–502 while Cyril Toumanoff suggests the dates c. 447–522. Furthermore, Toumanoff identifies Vakhtang with the Iberian king Gurgenes known from Procopius' Wars of Justinian.[2]
Vakhtang is a subject of the 8th or 11th century
He emerged as one of the most popular figures in Georgia's history already in the
Name
According to the Life of Vakhtang Gorgasali, the king was given at his birth an Iranian name Varazkhosrovtang, rendered in Georgian as Vakhtang.[5] The name may indeed be derived from Iranian *warx-tang (vahrka-tanū)—"wolf-bodied", a possible reflection of the wolf cult in ancient Georgia.[6] Beginning in the late 13th century, numerous Georgian princes and kings took the name Vakhtang.[1] Toumanoff observes that the name Vakhtang has no Classical equivalent and infers that the king's sobriquet Gorgasal—given to Vakhtang because of the shape of the helmet he wore—was rendered by the 6th-century Roman historian Procopius as Gurgenes (Greek: Γουργένης). Toumanoff's identification of Vakhtang with Gurgenes has not been universally accepted.[7]
Early reign
Beyond the Life of Vakhtang Gorgasali (hereinafter LVG), the medieval Georgian sources mention Vakhtang only briefly, yet with respect rarely afforded to the pre-Bagratid Georgian monarchs.[3] Notwithstanding its semi-legendary epic character, the LVG provides many important details, which can be combined with the sources closer to the period in question, such as Lazarus of Parpi and Procopius.[2]
Vakhtang is reported by the LVG to have succeeded at the age of 7 his father King
Church affairs
Returning to Iberia, Vakhtang took up a series of measures aimed at strengthening the royal authority. Resenting Iranian encroachments on his independence, Vakhtang reversed his political orientation and effected a rapprochement with the Roman government. He married Helena, "daughter" (possibly relative) of Emperor
War with Iran
By espousing pro-Roman policy, Vakhtang further alienated his nobles, who sought Iranian support against the king's encroachments on their autonomy. In 482, Vakhtang put to death his most influential vassal,
Once the Hundred Years Peace between Iran and Rome collapsed,
Family
According to the LVG, Vakhtang was survived by three sons.
Will of Vakhtang
Before his death, the wounded King Vakhtang left the will to his son Dachi and to the Georgians:
მე ესე რა წარვალ წინაშე ღმრთისა ჩემისა, და ვმადლობ სახელსა მისსა, რამეთუ არა დამაკლო [or: დამარხო] გამორჩეულთა წმიდათა მისთა. აწ გამცნებ თქუენ, რათა მტკიცედ სარწმუნოებასა ზედა სდგეთ და ეძიებდეთ ქრისტესთჳს სიკუდილსა სახელსა მისსა ზედა, რათა წარუვალი დიდება მოიგოთ.
And I, as I go to my God, I give thanks to His name, because he did not sacrifice [or: 'spare'] his chosen saints. Now I exhort you, that you stand firm in your faith and seek death for Christ in His name, so that you may obtain imperishable glory! [13]
He also called on Georgians not to abandon ties with the Byzantine Empire:
მე ჴორციელებრითა დიდებითა გადიდენ თქუენ ნათესავთა ჩემთა. და სახლსა ჩუენსა ნუ შეურაცხჰყოფთ, და სიყუარულსა ბერძენთასა ნუ დაუტეობთ.
I have magnified you and all my generations in the flesh with glory; neither disgrace our home nor abandon the love of the Greeks.[14]
Legacy
Vakhtang entered a pantheon of Georgian historical heroes already in the Middle Ages. A royal oriflamme of the Georgian Bagratids was known as "Gorgasliani", i.e., "of Gorgasali". It is sometimes supposed to be the earliest model of the current Georgian national flag.[citation needed][clarification needed] In popular memory, his image has acquired a legendary and romantic façade. Vakhtang is a subject of several folk poems and legends, extolling the king's perceived greatness, enormous physical strength, courage and devoutness to Christianity.[15]
Vakhtang has been credited with the foundation of several towns, castles, and monasteries across Georgia, including the nation's capital Tbilisi, where a street and a square bear his name, and a 1967 monument by the sculptor Elguja Amashukeli tops the Metekhi cliff. A legend has it that when King Vakhtang was in the forest, his falcon chased a pheasant. The bird fell into a hot water spring and the king and his servants saw the steam come out of the water. Surprised by the abundance of hot water, Vakhtang gave orders to build a city on this site and named it "Tbilisi", that is, "the site of warm springs".[16]
Vakhtang was officially included in the Georgian Orthodox calendar—and a church built in his honor in the city of Rustavi—early in the 1990s, but he had presumably been considered a saint long before that.
