Tsar Vakhtang. Strange and unknown nicknames of Georgian kings

Vakhtang I Gorgasali was the king of Iberia. He came from the Khosroid dynasty. His father was King Mithridates VI, and his mother was Queen Sandukhta. Numbered among the saints. Vakhtang was one of the founders of statehood in Georgia in the 2nd half of the 5th century.

The beginning of the reign

After the death of his father, Mithridates VI, Vakhtang took the throne at the age of seven. Until he came of age, his mother, Sandukhta, remained with him as regent.

By the time Vakhtang began to rule, from the middle of the 5th century, the kingdom of Kartli was subordinate to Sassanian Iran. Mazdeism, the religion of pre-Islamic Iran, was practiced here as a legitimate religion. His wife was Princess Balendukhta, the daughter of Ormidz, king of Persia.

"Wolf head"

This is how the nickname "Gorgasal" is translated from the Persian language. Which is an allusion to the shape of the helmet he was wearing. The literal translation of the nickname sounds like "Wolfhead". It was given to the king by the Persians. According to legend, on the king's helmet there was an image of a wolf's head in front, and a lion's head in the back. When the Persians saw a helmet with such images, they warned each other by shouting: "Dur for Gorgasar", which meant "beware of the wolf's head."

Unification of Georgian lands

The biography of Vakhtang Gorgasali is remarkable in that the basis of his activities was the desire to unite Georgia and reduce its dependence on the Iranian government. The king used the confrontation between Byzantium and Iran in the interests of Kartli. He managed to return the Georgian province of Klarjeti, captured by Byzantium; to join Hereti, which was in the sphere of influence of Iran; extend the influence of Kartli to Egrisi, a Western Georgian state.

In the 460s, Vakhtang opposed the Alan nomads, occupying the Daryal fortress. The latter was the stronghold of Kartli on the northern borders. After that, he made a trip to Western Georgia, which he freed from the Byzantines.

King Vakhtang Gorgasali fortified and restored many fortresses and created a powerful system of fortifications.

Victory over fire worshipers

In the 470s, Vakhtang did not take part in hostilities against Byzantium. Binkaran, the main servant of the cult of fire, he threw into prison, and his followers were expelled from the Kingdom of Kartli.

In response, the Iranians sent an army of punishers. As a result of the negotiations, Vakhtang was forced to again recognize his kingdom as a vassal of Iran. However, fire worship here has already lost its former status.

Having received the consent of the advisory body (darbazi) acting under him, Vakhtang Gorgasali introduced the posts of eristavs in the provinces, who were directly subordinate to his authority.

The beginning of church reform

Vakhtang decided to seek recognition of the independence of the Georgian Orthodox Church. To this end, he began carrying out church reform and asked the Eastern Roman emperor to send the priest Peter, with whom he was familiar, and 12 bishops to Kartli. He wanted to put Peter at the head of the church as a Catholicos.

Michael I, Archbishop of Kartli, was greatly enraged by this. Before that, he already had disagreements with the king. The archbishop declared Vakhtang an apostate and cursed him along with the army. In order to prevent the development of the conflict, the king went to Michael, knelt before him, touching his robe. But he kicked Vakhtang, knocking out his tooth. After this, the archbishop was expelled from the country to the patriarch, by whom he was appointed a monk to a monastery near Constantinople.

Outpost of Christianity in the Caucasus

At that time, the Georgian Church was subordinate to the Antiochian Church, so Peter and 12 bishops who had arrived from Constantinople went to the Antiochian Patriarch. Having secured his blessing, they returned to the capital of Byzantium.

Emperor Leo I the Great gave them gifts intended for the Georgian king. In addition, he sent his daughter Elena to Mtskheta, who was to become the wife of Vakhtang Gorgasali.

Arriving in Kartli, part of the bishops became the head of the newly formed dioceses, and part replaced the supporters of Michael I. At the end of the 5th century, there were 24 dioceses in the country, and it turned into an outpost of Christianity in the Caucasus.

Mortal wound

After the country's position was strengthened, the fight against Iran continued. In 484, Vakhtang stood at the head of a major uprising of Georgians and Armenians. Despite the fact that the uprising was suppressed, the Sassanid regime was weakened.

In 502, in a battle with the Persians on the banks of the Iori River, the king was mortally wounded. Before his death, Vakhtang Gorgasali summoned his family, clergy and the royal court. He commanded them to be firm in their faith and, in order to receive eternal glory, to seek destruction for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ. The king was buried in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, where there was a fresco with his image.

