The style of the Georgian sovereign () refers to the formal mode of address to a Georgian monarch (mepe)Rayfield, pp. 65—159Rapp (2016) location: 8763 that evolved and changed many times since the establishment of the ancient Kingdom of Iberia, its transformation to the unified Kingdom of Georgia and its successive monarchies after the disintegration of the realm.
Pre-Christian Georgian monarchs of the Pharnavazid dynasty were divinely assigned pharnah and its loss usually led to the monarch's imminent death or overthrow in Georgian kingship.Rapp (2016) location: 6731 Introductory part of the style for the monarchs from the Bagrationi dynasty always started with "By the Grace of God, We, of Jesse, David, Solomon, Bagrationi, Supreme by God, anointed and crowned by God",Takaishvili, vol. III pp. 146—206Javakhishvili, p. 84 underlining their divine right and claim for biblical descent.Rapp (2014), p. 227Khakhanov, pp. 6—7 The consolidation of the deifiedJavakhishvili, p. 87 Bagrationi dynasty and its unprecedented political unification of lands,Rapp (2016) location: 492 would inaugurate the Georgian Golden Age and creation of the only medieval pan-Caucasian empireRapp (2014), p. 226 that would rule for a thousand years.Rapp (2016) location: 453 Georgian monarchs would have intense religious and political competition with the Byzantine emperors, saw themselves as the successors of the emperor Constantine the GreatRapp (1997), p. 666 and even as rulers of a new Byzantium based in the Caucasus,Rapp (2014), pp. 231-228Tavadze, p. 221 whence the clergy would view the Georgian Orthodoxy as an "imperial church" that would fight the heretics.Rapp (1997), p. 646 Even though unprecedentedly "Byzantinized Georgia"Rapp (2016) location: 482 entertained its powerful neighbor's concepts and models of Constantinopolitan bureaucracy and aristocracy, it was never slavishly adopted or mimicked; rather, it was creatively and deliberately adapted to the local culture and environment. At the same time, the rulers of Christian Georgia would still be embracing the traditional influences of the Persian ShahnamehRapp (1997), p. 595 and Arabic legendsRapp (1997), p. 581 that would remain strong and intact; some of their styles would even become Islamic in type.Eastmond, p. 91Rapp (2014), pp. 232-233Paghava, pp. 221-222 As the Crown would be gathering additional lands the style would continue to expand, but remain distinctly enumerated and include all the subjects of the Georgian monarch.Rapp (1997), p. 571 Even after the collapse of the unified kingdom, Georgian kings would continue to emblazon themselves with the former imperial style and they would stake the claim to be the absolute rulers of all-Georgia.Rapp (1997), p. 583 This imperial legacy of the Bagrations continues to bear fruit even today, with its self-image as the unrivalled pinnacle of the Georgian politics, culture and society.Rapp (2016) location: 459
According to the chronicler of Queen Tamar, verbally insulting a monarch was punishable with tongue mutilation and decapitation, always carried out by non-Georgian executioners.Javakhishvili, p. 191Rayfield, p. 103 Even though the capital punishment was extremely rare in high medieval Georgia, the royal court would never pardon the insult towards a monarch.Javakhishvili, p. 326 King Vakhtang VI, however, maintained that there was no official punishment for lèse-majesté.Khakhanov, p. 6
Style Sovereigns of Iberia Style Sovereign King of all Kartli and Eguri.Rapp (2016) location: 6323 King Pharnavaz I King of the Iberians.The Georgian Chronicles: 30—14 King Artoces King of the Iberians.The Georgian Chronicles: 32—8 King Pharnavaz II King of the Iberians.The Georgian Chronicles: 33—17 King Artaxias II Great King of Iberia.Rayfield, p. 32 King Pharasmanes I King of the Iberians.Gamkrelidze, p. 24 King Mihrdat I King of Iberia. King Pharasmanes II Great King of the Iberians.Rayfield, p. 34 King Ghadam Great King of the Iberians.Gamkrelidze, p. 13 King Amazasp II King of the Iberians.The Georgian Chronicles: 62—8 King Aspacures I King of Iberia, Somkhiti, Rani, Hereti, Movakani and Colchis.Rapp (2016) location: 7131—7140 King Mirian III King of the Iberians.The Georgian Chronicles: 139—5 King Mihrdat V King of Iberia, King of the Ten Kings.Rapp (2016) location: 9500 King Vakhtang I King of the Iberians.The Georgian Chronicles: 216—13 King Bacurius III King of the Iberians.Bakhtadze, p. 4 King Adarnase IV King of the Iberians.Bakhtadze, p. 10 King David II King of the Iberians.Bakhtadze, p. 11 King Bagrat II King of the Iberians, the kouropalates of all the East, the eye of Orthodoxy.Bakhtadze, p. 20Tavadze, p. 100 King David III King of Kings of the Iberians.Rayfield, p. 69Bakhtadze, p. 17 King Gurgen
Sovereigns of the united Georgia Style Sovereign King of the Abkhazians and Iberians, of Tao, and of the Ranis and Kakhetians, and the great kouropalates of all the East.Rapp (2016) location: 4175 King Bagrat III King of the Abkhazians and Iberians, the kourapalates of all the East.Tavadze, p. 103 King George I King of Kings, of the Abkhazians and Iberians, strong and invincible, the nobilissimus of all the East, the kouropalates, the sebastos,Khakhanov, p. 11Dundua & Tavadze, p. 458Dolidze, p. 7 the Orthodox king.TITUS: manuscript: Q969 item 1: line of ed.: 3-4 King Bagrat IV King of the Abkhazians and Iberians, the nobilissimus, the sebastos, the caesar of all the East and the West.Rayfield, p. 85Dundua & Tavadze, p. 459Tavadze, p. 162 King George II King of Kings, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians, of Shaki, Alania and the Rus,Rapp (1997), pp. 570-571 Sword of the Messiah, emperor (basileus) of all the East,Rapp (2016) location: 4185Rayfield, pp. 89—93Dolidze, p. 18 the invincible,Paghava (2021), p. 259 servant and defender of God,Eastmond, p. 47 the Orthodox king.TITUS: manuscript: Q969 item 3: line of ed.: 7 King David IV King of Kings, Sword of the Messiah, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians,Rapp (1997), p. 575Paghava (2021), pp. 396-403 king of all the East.TITUS: manuscript: Q969 item 4: line of ed.: 9 King Demetrius I King of Kings, sword of the Messiah.CoGN: Issue of David V King David V King of Kings, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah, master of the East and the North, son of Demetre, sword of the Messiah,Rapp (2016) location: 4194Dundua & Tavadze, p. 460 son of King of Kings.Eastmond, pp. 104-106 King George III King of Kings, Queen of Queens, empress (autokrator) of all the East and West, champion of the Messiah,Rapp (2016) location: 4182Rayfield, p. 109 of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, and Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah, the great queen, the Glory of the World and of the Faith, daughter of the great King of Kings,Eastmond, pp. 127-135CoGN: Coins of Queen Tamar sovereign of Christendom.TITUS: manuscript: Q969 item 6: line of ed.: 16 Queen Tamar I King of Kings, son of Tamar, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah, the Sovereign of all the East and the West, sword of the Messiah,Dundua & Tavadze, p. 461Silogava, p. 16 lord of the Javakhians, the great king, glory of the world and faith.CoGN: Coins of Giorgi IV King George IV Queen of Kings and Queens, the glory of the world, kingdom and of the faith, daughter of Tamar, champion of the Messiah.Dundua & Tavadze, p. 392Rapp (1997), p. 577 Queen Rusudan King of Kings, son of King of Kings Rusudan, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah, the Sovereign of all Georgia and the North,Silogava, pp. 72—73Rapp (1997), p. 581 slave of Qaan, of the ruler of the world, David the king.CoGN: Coins of David Narin King David VI King of Kings, son of Giorgi, sword of the Messiah.CoGN: Coins of David Ulugh King David VII King of Kings, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.CoGN: Coins of David VIII King David VIII King, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.CoGN: Coins of Vakhtang III King Vakhtang III King of Kings of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians, Shahanshah and Shirvanshah, of the East and the West, of the South and the North, of both countries, of two thrones and crowns, the godlike Suzerain and the Sovereign.Silogava, p. 26 King George V King of Kings of all.Dolidze, p. 100 King David IX King of Kings of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shahanshah and Shirvanshah, the Suzerain and Sovereign of all the North, the East and the West, descendant of Gorgasali.Takaishvili, vol. II p. 13 King Bagrat V King of Kings of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah, of all Georgia, of all the East and the West, of the North, the Sovereign and Suzerain of two kingdoms, the ruler of all,Silogava, p. 100Rapp (1997), p. 582 the victorious king.CoGN: Coins of Giorgi VII King George VII King of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah of all the East and North, the Sovereign.Takaishvili, vol. III p. 434 King Constantine I King of Kings, of many, Shirvanshah, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians, of all Georgia and the North, of the West and the East, the Suzerain and Sovereign of two golden thrones and all the lands.Takaishvili, vol. II p. 35Dolidze, p. 118 King Alexander I King of Kings, Suzerain and Sovereign of two thrones and kingdoms, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, descendant of Nimrod,Takaishvili, vol. III p. 436 slave of God,CoGN: Coins of Giorgi VIII Shahanshah and Shirvanshah, powerful ruler and an absolute sovereign of all the East and the West.Brosset, p. 40 King George VIII King of Kings, strong and invincible, majestic and protector of the holy kingdom, of the Jikians, Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah, of all the East and the West, of all Georgia, of all the North, the Suzerain and Sovereign of the throne.Silogava, p. 19 King Bagrat VI
Sovereigns of Kartli Style Sovereign King of Kings, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah,Takaishvili, vol. III p. 140Dolidze, p. 205 possessor of the kingdom and majesty, master of all the east and the north.Brosset, p. 42 King Simon I King of Kings and Sovereign of Kartli.Takaishvili, vol. III p. 534 King George X King of Kings and Sovereign of Kartli,Takaishvili, vol. III p. 2 of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah, the possessor, the master and holder of all the domains of the east and the north.Brosset, p. 43 King Rostom King of Kings and Sovereign of Kartli.Dolidze, p. 224 King Vakhtang V King of Kings and Sovereign of Kartli.Takaishvili, vol. II p. 39Kartvelishvili & Jojua, et al. p. 99 King Luarsab II King of Kings and Sovereign of Kartli, by will of God, by mercy of Shah Abbas.Kartvelishvili & Jojua, et al. p. 145 King Bagrat VII King of Kings of Kartli,Takaishvili, vol. III p. 141 by will of God, by order of Shah Abbas.Kartvelishvili & Jojua, et al. p. 181 King Simon II King of Kings, Suzerain and Sovereign of Kartli,Takaishvili, vol. III p. 144 the lord of the principalities, possessor of the crown, clothed and adorned in purple, possessor of the scepter, King Giorgi, son of the great and illustrious sovereign, Vakhtang V.Brosset, p. 44 King George XI King and Sovereign of Kartli, Lord of all Georgia.Takaishvili, vol. III p. 151 King Vakhtang VI Queen of Queens.Brosset, p. 47 Queen Tamar II
Sovereigns of Kakheti