Origin of the Bagratid dynasties
Encyclopedia
The Origin of the Bagratid dynasties – Bagratuni (Բագրատունյաց) in Armenia
and Bagrationi (ბაგრატიონი) in Georgia
– were the longest-reigning royal families in the Caucasus
(and in Europe), starting as princely houses and attaining to the royal status in both countries in the 9th century. The origins of the Bagratids are disputed though more widely accepted version has it that the both dynasties had common roots, beginning in Armenia and branching later into Georgia. The main Armenian house went extinct by the 12th century, while the Georgian line, in its minor branch, continues to this day as the nominal Royal House of Georgia. The root of the names Bagrationi and Bagratuni, Bagrat-, derives from the Old Persian Bagadāta, "God-Given". In Armenia
and Georgia
, the respective names for the Bagratid dynasties literally translate to "The children of/house established by Bagrat" (Bagrat + Classical Greek: - id, "the children").
The Bagratids of Armenia are speculated to have been an offshoot of the Orontid Dynasty
, Achaemenid satrap
s and, later, kings of Armenia (c 400 – c 200 BC). They had their original appanage in Bagrevand
in historic north-central Armenia and claimed their descent from a solar deity Angl-Thork, the tutelary god of the Orontids, until their conversion to Christianity
. Thereafter, this claim was abandoned in favor of the mythical ancestor of the Armenians, Hayk. Later, under biblical
influences, they entertained another, a Hebrew
, claim, further elaborated by Moses of Khorene as the well-known myth of their descent from the biblical king-prophet David
. This legend, in a modified manner, would later be adopted also by the Georgian Bagratids. The claim is given no credence by modern scholarship, but was accepted in its day and lent prestige to the family. The harp
on their Coat of Arms is a mention to that ancestry.
Bagatades, a commander under Tigranes the Great
of Armenia and his viceroy in Syria
and Cilicia
in 83-69 BC, is thought to be the earliest known Bagratid. However, according to Cyril Toumanoff
, the first historically chronicled Bagratids appear in 314 AD as the feudatories of Sper in northwestern Armenia (now northeastern Turkey
), near the Iberian
marchlands. Subsequently they ruled also in Kogovit and Tmoriq
. Unlike most hereditary noble families (naxarars) in Armenia they held only strips of land, as opposed to the Mamikonian
s, who held a unified land territory.
Certain, generation by generation, history of the family begins only in the 8th century, when the downfall of the rival clan of the Mamikonian
s helped the Bagratids to emerge as a major force in the ongoing struggle against Arab
rule and would obtain the royal crown towards the end of the 9th century.
It is generally believed, that it was during one of the Bagratid-led anti-Arab rebellions in 772, when one of the sons of Ashot III the Blind
, called Vasak fled into Iberia (Georgia). His son, Adarnase, was granted hereditary possessions in Klarjeti
and Samtskhe by the Georgian dynast Archil
. Adarnase’s son Ashot gained the principate of Iberia and founded the last royal dynasty of Georgia. The Georgian Bagratids, however, forged their own legend, refusing their immediate connection with the Armenian Bagratids and claiming their direct descent from King David. Moreover, they regarded the 6th-century prince Guaram
as the first Bagrationi ruler. This claim had been given general acceptance for centuries. Though the biblical origin of the Bagratids is now largely discounted, some modern scholars, particularly in Georgia, still consider Guaram as the founder of the Georgian Bagrationi dynasty, who had, in their opinion, only remote relation with the Armenian Bagratunis.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and Bagrationi (ბაგრატიონი) in Georgia
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...
– were the longest-reigning royal families in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
(and in Europe), starting as princely houses and attaining to the royal status in both countries in the 9th century. The origins of the Bagratids are disputed though more widely accepted version has it that the both dynasties had common roots, beginning in Armenia and branching later into Georgia. The main Armenian house went extinct by the 12th century, while the Georgian line, in its minor branch, continues to this day as the nominal Royal House of Georgia. The root of the names Bagrationi and Bagratuni, Bagrat-, derives from the Old Persian Bagadāta, "God-Given". In Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and Georgia
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...
, the respective names for the Bagratid dynasties literally translate to "The children of/house established by Bagrat" (Bagrat + Classical Greek: - id, "the children").
The Bagratids of Armenia are speculated to have been an offshoot of the Orontid Dynasty
Orontid Dynasty
The Orontid Dynasty The Orontid Dynasty The Orontid Dynasty (also known by their native name, Yervanduni was a hereditary Armenian dynasty and the rulers of the successor state to the Iron Age kingdom of Ararat...
