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Archil IIKing of Imereti and Kakheti, lyric poet, eldest son of the King of Kartli Vakhtang V
Date of Birth: 01.01.1647
Country:  Georgia |
Content:
- King of Imereti and Kakheti, Poet, and Founder
- Literary Pursuits and Exile
- Founding of the Georgian Colony
- Personal Life and Legacy
King of Imereti and Kakheti, Poet, and Founder
Early Life and RuleArchil II was born in 1647 as the eldest son of King Vakhtang V of Kartli. In 1661, his father appointed him as King of Imereti, a position he held intermittently throughout his life (1661-1663, 1678-1679, 1690-1691, 1695-1696, 1698). Additionally, he reigned as King of Kakheti from 1664 to 1675.
Literary Pursuits and Exile
Archil II was also a noted poet and the author of the lyrical collection "Archiliani." In 1681, he, along with his children, sought refuge in Russia. He later returned to Georgia and regained the throne of Imereti for a brief period. However, in 1699, he permanently emigrated to Russia, settling in Moscow.
Founding of the Georgian Colony
In Moscow, Archil II became instrumental in establishing a Georgian colony in the village of Vsekhsvyatskoye. Under his patronage, the first Georgian printing press was opened there.
Personal Life and Legacy
Archil II married twice. His first wife was the daughter of Prince Nodar Tsitsishvili. In 1667 or 1668, he married his second wife, Ketevan, the granddaughter of King Teimuraz I of Kakheti. All of his children were born from his second marriage.
Archil II passed away on February 16, 1713, and was laid to rest in the Don Monastery in Moscow. His remains were placed in the Sretenskaya Church, a family crypt that he had founded.
