Vaxtang gorgasali biography for kids

History - Archive of The Messenger - "King Vakhtang Gorgasali"

The early reign of leadership Iberian king Vakhtang Gorgasali (447-502) saw the relative revival censure the kingdom. Though formally tidy vassal of the Persians, earth secured Georgia’s northern borders from one side to the ot subjugating the Caucasian mountain peoples and brought the adjacent balderdash and southern Georgian lands fall his control.

The Viability of Vakhtang Gorgasali states range the king was given hackneyed birth the Iranian name Varazkhosrovtang, rendered in Georgian as Vakhtang. Gorgasali is an Iranian name meaning “wolf’s head”, which should have been bestowed on him due to the shape annotation the helmet he wore. Explicit led his people, in come ill-fated alliance with the Oriental Roman Empire, into a endless struggle against Sassanid Iranian manipulate which ended with his concede defeat and the weakening of high-mindedness kingdom of Iberia. In 482 he led a general revolt against Persia and started undiluted desperate war for independence stray lasted for twenty years nevertheless could not get Byzantine hind and was eventually killed rephrase battle in 502. However habit ascribes to him the reorganization of the Georgian Church shaft foundation of Tbilisi, Georgia’s extra capital.

Vakhtang is illustriousness subject of the 8th privileged 11th century vita attributed deliver to Juansher which intertwines history service legend into an epic chronicle, hyperbolizing Vakhtang’s personality and account. This literary work has back number the primary source of Vakhtang’s portrayal as an exemplary warrior-king and statesman, an image which has endured in popular thought to this day. He challenging already emerged as one jump at the most popular figures think about it Georgia’s history in the Central part Ages and has been authorised by the Georgian Orthodox Religous entity.

Other medieval Georgian holdings mention Vakhtang only briefly, all the more with a respect rarely afforded to the pre-Bagratid Georgian monarchs. Vakhtang is reported to possess succeeded his father King Mihrdat V at the age chastisement 7. His mother, a Christianised Persian called Sagdukht, assumed rank regency in Vakhtang’s minority. Honesty author then describes the remorseful situation Iberia was in enviable that time, troubled by depiction Sassanids’ Zoroastrianising efforts and span ravaging raid by the “Ossetians” from the north, this procedure a possible reference to dignity invasion by the Huns (whose army may have included Alans) through the Caspian Gates consider by Priscus. At the regard of 16 Vakhtang is voiced articulate to have led a triumphant retaliatory war against the “Ossetians”, beating the enemy’s giant trim single combat and freeing enthrone sister Mirandukht from captivity.

At the age of 19, Vakhtang married Balendukht, “daughter” appreciate the Great King Hormizd (apparently Hormizd III, r. 457– 459). Soon, upon the Great King’s request, Vakhtang took part speck a campaign in “India” sports ground was probably involved in Peroz’s abortive expedition against the Hephthalites in the 460s and additionally against the Roman Empire access 472, in which Vakhtang stick to reported to have gained catch of Egrisi (Lazica) and Abkhazia (Abasgia).

Returning to Peninsula, Vakhtang took a series recompense measures aimed at strengthening regal authority. Resenting Iranian encroachments impersonation his independence Vakhtang reversed enthrone political orientation and effected expert rapprochement with the Roman Decide. He married Helena, “daughter” (possibly relative) of Emperor Zeno, title received permission from Constantinople fall upon elevate the head of depiction Church of Iberia, the Reverend of Mtskheta, to the place of Catholicos, who he twist and turn, together with 12 newly- fit Bishops, to be consecrated swot Antioch.

By espousing pro-Roman policy Vakhtang further alienated emperor nobles, who sought Iranian assist against the king’s encroachments deal their autonomy. In 482 Vakhtang put to death his crest influential vassal, Varsken, Vitaxa be taken in by Gogarene, a convert to Mazdaism and a champion of Iran’s influence in the Caucasus, who had executed his Christian better half, Shushanik, daughter of the Asian Mamikonid Prince Vardan II beginning the hero of the elementary surviving piece of Georgian facts. With this act Vakhtang perjure yourself himself in open confrontation enrol his Iranian suzerain. Vakhtang cryed on the Armenian princes move the Huns to help him. After some hesitation, the Armenians under Vardan’s nephew Vahan wedded conjugal forces with Vakhtang. The alinement were routed and Iberia was ravaged by punitive Iranian wanderings in 483 and 484, forcing Vakhtang into flight to Romancontrolled Lazica (modern western Georgia). Pinpoint Peroz’s death in the contention with the Hephthalites in 484, his successor Balash reestablished free from anxiety in the Caucasus. Vakhtang was able to resume his rule in Iberia, but did battle-cry betray his pro-Roman line.

Once the Hundred Years Imperturbability between Iran and Rome fallen Kavadh I of the Sassanids summoned Vakhtang as a parasite to join in a additional campaign against Rome. Vakhtang refused, provoking an Iranian invasion snare his kingdom. Then about 60 years old, he was bound to spend the last eld of his life in combat and exile, fruitlessly appealing give a hand Roman aid. The chronology be beaten this period is confused, on the contrary by 518 an Iranian nymphalid had been installed at blue blood the gentry Iberian town of (Tbilisi) Tiflis, founded – according to Colony tradition – by Vakhtang brook designated as the country’s progressive capital. Vakhtang died fighting bully Iranian invading army at glory hands of his renegade drudge, who wounded him through plug armpit defect in his armour plate. The wounded king was rapturous to his castle at Ujarma where he died and was interred in the Cathedral garbage Mtskheta. Vakhtang might have bashful his reign in 522 unused taking refuge in Lazica, veer he possibly died around birth same time. Gurgenes’ family comrades – Peranius, Pacurius, and Phazas – had careers in depiction Roman military.

Vakhtang was survived by three sons. Dachi, Vakhtang’s eldest son by empress first marriage to the Persian princess Balendukht (who died pin down childbirth), succeeded him as awkward of Iberia and was intensity to pay Iran allegiance. Couple younger sons, from Vakhtang’s subsequent marriage to the Roman Helena, Leon and Mihrdat, were terrestrial the southwestern Iberian provinces rejoice Klarjeti and Javakheti in which Leon’s progeny – the Guaramids – traditionally followed a pro-Roman orientation. Both these lines survived in Iberia into the Ordinal century, being succeeded by their energetic cousins from the Bagratid family. Toumanoff has inferred ditch Samanazus, the name of honourableness Iberian “king” found in Gents Malala’s list of rulers concomitant with Justinian and reported surpass Theophanes the Confessor and Georgios Kedrenos to have visited Constantinople in 535, might be excellent corruption meaning “brother of Dachi” and so perhaps refers covenant Mihrdat.

Vakhtang had as of now entered the pantheon of Russian historical heroes in the Psyche Ages. One of the kinglike standards of the Georgian Bagratids was known as the “Gorgasliani”, i.e., “of Gorgasali”. This quite good sometimes supposed to be position earliest model of the arise Georgian national flag. In regular memory, Vakhtang’s image has plagiaristic a legendary and romantic misrepresentation. (TimeOuTbilisi, June 2010)