George VIII The last king of united Georgia Country: Georgia

1. Biography of George VIII of Georgia
2. Challenges and Defeats
3. Anti-Ottoman Coalition
4. Efforts and Disappointments

Biography of George VIII of Georgia

George VIII, the last king of united Georgia, was born as the son of King Alexander I and his second wife Tamara, the daughter of King Alexander I of Western Georgia (Imereit). He belonged to the Bagrationi dynasty. During George VIII's reign, the prolonged process of fragmentation of the feudal monarchy of Georgia into regional kingdoms was completed.

Challenges and Defeats

The region of Samtskhe-Saatabago was the first to break away from the unified kingdom. The eristav Bagrat, with claims to the throne of Western Georgia, declared war on George VIII. In the battle of Chikhori (1463), George VIII was defeated.

In 1465, the head of Samtskhe-Saatabago, Atabag Kvarkvare II, captured George VIII. Taking advantage of this situation, Bagrat proclaimed himself king of Georgia in 1466. After being released from captivity in 1466, George VIII was forced to retreat to Kakheti, which marked the beginning of Kakheti's secession.

Anti-Ottoman Coalition

George VIII was the first Georgian king to send an embassy to Europe (1458-1459) to create an anti-Ottoman coalition. A year earlier, Pope Callixtus III responded positively to the king's request for the election of a Georgian patriarch. Subsequently, George VIII and Kvarkvare II declared themselves subjects of the Pope, elected the papal nuncio, Franciscan Ludovico Bolognese, who was already in Georgia, and requested approval from the newly elected Pope Pius II.

Ludovico Bolognese presented George VIII's envoys to the Pope, who declared the unity of all Georgians: "...Your nuncio (Ludovico Bolognese) ordered us to make peace, and we are now ready to start a war with the Ottoman Empire as soon as you command. 120,000 warriors are ready to fight Emperor Mohammed in Asia...". Pope Pius II approved the appointment of the nuncio and attempted to strengthen the anti-Ottoman coalition in alliance with European kings.

Efforts and Disappointments

Georgian ambassadors also attended an audience with King Charles VII of France and his son Louis XI (1461-1482). Unfortunately, the desired result was not achieved, as Europe chose the path of reconciliation with the Ottoman Empire.

George VIII was married twice. His first wife was Tamar, the daughter of the atabag of Samtskhe, Kvarkvare III Jakeli (until 1445), and Nestan-Daredjan (until 1456). They had the following children:
- Vakhtang, the Prince of the province
- Ketevan (Christina), the Princess, who was married to Prince Vakhushti Shalikashvili
- Elena, the Princess, who was married to Spiridon Beanashvili

In his second marriage, George VIII had the following children:
- Alexander I, the King of Kakheti (1476-1511)
- Mariam, the Princess, who was married to the son of the eristav of Aragvi, Vamek Shaburidze
- An unnamed daughter, who was betrothed to the Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI and was killed during the siege of Constantinople in 1453.