, Achaemenid satrap
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
s and, later, kings of Armenia (c 400 – c 200 BC). They had their original appanage in Bagrevand
Bagrevand
Bagrevand was a region of the old Armenia ruled first by Mamikonians and then by the Bagratuni family....
in historic north-central Armenia and claimed their descent from a solar deity Angl-Thork, the tutelary god of the Orontids, until their conversion to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Thereafter, this claim was abandoned in favor of the mythical ancestor of the Armenians, Hayk. Later, under biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
influences, they entertained another, a Hebrew
Hebrews
Hebrews is an ethnonym used in the Hebrew Bible...
, claim, further elaborated by Moses of Khorene as the well-known myth of their descent from the biblical king-prophet David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
. This legend, in a modified manner, would later be adopted also by the Georgian Bagratids. The claim is given no credence by modern scholarship, but was accepted in its day and lent prestige to the family. The harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
on their Coat of Arms is a mention to that ancestry.
Bagatades, a commander under Tigranes the Great
Tigranes the Great
Tigranes the Great was emperor of Armenia under whom the country became, for a short time, the strongest state east of the Roman Republic. He was a member of the Artaxiad Royal House...
of Armenia and his viceroy in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
in 83-69 BC, is thought to be the earliest known Bagratid. However, according to Cyril Toumanoff
Cyril Toumanoff
Cyril Leo Heraclius, Prince Toumanoff was an United States-based historian and genealogist who mostly specialized in the history and genealogies of medieval Georgia, Armenia, the Byzantine Empire, and Iran...
, the first historically chronicled Bagratids appear in 314 AD as the feudatories of Sper in northwestern Armenia (now northeastern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
), near the Iberian
Caucasian Iberia
Iberia , also known as Iveria , was a name given by the ancient Greeks and Romans to the ancient Georgian kingdom of Kartli , corresponding roughly to the eastern and southern parts of the present day Georgia...
marchlands. Subsequently they ruled also in Kogovit and Tmoriq
Tmoriq
Tmoriq was a region and family of the old Armenia c. 300-800. Was in the south of Armenia....
. Unlike most hereditary noble families (naxarars) in Armenia they held only strips of land, as opposed to the Mamikonian
Mamikonian
Mamikonian, Mamikoneans, or Mamigonian was a noble family which dominated Armenian politics between the 4th and 8th century. They ruled the Armenian regions of Taron, Sasun, Bagrevand and others...
s, who held a unified land territory.
Certain, generation by generation, history of the family begins only in the 8th century, when the downfall of the rival clan of the Mamikonian
Mamikonian
Mamikonian, Mamikoneans, or Mamigonian was a noble family which dominated Armenian politics between the 4th and 8th century. They ruled the Armenian regions of Taron, Sasun, Bagrevand and others...
s helped the Bagratids to emerge as a major force in the ongoing struggle against Arab
Emirate of Tbilisi
The Emirs of Tbilisi ruled over the parts of today’s eastern Georgia from their base in the city of Tbilisi, from 736 to 1080 . Established by the Arabs during their invasions of Georgian lands, the emirate was an important outpost of the Muslim rule in the Caucasus until recaptured by the...
rule and would obtain the royal crown towards the end of the 9th century.
It is generally believed, that it was during one of the Bagratid-led anti-Arab rebellions in 772, when one of the sons of Ashot III the Blind
Ashot III of Armenia
Ashot III Bagratuni also known as Ashot the Blind was a member of the Bagratuni family who was presiding prince of Armenia as a Prince from 726 and as an ishxan from 732 to 748...
, called Vasak fled into Iberia (Georgia). His son, Adarnase, was granted hereditary possessions in Klarjeti
Klarjeti
Klarjeti was a province of ancient and medieval Georgia, which is currently part of the Artvin Province in northeastern Turkey. Klarjeti, the neighboring province of Tao and several other smaller districts constituted a larger region with shared history and culture conventionally known as...
and Samtskhe by the Georgian dynast Archil
Archil of Iberia
Arch'il , of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia from c. 411 to 435. He was the son and successor of King Mirdat IV....
. Adarnase’s son Ashot gained the principate of Iberia and founded the last royal dynasty of Georgia. The Georgian Bagratids, however, forged their own legend, refusing their immediate connection with the Armenian Bagratids and claiming their direct descent from King David. Moreover, they regarded the 6th-century prince Guaram
Guaram I of Iberia
Guaram I was a Georgian prince, who attained to the hereditary rulership of Iberia and the Roman title of curopalates from 588 to c. 590. He is commonly identified with the Gorgenes of the Byzantine chronicler Theophanes....
as the first Bagrationi ruler. This claim had been given general acceptance for centuries. Though the biblical origin of the Bagratids is now largely discounted, some modern scholars, particularly in Georgia, still consider Guaram as the founder of the Georgian Bagrationi dynasty, who had, in their opinion, only remote relation with the Armenian Bagratunis.