Abuletisdze
Encyclopedia
Abuletisdze was a Georgian
noble family – eristavs – with its most prominent members in the 12th and 13th century. The family held appanages in the valleys of Aragvi and Tedzami in the eastern province of Kakheti
.
The dynastic name Abuletidze (literally, "sons/descendants of Abulet") is derived from a male name Abulet. A person with this name appears as a commander under the Georgian king David IV
(r. 1089-1125). He was among those nobles who recovered the fortress of Samshvilde from Seljuk Turks in 1110. Later, Abulet was a governor of Ani
in 1124. He is last heard of in 1130.
The Abuletisdze’s loyalty to the crown was not permanent, however. In the early 12th century, they were among the most powerful vassals and rivals of the kings of Georgia. Thus, already in the reign of David IV, Dzagan Abuletisdze is reported to have defied the royal authority, but was eventually to take refuge at the Shio-Mghvime Monastery which surrendered him to the king. Dzagan’s brother Modistos was a catholicos
of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and was removed from this position by the same king.
We next hear of Abulet’s son Ivane and grandson Kirkish (Tirkash) who served as the commanders of Georgian troops in Armenia
, but subsequently plotted the murder of King Demetrius I, probably to place the king's half-brother Vakhtang
on the throne. The king was timely warned and survived. He had Ivane murdered in 1132, while Kirkash fled to the Seljukid sultan
of the Shah-Armenid state
centered at Akhlat. The sultan enfeoffed him with Arsharunik
whence he launched several raids into Georgia. Kirkish was eventually captured and cast into prison by Demetrius. When Demetrius was temporarily overthrown by his son David V
, was restored to favor and granted the office of amirspasalar
of which the rival Orbeli clan was dispossessed by the new king. Demetrius, once restored to the throne shortly thereafter, again gave the post to the Orbeli. Yet, the members of this family remained among the high nobility of Georgia, and were titled as eristavt-eristavs
. One of them, Dzagan featured prominently in the Mongol
capture of Baghdad
in 1258, and returned with a substantial wealth of booty through which he acquired the village of Angroini and donated it to the Shio-Mghvime Monastery. Later in the 13th century, the family went in decline. By 1405, their fiefdom in Kakheti had passed to a branch of the Abazasdze
.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
noble family – eristavs – with its most prominent members in the 12th and 13th century. The family held appanages in the valleys of Aragvi and Tedzami in the eastern province of Kakheti
Kakheti
Kakheti is a historical province in Eastern Georgia inhabited by Kakhetians who speak a local dialect of Georgian. It is bordered by the small mountainous province of Tusheti and the Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north, Russian Federation to the Northeast, Azerbaijan to the Southeast, and...
.
The dynastic name Abuletidze (literally, "sons/descendants of Abulet") is derived from a male name Abulet. A person with this name appears as a commander under the Georgian king David IV
David IV of Georgia
David IV "the Builder", also known as David II , of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Georgia from 1089 until his death in 1125....
(r. 1089-1125). He was among those nobles who recovered the fortress of Samshvilde from Seljuk Turks in 1110. Later, Abulet was a governor of Ani
Ani
Ani is a ruined and uninhabited medieval Armenian city-site situated in the Turkish province of Kars, near the border with Armenia. It was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom that covered much of present day Armenia and eastern Turkey...
in 1124. He is last heard of in 1130.
The Abuletisdze’s loyalty to the crown was not permanent, however. In the early 12th century, they were among the most powerful vassals and rivals of the kings of Georgia. Thus, already in the reign of David IV, Dzagan Abuletisdze is reported to have defied the royal authority, but was eventually to take refuge at the Shio-Mghvime Monastery which surrendered him to the king. Dzagan’s brother Modistos was a catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and was removed from this position by the same king.
We next hear of Abulet’s son Ivane and grandson Kirkish (Tirkash) who served as the commanders of Georgian troops in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, but subsequently plotted the murder of King Demetrius I, probably to place the king's half-brother Vakhtang
Vakhtang, son of David IV of Georgia
Vakhtang or Tsuata was the Georgian Bagratid prince and the son of King David IV "the Builder" , probably of his second marriage to the Kipchak "princess" Gurandukht, daughter of Otrok....
on the throne. The king was timely warned and survived. He had Ivane murdered in 1132, while Kirkash fled to the Seljukid sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of the Shah-Armenid state
Ahlatshahs
Ahlahshahs were the 11th-12th century rulers of an Anatolian beylik of the first period founded after the Battle of Manzikert, and centered in Ahlat on the northwestern shore of the Lake Van in Eastern Anatolia...
centered at Akhlat. The sultan enfeoffed him with Arsharunik
Arsharunik
Arsharunik was a historical district in Armenia, part of the province of Ayrarat, north of the river Araxes. Earlier in its history, the area was known as Eraskhadzor, and the important castle of Artagerk was located there....
whence he launched several raids into Georgia. Kirkish was eventually captured and cast into prison by Demetrius. When Demetrius was temporarily overthrown by his son David V
David V of Georgia
David V , of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a king of Georgia c. 1154/5.He was an elder son of King Demetre I. Fearing that Demetre would make his younger son Giorgi an heir to the throne, David attempted a revolt in 1130...
, was restored to favor and granted the office of amirspasalar
Amirspasalar
Amirspasalar was the commander in chief of the medieval Georgian army and one of the highest officials of the Kingdom of Georgia, commonly rendered as Lord High Constable in English...
of which the rival Orbeli clan was dispossessed by the new king. Demetrius, once restored to the throne shortly thereafter, again gave the post to the Orbeli. Yet, the members of this family remained among the high nobility of Georgia, and were titled as eristavt-eristavs
Eristavi
Eristavi was a Georgian feudal office, roughly equivalent to the Byzantine strategos and normally translated into English as "duke". In the Georgian aristocratic hierarchy, it was the title of the third rank of prince and governor of a large province...
. One of them, Dzagan featured prominently in the Mongol
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
capture of Baghdad
Battle of Baghdad (1258)
The Siege of Baghdad, which occurred in 1258, was an invasion, siege and sacking of the city of Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate at the time and the modern-day capital of Iraq, by the Ilkhanate Mongol forces along with other allied troops under Hulagu Khan.The invasion left Baghdad in...
in 1258, and returned with a substantial wealth of booty through which he acquired the village of Angroini and donated it to the Shio-Mghvime Monastery. Later in the 13th century, the family went in decline. By 1405, their fiefdom in Kakheti had passed to a branch of the Abazasdze
Abazasdze
The Abazasdze was a noble family in medieval Georgia, probably an offshoot of the Georgian feudal house of Tbeli. A purported founder of the Abazasdze dynasty, Tbeli Abazay, is recorded in the 11th century inscription from Bortsvisjvari...
.