Memory

Vakhtang's plans were to move the capital to Tbilisi, for this he carried out a number of construction works. He bequeathed the implementation of this plan to his successor. He built the temples Ninotsminda and Nikozi, the fortress city of Cheremi. The king's heir was his son Dachi.

And also the name of Vakhtang is associated with participation in the construction of a monastery in Jerusalem, bearing the name of the Holy Cross. There, until the 19th century, there was his image on one of the walls. In storage in the British Museum there is a gem depicting a man in a royal crown. He is identified with Vakhtang Gorgasali.

In Georgia, he is revered and loved by the people, being an example of wisdom and courage. Many poems, folk poems, legends are dedicated to him. He is canonized by the Georgian church, the day of his commemoration is November 30.

Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II gave his blessing, and a side-altar dedicated to Vakhtang Gorgasali was added to the Patriarchal Church of Zion. And in the city of Rustavi, a cathedral was erected in his honor.

Young and early, who came to the throne at the age of 15 and almost at the same time found himself on the battlefield and knew all the horrors of the war, he went down in history not only as the one who discovered the place and started the construction of Tbilisi, but also as the one who began to rid Georgia of the Iranian / Persian domination. Yes, and he died at the hands of the enemy at the age of 60, having ruled 45 before that (at that time, his age was great, and the time spent on the throne). Also, like David, canonized, was buried in Mtskheta, before that, having died from wounds in the Ujarma fortress ... An interesting memorable fact: the growth of Vakhtang Gorgasali was 2 m 40 cm. Unusual strength (his sword weighed 40 kg). Gorgasali is translated from Persian as "wolf's head", since it was she who was depicted on his helmet, as a sign of courage in battle.

502nd year from the birth of Christ.
The last great battle of King Vakhtang Gorgasali.
The Persian Shah Kavad was the first to enter the Iori Gorge with countless troops. Together with the Shah was also his son, Prince Bartam.
Tsar Vakhtang, too, immediately poisoned himself to Iori along with the Georgian army.
Catalikos of Georgia Petre blessed the king and the army before the start of the battle.
The king made a speech to the army, after which he ordered to attack.
And they fought on Iori for 3 days and 3 nights, and many warriors were killed on both sides.
For three days and three nights, the scales tipped to one side, then to the other.
For three days and three nights, the heart-rending cries of the Persians were heard: "Dur az Gorgasar!" ("Beware of the wolf's head")

On the fourth day, the king gathered the thinning ranks of Georgians for a decisive battle. Again the patriarch blessed the army and the king for feats of arms. And he especially warned the king: "Take care of yourself, otherwise not only Georgia will perish, but Jerusalem will fall without your support ..."

The king ordered an attack.
The Persians steadfastly met the attack of the Georgians, but despite this, the wolf king fearlessly mowed down the ranks of the Shah's guard. And he reached the very middle of the enemy army, where the shah himself was.

The sovereign of the Persian Georgian giant was frightened, and as soon as he turned his horse in order to flee, his son, Bartam, jumped out to meet the Georgian king and was the first to raise his sword at him.

Vakhtang raised his shield with his left hand, repulsed the blow of the sword, and with his right hand lowered the sword on the head of the Persian prince.

But the king did not see how the Persian who had been slain by him fell from his horse to death.

The moment the king raised his shield with his left hand, an arrow hit his bare armpit for a second.

And that arrow was fired by the hand of a Georgian ... He was especially close to the king, a bodyguard or a servant ...

Despite this, the wounded king fought for the rest of the day. He turned the enemy back, in the end he returned to the Ujarm Palace and died there from a treacherous wound, the great sovereign, "the hero of Elbrus", "The lion over lions and the giant over the giants", "the great king over ten kings."

Killed by the hand of a traitor, or his own close relative ...

(Levan Sanikidze, 1992; translated from Georgian)

Vakhtang I Gorgasali(approx. -) - the king of Iberia in the second half of the 5th century, one of the founders of the Georgian statehood, a saint. Son of Mirdat V of the Khosroid dynasty. His nickname "Gorgasal" translates from Persian as "wolf's head" (an allusion to the shape of his helmet).

A relative and tributary of the Persian Sassanids, Vakhtang took part in their wars with the Greeks and Hephthalites. In relations with Byzantium, he sought recognition of the autocephalousness of the Georgian Church. He carried out measures to strengthen the Georgian fortresses and entered into an alliance with the Armenian Mamikonyans, and in 482 he led a major uprising against Persian rule.
When the anti-Persian struggle between Georgians and Armenians was defeated, Vakhtang I was forced to seek salvation in the Georgian kingdom of Egrisi. Promising obedience to the Sassanids, he returned to Iberia and either founded or rebuilt Tbilisi, to which he hoped to move the capital of the state from Mtskheta. He refused to take part in the Persian wars with Byzantium and died in a battle with a retaliatory detachment of the Sassanids.

