George I of Georgia
George I (b. 998 or 1002 – d. August 16, 1027) was the king of Georgia from 1014 until his death in 1027. He was the son of Bagrat III. Immediately after his accession, the young king was attacked by nobles and the Kingdom of Kakheti-Hereti was taken away from Georgia. George I took advantage of the Byzantine Emperor Basil II's war with the Bulgarians, and in 1014–1016 invaded and recaptured Tao. In 1019, Basil II ended the war with the Bulgarians and demanded that George I vacate the disputed territory. George I knew how difficult it would be to fight against Basil II and began preparations for war. He appealed to the Byzantine adversary, the Caliph of Egypt, Al-Hakim, and proposed joint military operations, but due to the Caliph's sudden death, this alliance failed. In the war with Byzantium, George I's allies were Kakheti-Hereti, neighboring Armenian kings: King Hovhannes-Smbat of Ani and his vassal Kingdom of Vanand, and King Senekerim-Hovhannes of Vaspurakan. In 1021, the Byzantine army invaded Georgia. Georgians were defeated. George I was forced to move to Trialeti, where he met a relief army. Basil II avoided continuing the war, camped in the territory near Trebizond for the winter and began preparations for a new campaign in Georgia. George I held peace negotiations while waiting for a favorable moment to renew the war. At this time, Nikephoros Phokas and Nikephoros Xiphias revolted against Emperor Basil II. George I formed an alliance with them and refused to conclude an unfavorable truce with Byzantium. But the rebels were defeated and the participation of Georgians in it was also revealed. Basil II demanded that George I vacate the disputed territories. The Georgian king did not satisfy Basil's demand. He resumed peace negotiations and preparations for battle, but Basil II managed to start the war. Initially, the advantage was on the side of George I, but in the end the Georgians were defeated. In 1022/1023, George I agreed to the harsh terms of the truce: the disputed territory was once again seized by Byzantium, the heir to the throne, Bagrat, was sent as a hostage to Constantinople for 3 years. Georgia lost the so-called inheritance of David III Kuropalates. It seems that George I was preparing for revenge.
In 1025, the conspiracy of the Vaspurakan ruler Nikephoros Komnenos against the emperor was revealed, in which George I was a participant. During the reign of George I, significant construction works were underway and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral was built in Mtskheta.
Source: მატიანე ქართლისა, წგ.: ქართლის ცხოვრება, ს. ყაუხჩიშვილის გამოც., ტ. 1, თბ., 1955; სუმბატ დავითის ძე, ცხოვრება და უწყება ბაგრატონიანთა, იქვე.
Literature: კ ო პ ა ლ ი ა ნ ი ვ., საქართველოსა და ბიზანტიის პოლიტიკური ურთიერთობა 970–1070 წლებში, თბ., 1969; ლ ო რ თ ქ ი ფ ა ნ ი ძ ე მ., საქართველოს შინაპოლიტიკური და საგარეო ვითარება X ს. 80-იანი წლებიდან XI ს. 80-იან წლებამდე, წგ.: საქართველოს ისტორიის ნარკვევები, ტ. 3, თბ., 1979; ც ქ ი ტ ი შ ვ ი ლ ი ო., მასალები საქართველოს საგარეო პოლიტიკის ისტორიისათვის გიორგი I-ის მეფობის ხანაში, «მაცნე». ისტ., არქეოლ., ეთნოგრ. და ხელოვნ. ისტორიის სერია, 1968, №4; ჯ ა ვ ა ხ ი შ ვ ი ლ ი ივ., ქართველი ერის ისტორია, წგ. 2, თბ., 1983 (თხზ. თორმეტ ტომად, ტ. 2).
M. Lortkipanidze