The Vakhtang Gorgasal Order, created in 1992, is one of the highest military decorations in Georgia.[17]
References
- ^ ISBN 90-429-1318-5
- ^ a b c d e Toumanoff, Cyril (1963). Studies in Christian Caucasian History, pp. 368–9. Georgetown University Press.
- ^ a b Rapp (2003), passim.
- ^ a b Machitadze, Archpriest Zakaria (2006), "The Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali (†502)", in The Lives of the Georgian Saints Archived 2008-06-14 at the Wayback Machine. Pravoslavie.Ru. Retrieved on April 19, 2009.
- ISBN 0-19-826373-2
- ISBN 3-11-009646-3
- ISBN 0-905205-93-6
- ISBN 0-19-826373-2
- ^ a b c (in Russian) М. Лордкипанидзе, Д. Мусхелишвили (Ред., 1988), Очерки истории Грузии. Т.2: Грузия в IV-X веках. АН ГССР, Ин-т ист., археол. и этнографии – Тб. : Мецниереба: Тип. АН ГССР.
- ^ ISBN 0-253-20915-3
- ^ Procopius reports that the Iberian king Gurgenes defected to the Romans at some point during Justin I's reign, but was defeated by Iranians and forced into flight to the Roman territory (Bell. pern. 1.12.)
- ISBN 0-521-07233-6
- ^ Georgian royal annals, Life of Vakhtang Gorgasali, page of edition 203, line of edition 9-10-11-12-13
- ^ Georgian royal annals, Life of Vakhtang Gorgasali, page of edition 203, line of edition 16-17
- ^ (in Russian) Tsulaia, G. V. (trans., 1986), Джуаншер Джуаншериани. «Жизнь Вахтанга Горгасала» (Juansher Juansheriani. "Life of Vakhtang Gorgasali"). Tbilisi: Metsniereba. Online version, digitalized by Тhietmar. 2002. Vostlit.Info. Retrieved on April 22, 2009
- ^ Constantine B. Lerner, "The 'River of Paradaise' and the Legend about the City of Tbilisi: A Literary Source of the Legend," Folklore 16 (November 2001): 72–77
- ^ State Decorations. President of Georgia website. Retrieved on April 22, 2009
Further reading
- ჯუანშერი, "ცხოვრება ვახტანგ გორგასლისა/ქართლის ცხოვრება, ს. ყაუხჩიშვილის გამოც. ტ. I, თბილისი, 1955
- ლ. ჯანაშია, ლაზარ ფარპეცის ცნობები საქართველო შესახებ, თბილისი, 1962
- ლ. ჯანაშია, ქართლი V საუკუნის მეორე ნახევარში/ საქართველოს ისსტორიის ნარკვევები, ტ. II, თბილისი, 1973
- ბ. ლომინაძე, საქართველოს მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესიის ადმინისტრაიული ორგანიზაცია V საუკუნეში, საქართველოს ფეოდალური ხანის ისტორიის საკითხები, VII, გამომცემლობა "ცოტნე"
- ვ. გოილაძე, ვახტანგ გორგასალი და მისი ისტორიკოსი, თბილისი, 1991
- ზ.ალექსიძე, ვახტანგ გორგასალსა და მიქაელ მთავაეპისკოპოსს შორის კონფლიქტის გამო/ ძიებანისაქართველოსა და კავკასიის ისტორიიდან, 1976
- ნ. ლომოური, საქართველოსა და ბიზანტიის ურთიერთობა V საუკუნეში,1989, გვ. 52
- ვ. მ. ლორთქიფანიძე, ქართლი V საუკუნის მეორ ნახევარში, თბილისი, 1979
- Les plus anciens homéliaires géorgiens, étude descriptive et historique par Michel van Esbroeck. Publication de l'institut orientaliste de Louvain, 10. Luvain-la-neuve, 1975