David II of Kakheti

David II
Portrait by Grigory Gagarin, published 1847
King of Kakheti
Reign1703–1722
PredecessorHeraclius I
SuccessorConstantine II
RegentPrince Teimuraz (1709–1715)
Born1678 (1678)
Isfahan, Safavid Iran
Died2 November 1722(1722-11-02) (aged 43–44)
Burial
Qom, Safavid Iran
SpouseYatri-Jahan-Begum
Issue
Among others
DynastyBagrationi
FatherHeraclius I of Kakheti
MotherAna Cholokashvili
ReligionShia Islam
prev. Georgian Orthodox Church
KhelrtvaDavid II's signature

David II (Georgian: დავით II, romanized: davit II; 1678 – 2 November 1722), also known as Imam-Quli Khan (Persian: امام قلی خان, romanized: Emāmqolī Khān; Georgian: იმამყული-ხანი), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king (mepe) of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1703 to 1722. Although a Muslim and a loyal vassal of the Safavid Iran, he failed to ensure his kingdom's security and most of his reign was marked by razzias (called Lekianoba) - incessant inroads by the Dagestani mountainous clansmen.

Biography

David was a son of King Heraclius I of Kakheti and Queen Ana Cholokashvili. He was born and raised at the shah’s court at Isfahan and installed as wali (viceroy) of Kakheti upon his father's retirement to Iran in 1703.[1] David resided at Qara Aghach or Qaraghaji in eastern Kakheti, on the borders of Shirvan, but had to move his residence to Telavi after he failed to recover Balakan from the Lesgians of Char and lost Qakh to them in 1706. After the death of his father in 1709, David was ordered to Isfahan to receive his investiture from Shah Husayn, leaving his younger brother Teimuraz and mother Anna in charge of the government.

The years of his obliged absence at the Shah's court (1711–15), were troubled by the Dagestan attacks and peasant revolts.[1] Returning to Kakheti, David attempted to bring the situation under control. He made an alliance with Jesse, ruler of the neighboring Georgian kingdom of Kartli, and marched against Dagestan, but he suffered a crushing defeat and failed to prevent settlements of the Lezgins in the Kakhetian borderlands. In December 1719, he met Vakhtang VI of Kartli and negotiated a new alliance against the Dagestani clans. Early in 1720, reinforcements sent by Vakhtang under the command of Prince Erasti Kaplanishvili arrived in Kakheti, but David refrained from launching another expedition and sent the Kartlian army back home.

David died at his summer residence at Magharo in 1722 and was buried at Qum, Iran.[1]

Family

David was married to Yatri-Jahan-Begum (fl. 1722), daughter of Shakhrukh-Zadeh, Beglerbeg of Erivan, granddaughter of the Shamkhal, and sister of Fath-Ali Khan Daghestani. His children were:[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mikaberidze 2015, p. 249.
  2. ↑ Metreveli, Roin (2003). ბაგრატიონები. სამეცნიერო და კულტურული მემკვიდრეობა [Scientific and Cultural Heritage of the Bagrationis] (in Georgian and English). Tbilisi: Neostudia. Table 5. ISBN 99928-0-623-0.

Notes

Bibliography

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