12. The family of Bagrationi-Mukhraneli
In the 16th century, in 1512, Prince Bagrat Bagrationi, the brother of David X (King of Kartli),
received the Mukhrani region with more than 60 villages as the Principality, named after as
Samukhranbatono and owners of it – as Bagration-Mukhranbatonis or Bagration-Mukhranelis
(the Russian form – Bagration-Mukhranski). This important Principality existed after annexation
of Georgia by the Tsarist Russia during whole 19th century (before the 1918).
It will be noted, that in the 17th-18th centuries (before 1724) the Kingdom of Kartly was ruled by
the representatives of this branch of Bagrationi’s family as the Kartli’s Governors (Janishins)
from the first and after – as the Kings. The Kings of Kartli from the family of Bagration-
Mukhraneli were: Vakhtang V, Giorgi XI, Erekle I, Vakhtang VI, Kaikhosro and Iese.
It is notable, that representative of this branch of Bagrationi’s family in Europe is the present
Head of the Bagrationi’s Royal House, H.R.H., Prince David Bagrationi (b. in 1976), the son of
H.R.H., Prince Giorgi (Jorge) Bagrationi de Moukhrani (1944, Rome, - 2008, Tbilisi).
After occupation-annexation of the Democratic
Republic of Georgia (1918-1921) by Bolshevik Russia in 1921, the one part of Bagration-
Mukhranelis forced to leave Georgia and chanced to find oneself in Europe. The remained part of
this and other branches of the Bagrationi’s family was under permanent repression of the
Bolshevik-Communist regime.
The one, who could leave Georgia with his family and emigrated to Europe, was the grandfather
of H.R.H, Prince Giorgi (Jorge) Bagration de Mukhranski – Prince Giorgi Bagration-Mukhraneli.
Father of Prince Jorge Bagrationi – H.R.H., Prince Irakli Bagration-Mukhraneli (1909-1977) was
one of the noted representatives of the Georgian Political Emigration. In 1939 he founded an
Orthodox Knightly Order of a Tunic of our Lord (He was a Grand Master of this Order). In 1942
in Germany “The Union of Georgian Traditionalists” was created by his guidance. The main
purposes of this Union were liberation of Georgia from tyranny of Soviet Empire and foundation
of the Constitutional Monarchy in Georgia.
The 1st wife of H.R.H. Irakli Bagration-Mukhraneli was the daughter of the Italian Count Hugo
Pascuini – Maria-Antoinette (mother of Prince Jorge Bagrationi, dead in 1944) and the second –
Infanta Maria-Mersedes , representative of the Spanish Royal House of Borbones (dead in 1961).
Only after 1990, when the national forces, guided by the first democratically elected President of
the Republic of Georgia, Dr. Zviad K. Gamsakhurdia (1939-1993), came to power and Georgia
restored its State Independence, it would be possible to put close connection with Bagrationi’s
Royal House in Europe.
Page 1 .
References:
l A. Khakhanov. "Histoire de la Georgie", Paris, 1900 (in French)
l L. Le Four. “Georgia and International Law”, Paris, 1932 (in French)
l Al. Sanders (Al. Nikuradze). “Kaukasien”, Munchen, 1944 (in German)
l A. Manvelichvili. "Histoire de la Georgie", Paris, 1951 (in French)
l A. Manvelishvili. "Russia and Georgia. 1801-1951", Vol. I, Paris, 1951 (in Georgian)
l C. Kandelaki. “The Georgian Question before the Free World”, Paris, 1953
l A. Papava. “Georgia (Historia, Geografia, Economia), Buenos Aires, 1953 (in Spanish)
l Jan V. Nanuashvili. “What everyone in the Free World should know about Russia”, New
York – Washington – Hollywood, 1973
l K. Salia. "History of the Georgian Nation", Paris, 1983
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l P. Ingorokva. Giorgi Merchule (a monograph), Tbilisi, 1954 (in Georgian)
l E. Takaishvili. "Georgian chronology and the beginning of the Bagratid rule in Georgia".-
Georgica, London, v.I, 1935
l Sumbat Davitis dze. "Chronicle of the Bagrastion's of Tao-Klarjeti", with the investigation
of Ekvtime Takaishvili, Tbilisi, 1949 (in Georgian)
l "Das Leben Kartlis", ubers. und herausgegeben von Gertrud Patch, Leipzig, 1985 (in
German)
l “Familles Princieres de Georgie” by J. Ferrand, Montreuil, 1983 (in French)
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"Tsiskari", Tbilisi, No 4, 1991, pp. 144-148 (in Georgian)
l V. Guchua, N. Shoshiashvili. "Bagration's".- Encyclopedia "Sakartvelo", vol.I, Tbilisi,
1997, pp. 318-319 (in Georgian)
l Sumbat Davitis dze, “Tskhovreba da Utskebay Bagrationta”, Edited by Dr. Goneli
Arakhamia, Publishing House “Metsniereba”, Tbilisi, 1990 (in Georgian)
l “North and South” by Dr. Tedo Dundua.-
http://www.nato.int/acad/fellow/99-01/dundua.
pdf , 1999 (in English)
l “History of Georgia” by Dr. Giorgi Gabeskiria.-
http://www.nplg.gov.ge/ic/library_e/
gabeskiria , 2002 (in Georgian and English)
l “Georgia”.-
History , 2003 (in English)
l “The Bagrationi (Bagration) Dynasty” by Christopher Buyers.-
http://4dw.net/royalark/
Georgia/georgia.htm (in English)
l Prince Jorge de Bagration.-
Jorge de Bagration - Career Summary (in English).