Vakhtang III (Georgian: ვახტანგ III; 1276–1308), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the king (mepe) of Georgia from 1302 to 1308. He ruled during the Mongol dominance of Georgia.

Vakhtang III
Relief of King Vakhtang III
King of Georgia
Reign1302–1308
PredecessorGeorge V
David VIII
SuccessorDavid VIII
Born1276
Died1308
Burial
SpouseRipsime
IssueDemetrius
George
DynastyBagrationi dynasty
FatherDemetre II of Georgia
ReligionGeorgian Orthodox Church

A son of Demetrius II of Georgia by his Trapezuntine wife, Vakhtang was appointed, in 1302, by the Ilkhan Ghazan as a rival king to his brother David VIII, who had revolted against the Mongol rule. Vakhtang, however, controlled only the Georgian capital of Tbilisi and parts of the southern and eastern provinces of the kingdom. After an unsuccessful offensive against David's guerrillas, the brothers agreed to rule the kingdom jointly. However, Vakhtang was destined to spend most of his reign as a commander of the Georgian and Armenian auxiliaries in endless Mongol campaigns, particularly against Damascus (1303) and Gilan (1304).

Family

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Vakhtang III married Ripsime.[1][better source needed] The 18th-century Georgian Chronicle mentions her as a niece of Shabur. They had two known sons:

Ancestry

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References

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  1. ^ Marek, Miroslav. "Miroslav Marek, "Genealogy.Eu: Bagrationi family, page 3". Genealogy.EU.[self-published source]
  • Ivane Javakhishvili. History of the Georgian nation. v. 3; Tbilisi, 1982: 147-150 (in Georgian)
Preceded by King of Georgia
1302–1308
Succeeded by
David VIII