For centuries, the Georgian people have kept the memory of Tsar Vakhtang I. He became a favorite hero of folk tales, and the Georgian church canonized him. The Order of Vakhtang Gorgasal is one of the highest state awards of Georgia. His remains rest in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.

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An excerpt characterizing Vakhtang I Gorgasali

“I’m listening,” Dron replied, without looking up.
Alpatych was not satisfied with this answer.
- Hey, Dron, it will be bad! - said Alpatych, shaking his head.
- The power is yours! - said Dron sadly.
- Hey, Dron, leave it! - repeated Alpatych, removing his hand from his bosom and pointing it with a solemn gesture to the floor under Dron's feet. “I'm not like right through you, I can see through and through everything three yards under you,” he said, peering at the floor under Dron’s feet.
The drone was embarrassed, glanced quickly at Alpatych and dropped his eyes again.
“Leave the nonsense and tell the people to get ready to go to Moscow from their houses and prepare carts tomorrow morning for the princess’s wagon train, but don’t go to the gathering yourself.” Do you hear?
The drone suddenly fell at his feet.
- Yakov Alpatych, fire! Take the keys from me, save me for Christ's sake.
- Leave it! - said Alpatych sternly. `` I can see right through you for three yards under you, '' he repeated, knowing that his skill in following the bees, the knowledge of when to sow oats, and the fact that he had been able to please the old prince for twenty years, had long ago acquired his fame as a sorcerer and that the ability to see three arshins under a man is attributed to sorcerers.
The drone got up and wanted to say something, but Alpatych interrupted him:
- What are you thinking? Huh? .. What do you think? A?
- What should I do with the people? - said Dron. - Drilled at all. I tell them even that ...
- That's what I say, - said Alpatych. - Do they drink? He asked shortly.
- All drilled, Yakov Alpatych: another barrel was brought.
- So you listen. I’ll go to the police chief, and you’ll lead the people, so that they abandon it, and so that there are carts.
“I’m listening,” answered Dron.
More Yakov Alpatych did not insist. He ruled over the people for a long time and knew that the main means for people to obey is not to show them doubts that they can disobey. Having obtained from Dron the obedient "I listen with", Yakov Alpatych was satisfied with this, although he not only doubted, but was almost sure that the carts would not be delivered without the help of a military command.
Indeed, by the evening the carts were not collected. In the village at the tavern there was again a gathering, and at the gathering it was supposed to drive the horses into the forest and not give out the carts. Without saying anything about this princess, Alpatych ordered to lay down his own luggage from those who came from the Bald Mountains and prepare these horses for the princess's carriages, and he himself went to the authorities.

NS
After her father's funeral, Princess Marya locked herself in her room and did not let anyone in. A girl came up to the door to say that Alpatych had come to ask for an order to leave. (This was even before Alpatych's conversation with Drone.) Princess Marya got up from the sofa on which she was lying, and through the closed door said that she would never go anywhere and asked to be left alone.
The windows of the room in which Princess Marya lay were to the west. She lay on the sofa, facing the wall and, fingering the buttons on the leather pillow, saw only this pillow, and her vague thoughts were focused on one thing: she was thinking about the irreversibility of death and about her spiritual abomination, which she did not know until now and which showed up during her father's illness. She wanted, but did not dare to pray, did not dare, in the state of mind in which she was, turn to God. She lay in this position for a long time.

> icon of Tsar Vakhtang

The icon "Holy King Vakhtang" shows the face of the Holy Georgian King Vakhtang Gorgasali.

Tsar Vakhtang is depicted on the icon in expensive clothes adorned with precious stones, corresponding to his royal title. A halo is depicted around the Tsar's head, symbolizing the canonization of Vakhtang to the canon of saints. In his hand the Holy King holds a sword, because during his lifetime he was a warrior.

