“Mepeta Divani” as a Historical Source

The article is dedicated to the so called “Mepeta Divani” data having a significance of historical source. “Mepeta Divani” was issued by the king of the united Georgia Bagrat III. The historical data of “Mepeta Divani” are compared in details with the data of other historical sources. The author of the article expresses his viewpoints about the differences that are between the copy of “Mepeta Divani” (The council of king) and patriarch Dositheos’ (the patriarch of Jerusalem) “The History of Abkhazia”. The author speaks about the reasons why such differences exist and what kind of differences are they. With the help of “Mepeta Divani” and other Georgian, as well as foreign sources data comparison the dates of reign and chronological list of the rulers (“the kings of Abkhazians”) of the western Georgia kingdom (“the kingdom of Abkhazia”) are stated.
Leon II - 753 - 778/781 (782) – ruler (eristavi) of Abkhazia.
- 778/781-786 – ruler of Abkhazia.
- 786-798 – “The king of Abkhazians”.
Theodosius II - 798-825 - “The king of Abkhazians”.
Demetre II - 825-861 - “The king of Abkhazians”.
Giorgi I - 861-868 - “The king of Abkhazians”.
Ioane I and Adarnase I - 868-885/886 - “The kings of Abkhazians”.
Bagrat I or Tinen – the middle of the 60’s of the 9th century – till 868 – “ruler (eristavi) of Chikha”.
Bagrat I – the period of “banishment” 868-885/886
- 885/886-893 -“The king of Abkhazians”.
Konstantine III - 893-922 - “The king of Abkhazians”.
Konstantine III and Bagrat – co-ruling from near to 918 till 922.
Giorgi II and Bagrat – co-ruling from 922 till the death of Bagrat.
Giorgi II - 922-957 - “The king of Abkhazians”.
Leon III – from near to 929 till 957 “ruler (eristavi) of Kartli”.
- 957-967 - “The king of Abkhazians”.
Demetre III - 967-975 - “The king of Abkhazians”.
Theodosius III - 975-978 - “The king of Abkhazians”.
The author underscores that in Dositheos’ list one or tow more kings are mentioned than there are in the list of “Mepeta Divani”. This is a king Antarnase – David. While writing the list of “The Kings of Abkhazians” Dositheos and Bagrat III had different aims. Bagrat wanted to underscore that his thrown of “Abkhazian” kingdom was legitimate; wanted to prove ones more his links with the ruling dynasty of “the kings of Abkhazians”. As it seems passing of the legislation from the maternal side to the future king in “The kingdom of Abkhazians” (as the thrown of “Abkhazia” was passed to Bagrat III) needed special explanation and additional prove. That is why Bagrat issued a kind of document proving that he was the only real pretender to the thrown. As for the patriarch of Jerusalem Dositheos he only wanted to represent the history, to establish the list of “the kings of Abkhazians”. For reaching his goal he used “Mepeta Divani”. Supposedly, taking into consideration the other sources he made corrections. He knew well that Bagrat 108was a son of Gurgen and at the same time the adopted son of David Curopalate, the owner of Imier Tao (west Tao, now in Turkey). It seems that he also knew well the contribution of David Curopalate in Bagrat’s becoming a king. In the Dositheos’ list of “The kings of Abkhazians” “AntarnaseDavid” might be mentioned before Bagrat III because Dositheos may put David Curopalate in the list of kings as the representative of the legacy line in connection with Bagrat III. Bagrat III was David’s adopted son. As for Antarnase or Adarnase, he was David’s father. That is why mentioning “Antarnase (Adarnase) - David” together just shows their position and role in the legacy line of Bagrat. There also might be another reason of putting together the names “Antarnase (or Adarnase) - David” in the list. Bagrat III was a “king of Abkhazians and Georgians...” The whole copy of “Mepeta Divani”, Dositheos referred and used, is a document showing that adopting of the title “king of Abkhazians” by Bagrat III was legal. That is why we have the list of only “the kings of Abkhazians“. We also think that patriarch Dositheos might had more detailed information about Bagrat III and the history of those days Georgia. He might know well that the firs “king of Georgians” was Adarnase and according to the resent data supposedly this title was belonged to David III Curopalate before Bagrat III. Thus, we think that Adarnase-David in the list of Dositheos might be denoting the historical background of adopting by Bagrat III the title of “the king of Georgians” – as the first king was Adarnase and the last one before Bagrat III David III. To be more precise, Antarnase or Adarnase, “the king of Georgians”, mentioned in the list of Dositheos (who was the first king with this title. Lately it became one of the most significant and important components of the united Georgia kings’ title) and David III Curopalate (who adopted and supported Bagrat III ) are mentioned together before Bagrat III in the list of Dositheos. Thus, the author shows that Bagrat III is a legal hair of “the Kings of Abkhazians and Georgians”. He also shows historical reality and the role of David Curopalate in this affaire concerning his adopted son – Bagrat.
The problems of kin relations of “the kings of Abkhazians” and their ethnic background are discussed in the article. It also is underlined that as they were fighting for strengthening Georgian culture and Georgian state, from this point of view they are Georgians indeed.