| Bagrat V | |
|---|---|
| King of Georgia (more...) | |
| Reign | 1360–1393 |
| Coronation | 1355 as co-king |
| Predecessor | David IX |
| Successor | George VII |
| Died | 1393 |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Helena Megale Komnene (d. 1366) Anna Megale Komnene (m. 1367) |
| Issue Among others | George VII of Georgia Constantine I of Georgia |
| Dynasty | Bagrationi |
| Father | David IX of Georgia |
| Mother | SindukhtarJaqeli |
| Religion | Georgian Orthodox ChurchIslam |
Bagrat V the Great (Georgian:ბაგრატ V დიდი,Bagrat V Didi, died 1393) of theBagrationi dynasty, was co-king from 1355 and becameking (mepe) of theKingdom of Georgia from 1360 until his death in 1393.
Bagrat was the son ofDavid IX and his wife SindukhtarJaqeli. He was co-ruler from 1355, and became king after the death of his father in 1360.
In 1360, after the death of his father, Bagrat v inherited the throne and, to mark his rule overwestern andeastern Georgia, was crowned inKutaisi.[1] Bagrat V earned the title ‘the Great’ for his reputation as a victorious general and archer.[1] When King Bagrat V ascended the throne, Georgia was slowly recovering from the ravages of theblack death.[2]
The alliance concluded in 1385 withTokhtamysh,Khan of theGolden Horde, led him to a protracted and heavy war withTimur,Emir ofTimurid Empire.[3] King Bagrat V, learning of Timur's possible attack, fortified himself inTbilisi, creating powerful defence fortifications.[4]
In the late autumn of 1386, a huge army under the command of Timur invaded theGeorgian kingdom. Timur laidsiege to Tbilisi.[5] Most of the Georgian nobility betrayed their king, taking refuge in castles. Bagrat V desperately resisted, repeatedly personally participating in attacks on the enemy army besieging the city.
On 22 November 1386, after a six-month siege, the city was captured.[6][7] Timur kept his promise and preserved the lives of the king, QueenAnna and Prince David, but ordered his soldiers to sackTbilisi. Bagrat V with his wife and son David were declared prisoners of the emir.[5][8] Timur sent the famous library of Georgian kings toSamarkand, together with rich booty. The eldest sons of Bagrat V escaped captivity. The subjects offered to crown princeGeorge the new king, but he refused, fearing for his father's life in captivity.[9]
Timur's army halted inKarabakh for a winter camp. Timur tried to persuade Bagrat V to renounceChristianity, but the king was unwilling to do so, even though he recognised himself as Timur's vassal. Finally, they managed to agree that Bagrat V would acceptIslam. After converting to Islam, Timur agreed to release Bagrat V and sent him and twelve thousandTimurid warriors back to theGeorgian kingdom to convert theGeorgians to Islam. But as soon as they were on the territory of the Georgian kingdom, Bagrat V, together with his sons, princeGeorge andConstantine and Georgian warriors, destroyed the Timurids.[9]
Believing that this time Bagrat V could not escape death, his vassalImeretian princeAlexander proclaimed himself an independent ruler and in 1387 was crowned king of Imereti inGelati monastery. In the spring of 1388 Timur invaded the Georgian kingdom again, but could not force the Georgians to submit. Bagrat V was helped by allies from theGolden Horde who invadedAzerbaijan and therebellion that had begun in Persia. Timur had to retreat fromTbilisi. In 1389, after the death of the Imeretian king Alexander, Bagrat V managed to restore his suzerainty over his successor. Bagrat died in 1393, leaving the throne to his eldest sonGeorge.[9]
Bagrat's first wife wasHelena, who died of theBubonic plague in 1366 and her origin is unknown,[10] leaving her husband two sons:
In June 1367, Bagrat V marriedAnna Megale Komnene, the daughter of EmperorAlexios III of Trebizond.[5][11][12]
| Preceded by | King of Georgia 1360–1393 | Succeeded by |