Saint Vakhtang was the king of Georgia. He came to the throne at the age of fifteen. Vakhtang did a lot for Christianity and the spread of the Christian faith. At that time, Kartli (modern Eastern Georgia) was attacked from the south by the Persians, and from the north by the Ossetians. The situation was deplorable in Western Georgia, part of which was captured by the Byzantines. As soon as he came to the throne, the young king called the court and delivered a wise speech, surprising for his young years. He expressed his opinion that such a situation in his native country is a manifestation of God's anger for the sins of the tsar and the people of Georgia. Vakhtang called everyone to fight for the Motherland and the Holy Faith. Soon he made a victorious campaign against the Ossetians and freed his captive older sister. Vakhtang also signed an agreement with the Caucasian highlanders on the further joint struggle against the invaders. Vakhtang's next campaign was also victorious. This time he went to Western Georgia and freed it from the Byzantines.

Tsar Vakhtang was distinguished by his tall stature, beauty, stateliness, wisdom and courage. In battle, he fought tirelessly, not knowing fear. On the front of the Saint's battle helmet, there was an image of a wolf. That is why Vakhtang received the nickname Gorgasali, which in translation from means "wolf's head".

At the same time, Vakhtang righteously served God, praying for a long time and giving alms to the poor. He fulfilled King Mirian by building the Georgian Cross Monastery in Jerusalem. Vakhtang expelled fire-worshiping priests from Kartli. In Nikozi, the Tsar built a cathedral and established a new pulpit. Vakhtang also erected the monasteries of Mere, Artanuji, Akhiza, Shindobi, the fortresses of Artanuji, Tukharisi, Akhiza and many other monasteries, fortresses and churches. It was the Holy King Vakhtang who laid the foundation of Tbilisi, the new capital of the country.

Tsar Vakhtang died in battle in 502, from a poisoned arrow. Dying Vakhtang summoned his family, clergy and royal court and bequeathed them to be firm in the Christian Faith. The whole country mourned the Holy King. After the death of Vakhtang, the throne passed to his son. In honor of Vakhtang, a cathedral was erected in the city of Rustavi.

Vakhtang Gorgasali is considered a model of wisdom and courage. He is revered in his native country, numerous folk poems and poems, songs and legends dedicated to the Holy King of Georgia testify to the love of the Georgian people for King Vakhtang.

The image of the "Holy King Vakhtang" and the Saint himself is considered the protector of all men named Vakhtang. It is desirable for those named by this name to have an icon of the Holy Tsar in their home iconostasis.

[cargo. ვახტანგ გორგასალი], the king of Kartli (middle V - late V or early VI century). Gorgasal in Persian means "wolf's head" - a nickname given to V.G. by the Persians from the image on his battle helmet. Soon after the death of the tsar was created that did not reach the present. time short historical essay, in the XI century. in an expanded version it was included in Kartlis Tskhovreba ("Life of Kartli"). The author of the work, Juansher Juansheriani, as well as other historical sources call VG "a martyr for the faith of Christ." The Georgian Church canonized him and established the day of commemoration on 30 Nov.

Kingdom of Kartli in mid. V - early. VI century was a vassal of Sassanian Iran. Messages cargo. sources about the existence in Mtskheta (the capital of Kartli) of a region where fire-worshipers lived, headed by the "bishop of fire-worshipers" (ჯუანშერი, ჟართლის ცხოვრება 1955, vol. 1. p. 145), which occupied an honorable place at the royal court, indicate that that the religion of pre-Islamic Iran Mazdeism enjoyed the rights of legal worship in Kartli. VG's main activity was aimed at uniting Georgia and reducing the dependence of its provinces on the Iranian government. V. tried to use the confrontation between Iran and Byzantium in favor of the interests of Kartli. He returned the cargo captured by Byzantium. prov. Klarjeti, annexed Hereti, which was in the sphere of influence of Iran, extended the influence of Kartli to the western Georgia. state of Egrisi. Opposing the North Caucasian. nomads (60s), occupied the Daryal fortress - the stronghold of Kartli in the north. border. He strengthened and restored fortresses (Daryal, Ujarma, Cheremi, Hornabuji, Artanuji), creating a system of fortifications. In the 70s. refused to participate in the war against Byzantium, threw the main servant of the cult of fire Binkaran into prison, expelled the fire worshipers from Kartli. In response, a punitive army was sent from Iran. Despite the fact that, as a result of negotiations, V.G. again had to recognize himself as a vassal of Iran, fire worship in Kartli no longer had its former status. With the consent of the darbazi (an advisory body under the king), V.G. appointed eristavs (including in the newly annexed territories), who were directly subordinate to his authority.

