Court officials of the Kingdom of Georgia
The court officials of the Kingdom of Georgia, were in charge of the royal court, that is to say, in the royal Palace, where the central institutions of the united Georgian Monarchy were concentrated, there were many services, subordinated to the most important officials of the Palace. Basing on such kind of services, the heads of the offices (so called Ukhutsesi) managed their fields. The middle and low officials of the services had to fulfill their duties in the various institutions of the Palace since these institutions were not clearly marked off according their fields and functions inside the Palace; they were not demarcated even physically. This was a place, where the officials of the king's domain, state and public services met.
The chronological lists below are not exhaustive, since there exist large gaps in the historical record.
Majordomo
The majordomo (Georgian: msakhurtukhutsesi) was the chief official of the court, who oversaw all the other officials.
Name | First record in office | Final record in office | Title(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Apridon | 1178 | 1184 | |
Vardan I Dadiani | 1185 | 1911 | |
Ivane Mkhargrdzeli | 1191 | 1207 | |
Vache I Vachutian | 1207[1] | ? | |
Vahram Gageli | 1212 | 1230 | |
Manavel (son of Vache) | 1230 | 1245 | |
Grigol Surameli | 1245 | 1260 | |
Bega Surameli | 1260 | 1280 | |
Hamada Surameli | 1280 | 1290 |
Chancellor
The Chancellor (Georgian: mtsignobartukhutsesi) was the head of the government.
Name | First record in office | Final record in office | Title(s) |
---|---|---|---|
George of Chqondidi | 1105 | 1118 | |
Svimeon | 1118 | 1140 | |
John | 1179 | ||
Anton Gnolistavisdze | 1177 | 1204 | |
Michael IV of Georgia | 1184 | 1185/6 | |
Theodore II of Georgia | 1204 | 1207 | |
Arsen of Georgia | 1063 | 1248 | |
Basil | 1250 | 1265 |
Treasurer
The treasurer (Georgian: mechurchletukhutsesi) was the official responsible for running the treasury of an organization.
Name | First record in office | Final record in office | Title(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Ivane (III) Vardanisdze | |||
Ivane Kolonkelisdze | 1177/1178 | ||
Qutlu Arslan | 1177 | 1185 | |
Kakhaber Vardanisdze | 1185 | ||
Abulasan | 1185 | 1188 | |
Shalva Toreli-Akhaltsikheli | 1212 | 1222 | |
Shota Rustaveli | |||
Ivane I Jaqeli | 1191 | 1247 | |
Gamrekeli Toreli | 1241 | ||
Mamucha | 1241/1242 | ||
Kakha (III) Toreli | 1250s | 1270s |
Master of ceremonies
The master of ceremonies (Georgian: mandaturtukhutsesi) was responsible for conducting stately ceremonies such as coronations and receptions of foreign ambassadors.
Name | First record in office | Final record in office | Title(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Ivane (III) Vardanisdze | |||
Ivane (I) Orbeli | |||
Sumbat (I) Orbeli | 1155 | ||
Ivane (II) Orbeli | 1160 | 1178 | |
Kubasar | 1178 | 1184 | |
Chiaberi | 1185 | 1195 | |
Zakaria II Mkhargrdzeli | 1195 | 1202/03 | |
Shalva Toreli-Akhaltsikheli | 1202/03 | 1215 | |
Shanshe Mkhargrdzeli | 1223 | 1261/2 | |
Avag-Sargis Mkhargrdzeli | 1262 | 1268 | |
Ivane II Mkhargdrzeli | 1268 | 1285 | |
Beka I Jaqeli | 1285 | 1308 | |
Sargis II Jaqeli | 1308 | 1334 |
Marshal
The marshal (Georgian: amirspasalar) had charge of the royal stables.
Name | First record in office | Final record in office | Title(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Ivane I Orbeli | 1128 | ||
Sumbat Orbeli | 1128 | 1155 | |
Kirkash Abuletisdze | 1155 | 1156 | |
Ivane II Orbeli | 1156 | 1178 | |
Kubasar | 1178 | 1184 | |
Sargis Mkhargrdzeli | 1185 | 1187 | |
Gamrekeli Toreli | 1187 | 1189 | |
Chiaber | 1090 | 1091 | |
Zakaria II Mkhargdzeli | 1191 | 1212 | |
Ivane Mkhargrdzeli | 1212 | 1227 | |
Shanshe Mkhargrdzeli | 1240 | ||
Avag Mkhargrdzeli | 1242 | 1250 | |
Zakaria III Mkhargrdzeli | 1250 | 1262 | |
Ivane Abuletisdze | 1260 | 1272 | |
Sadun of Mankaberd | 1272 | 1281/1282 | |
Qutlubugha | 1289 | 1293 | |
Mkhargrdzeli (son of Shanshe I) | 1285 | ||
Shanshe II Mkhargrdzeli | 1290 | 1310 | |
Qvarqvare I Jaqeli | 1334 | 1361 | |
Aghbugha I Jaqeli | 1361 | 1391 |
Tutor
The tutor (Georgian: atabeg) was one of the highest court titles created by Queen Tamar of Georgia in 1212 for her powerful subjects of the Mkhargrdzeli family. The atabeg of Georgia was a vizier and a Lord High Tutor to Heir Apparent. Not infrequently, the office of atabeg was combined with that of amirspasalar (commander-in-chief). In 1334, the title became hereditary in the Jaqeli family who ruled the Principality of Samtskhe. Therefore, this entity came to be denominated as Samtskhe-Saatabago, the latter element meaning "of the atabags".[2]
Name | First record in office | Final record in office | Title(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Ivane Mkhargrdzeli | 1207 | 1227 | |
Avag Mkhargrdzeli | 1227 | 1250 | |
Ivane (III) Abuletisdze | 1260 | 1272 | |
Sadun of Mankaberd | 1272 | 1281/1282 | |
Tarsaich Orbeli | 1284 | 1289 | |
Mkhargrdzeli (grandson of Shanshe I) | 1285 | ||
Shanshe II Mkhargrdzeli | 1290s | 1310s | |
Vahram Gageli | 1336 | 1290s | |
Sargis Jaqeli | 1282 | 1284 | |
Aghbugha | 1361 | 1391 |
Notes
- მეფეთა მეფე თამარის გარდაცვალების თარიღი "ოთხმეზურის წაკითხვით წარწერის ჩამონათვალში მსახურთუხუცესად ივანეს ნაცვლად ვაჩე იხსენიება, რაც, მისი აზრით, იმას ნიშნავს, რომ თამარის გარდაცვალების, მისი ვარაუდით, 1207 წელს, ამ სახელოს მფლობელი ვაჩეა, ხოლო ივანე ამ დროისთვის ათაბეგია."
- Toumanoff, Cyril (1967). Studies in Christian Caucasian History, p. 438, n. 1. Georgetown University Press.