სამეფო კარის ინტრიგები: აფხაზთა მეფე თეოდოსი III მწუხარის ცხოვრება და მმართველობა

Abstract

Theodosi was the last ruler from the old dynasty of Abkhazian Kingdom. Western Georgian kingdom was one of the major players in the politics of the Georgian World. Georgia was close to its unification and this process was completed at the turn of the 1st and the 2nd millennia CE. Theodosi was born in western Georgia, he was the fourth son of Giorgi II the Great (r. 922-957), king of Abkhazians. Approx. in 944 he and his junior brother were sent to Constantinople in Byzantium. Theodosi was kept away from royal court to ensure that succession of throne to the second and third sons would be peaceful. King Giorgi made this decision after he suppressed the rebellion of his eldest son, who was severely punished for disobedience and revolt against his father. Prince Theodosi was not blamed for the rebellion but he was abandoned by his family. He and his brother lived in a capital of Byzantine Empire quite far from their homeland. They were acquainted with Byzantine culture and customs and spent more than 20 years in Byzantium. The changes are occurring later. The power in Kingdom of Abkhazians shifted from Leon III to Demetre III in 967 after the death of the former. Single king was in power in Abkhazia while the position of another king was free and Theodosi was willing to accept it. Abkhazian and Kartlian nobles arrived in Constantinople and offered him the support in capturing the royal power in his homeland. Most probably it was during the reign of John Tzmiskes (r. 969-976), when Theodosi obtained permission from Emperor to return back to his home. John led an aggressive foreign policy, hence his interference in Abkhazian Kingdom cannot be excluded. Theodosi went to East Georgia. Here he was able to find some allies for his cause, those who were against the aggressive policy of Abkhazian kings. The rulers of Kartvelian Kingdom and Kakhetian Korepiscopate were most interested to diminish the influence of Abkhazians. The part of western Georgian nobles and some from Kartli, who were subjects of Demetre III, had intention to control the kingdom and get rid of Marushiani clan. Ivane Marushiani and other members of this family were in charge of eastern Georgian provinces, they also held the positions of eristavi of Kartli and eristavi of Javakheti which are two major provinces of eastern Georgia under the control of Abkhazian kings. Marushiani are close associates of king Demetre III. Theodosi was expected to storm the power of Marushiani and despotic rule of Demetre III. Nobles started to assemble in Samtskhe region, which was a part of Kartvelian Kingdom. Kings and nobles of this kingdom as well as subjects of Abkhazian king from Kartli started to send their forces to join Theodosi’s around 970. Theodosi’s camp was still assembling when the army of Demetre III suddenly attacked his brother and defeated him near Mere in Samtskhe region. Theodosi was forced to flee to Kartli. Adarnase Dzameli was his closest ally, hence Theodosi went in Adarnases’s domain to seek the support from other nobles of Kartli. Demetre III fought for 3 months against supporters of Theososi, but his attempt to capture fortress of Dzama proved to be a failure. Finally, both sides reached ceasfire. Davit of Imiertao was probably the mediator between rival brothers. Kartli nobles swore allegiance to Demetre III and Theodosi found shelter in Tao. Theodosi lived in Tao under patronage of Davit king of Imiertao (southern part of Tao). Theodosi still hoped to gain power in his homeland, but Davit was not inclined to assist him anymore. Theodosi left Tao after he had spent a year in Davit’s territory. He went to Kakheti and met with Kvirike II. They forged alliance against Demetre III and sought the support from Kartlian nobles. Demetre decides to get rid of his brother by the means of treachery, he offered Kvirike a peace agreement and promised to share his royal power with his junior brother. The truce was concluded and Theodosi went at his homeland after almost 30 years of absence. Demetre broke the agreement very soon and he ordered to arrest and blind his brother. Theodosi was blinded and imprisoned. Nobles were disappointed with a decision of their king and they invited the youngest brother Bagrat, who was nicknamed as “Chala-mepe”, and declared him as a king. But Bagrat was not able to challenge the power of Demetre III and was defeated. Demetre died some years after those event and his survived, but blinded brother Theodosi III took control of Abkhazian Kingdom by the decision of local nobility. Theodosi was next in the line of succession among the members of dynasty, hence none resisted to his ascension.Theodosi became a king in 975. His policy was to get rid of those nobles who were supporting his deceased brother, those were Marushiani clan and others grouped around them. Probably with instigation from Theodosi the Kakhetians invaded Kartli to capture administrative center of that region – Uplistsikhe. Theodosi did nothing to defend his domains in Kartli that means he tried to expel from their positions. Marushiani were blamed for blinding the king while he fought against Demetre. Ivane Marushisdze decides that he needs much stronger supporter on the royal throne for defence of his interests. He came to idea to elevate prince Bagrat son of crown prince Gurgen to the royal throne of Abkhazia. Bagrat was a nephew of Theodosi thus grandson of Giorgi II the Great of Abkhazia. Also, he was a grandson of Bagrat II king of Kartvelians from his father’s side. Prince Bagrat was adopted by Davit of Tao as his heir and successor. Therefore, prince Bagrat was seen as unifier of those three kingdoms. Ivane chose him as his protégé and patron. Bagrat was installed in Kartli as a governor (eristavi) of Kartli and crown prince of Abkhazian Kingdom. Theodosi was unable to resist demends of Abkhazian and Kartvelian nobility, both of them supported prince Bagrat. Bagrat entered in Uplistsikhe, center of Kartli, together with Davit and his army and he was officially proclaimed as the heir of Abkhazian Kingdom and ruler of Kartli. In 976 new intrigues developed in Abkhazian Kingdom. Nobles from Kartli invited Kvirike II ruler of Kakheti to take control of region. Theodosi did nothing to protect his newly elevated heir. He probably instigated incursion of Kvirike to get rid of his nephew and weaken position of Marushiani clan. Bagrat and his parents, who ruled as regents for him in Kartli, were all captured and imprisoned in Kakheti. Only after Davit’s involvement Bagrat and his family were liberated. By 978 Bagrat reached the age of 16. Ivane Marushiani decided that it was the right time to elevate him into the position of king of Abkhazians. Theodosi was blamed for misfortunes of Abkhazian Kingdom and did nothing to counter this decision. Bagrat was elevated into the position of co-ruler of Theodosi. King Theodosi maintained at least formal power of monarch while actual sovereignty was held by young king Bagrat III of Abkhazia. Theodosi decides to strengthen his power as a king by division of administrative provinces into much smaller units under the patronage of local feudal lords. Kartli nobles were much to profit from these measures. Division of Kartli was seen as a pattern for the other regions. Strenghening of local feudals was against the interests of Bagrat III and his party. They almost lost their power in Kartli and expected the same development of events in other parts of the kingdom. Members of Marushiani clan, Bagrat III of Abkhazia and his adoptive father Davit of Tao decided that Theodosi the Blind was a threat for central power in Kingdom of Abkhazia. The aged king was removed from governance. Theodosi was sent to Tao far away from Abkhazian Kingdom by supervision of Davit Kourapalates king of Imiertao. This coup d'etat was protested by nobles of Kartli, but Bagrat III defeated them in the battle of Moghrisi in 980. As a result of this victory, Bagrat established himself as undisputed king of Abkhazian Kingdom and later united Georgia. The most probably Theodosi ended his life in Tao.