At the same time, V.G. began church reform with the aim of achieving recognition of the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church. He wanted to put a Catholicos at the head of the Church and asked for a Byzantine. Emperor to send Catholicos Peter and 12 bishops to Kartli. The angry archbishop. Kartli Mikael, who even before that had disagreements with V.G. in connection with the struggle between Monophysites and Diophysites, called the king an apostate, cursed him and the army. To avoid further deepening of the conflict, V.G. went to the archbishop and knelt before him to touch his robe, but Mikael kicked the king and knocked out his tooth. V.G. expelled the archbishop from the country to K-pol, to the K-Polish Patriarch. Archbishop. Michaela was identified as a monk in the Akimite monastery near the K-field. Catholicos Peter with 12 bishops, who arrived from K-field, were sent to the Patriarch of Antioch, since the Georgian Church was subordinate to the Antiochian diocese. Having received the blessing, they returned to K-pol. According to legend, imp. Leo the Great gave them gifts for the cargo. Tsar, and also sent his daughter Elena to Mtskheta, who was destined to be V.G.'s wife. Some of the arriving bishops headed the newly formed dioceses, and others replaced the bishops - supporters of the archbishop. Michaela. To the end. V century there were already 24 dioceses in Kartli. Kartli was an outpost of Christianity in the Caucasus. Having strengthened the position of the country, V.G. resumed the struggle against Sassanian Iran. In 484 he led a major uprising of Georgians and Armenians. Although the revolt was suppressed, the Sassanids were forced to weaken their regime. In the end. V or early. VI century V.G. was mortally wounded in a battle with the Persians, having received a blow from the sword in the back. The Tsar was buried in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, which he himself rebuilt, where there was a fresco with his image.

VG was going to move the capital to Tbilisi, carried out construction work and bequeathed the implementation of this plan to his successor, built the temples Nikozi and Ninotsminda (3rd quarter of the 6th century), the fortress city of Cheremi. His name is associated with participation in the construction of the monastery of the Holy Cross (Jvari) in Jerusalem, where on the wall until the 19th century. his image existed. The British Museum contains a gem with a Pahlavi inscription and an image of a man in a royal crown, which is identified with V.G.

VG is revered as a model of courage and wisdom. Numerous folk poems, poems, legends dedicated to the legendary ruler testify to the love of Georgians for him. The royal banner of Georgia is called "Gorgasalian Davitiani".

Source: Juansher Juansheriani. The life of Vakhtang Gorgasali / Per., Introduced. and note. G.V. Tsulaya. Tbilisi, 1986; მოჟცევა (?) ბულლეტ ჟართლისა (?) ბულლეტ: მველი აგიოგრაფიული ლიტერატურის მეგლები. თბილისი, 1963.Vol. 1.

Lit .: Takaishvili E. Sources of Georgian Chronicles: Three Chronicles // Sat. materials for the description and localities of the tribes of the Caucasus. 1900. no. 28; Gorgadze S. Autocephalousness of the Georgian Church // DVGE. 1905. No. 21-24; Melikishvili G. A . On the history of ancient Georgia. Tbilisi. 1959; ჯანაშია ს. საჟართველო ადრინდელი ფეოდალიზაციის გზაზე // შრომები. თბილისი, 1949. T. 1; Amiranashvili Sh. I AM . On the question of determining the portraits of the image on the gem of the British Museum with the Pahlavi inscription // VDI. 1960. No. 2; ჯანაშია ლ. ლაზარ ფარპეცის ცნობები საჟართველოს შესახებ. თბილისი, 1962; ჯავახიშვილი ი. მველი ჟართული საისტორიო მწერლობა // Sb. op. თბილისი, 1977. T. 8; ჯავახიშვილი ი. ჟართველი ერის ისტორია // Sat. op. თბილისი, 1979. T. 1; დ. მუსხელიშვილი, საჟართველოს ისტორიული გეოგრაფიის მირითადი საკითხები. თბილისი, 1977. T. 1; ლორთჟიფანიმე მ. ჟართლი V საუკუნის მეორე ნახევარში. თბილისი, 1979; გოილამე ვ. ჟართული ეკლესიის სათავეებთან. თბილისი, 1991; მგალობლიშვილი თ. კლარჯული მრავალთავი. თბილისი (?) 1991; ლომინამე ბ. საჟართველოს საპატ რიარჟო და მისი ავტოკეფალია // რელიგია. თბილისი, 1992. No. 1-2; კაკაბამე ს. ვახტანგ გორგასალი და მისი ხანა. თბილისი, 1994; საჟართველო ვახტანგ გორგასლის ეპოჟაში. თბილისი, 1999; მამულია გ. ჟართლის ეკლესია V-VI საუკუნეებში. თბილისი, 1999.