TITLE OF KOUROPALATES IN TAO-KLARJETI BAGRATIONI ROYAL HOUSE (POLITICAL SITUATION OF KARTVELIAN KINGDOM IN THE 9TH - 10TH CENTURIES)

Abstract

The title of kouropalates was the first serious Byzantine court title donated to the rulers of Kartli in the end of the 6th century. At first, the title of kouropalates had a pure administrative functions, but in the middle of the 6th century Justin, successor of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I the Great (527-565), was appointed in this position. Justin became the heir of Eastern Roman Empire and the title of kouropalates was equalized to caesar. Hence the title kouropalates served for the member of Imperial family and the title made its position second after the Emperor. Another member of the Imperial family, son-in-law of Emperor Justin I (565-578), Baduarius received the same title in 565. Consequantly he had become the heir of the Byzantium, but later in 573 he was disgraced by Emperor and as a result of that he lost his position. Tiberius was appointed as caesar of Eastern Roman Empire and title of kouropalates was declined to the lower rank, below the ceasar. But the title of kouropalates remained one of the highest position among the hierarchy of Byzantine court titles. Soon after the death of Baduarius (576), ex-heir of Byzantine Empire, the first erismtavari (Grand Prince) of Kartli Guaram-Gurgen was appointed as kouropalates of Byzantium. After that the Georgian and Armenian nobles next to the members of Imperial family were granted the title of kouropalates.The title of kouropalates was very popular in Kartvelian Kingdom. The first member of Tao-Klarjeti Bagrationi royal house who was granted with that title by Emperor Leo V the Armenian (813-820) was Ashot I the Great, the founder of Kartvelian Kingdom in the southwest of Georgia. Later the same title was bestowed to his son, Bagrat I (826-876) and after, to son of Bagrat, David I (876-881). Later the title of kouropalates was given to Gurgen, son of Adarnase (the latter was the son of Ashot I the Great and the founder of Klarjeti branch of the royal Bagrationi family). The donation of the title of kouropalates was official recognation from the Byzantine Emperor of the leadership of Kartvelian Kingdom, hence many princes sought that title for themselves. That kind of situation occurred after the death of Adarnase I kouropalates and the king of Kartvelians, in 923, when the sons of Adarnase, David king of Kartvelians, his brother Ashot II and their relative Gurgen the Great were disputing for the title of kouropalates. They sent the emissaries to Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (919-944) to seek the assignment in this position. Finally the Emperor decided in favour of Ashot II who was the kouropalates from 923 to 954. Almost dual suzerainty was established in Kartvelian Kingdom. According to contemporary epigraphical evidences, Ashot II was reckoned as a supreme sovereign of Kartvelian Kingdom instead of his senior brother David II (923-937) who had a title of king of Kartvelians and was offially considered in charge of the Kingdom. Later the title of kouropalates was granted either to Imiertao branch of Tao-Klarjeti Bagrationi family (those were the offsprings of Bagrat, third brother of David II and Ashot II), or to Amiertao branch of the same house (offsprings of Sumbat, fourth brother and the youngest sibling of David II and Ashot II). The last member from the Tao-Klarjeti Bagrationi family throughout the 9th to 10th centuries who received that title was the David III kouropalates (Imiertao branch of Tao-Klarjeti Bagrationi royal house). He was the most prominent among the others from the same royal dynasty and was named as “kouropalates of the entire Orient” by the Emperor of Byzantium.