Bagrationi

The Bagrationi, also rendered Bagrationi or Bagrations, is the historic royal dynasty of Georgia, one of the oldest Christian monarchic houses in the region. The family dominated Georgian politics for several centuries, with members ruling the kingdoms of Kartli (Iberia), Kakheti, and Imereti, and ultimately presiding over the unified Kingdom of Georgia from roughly the 9th or 10th century until the early 19th century. In Russian and Western texts the name Bagrationi is common, while in Georgian the dynasty is known as ბაგრატიონები.

Origins and branches: The Bagrationi claim descent from the ancient Bagratid line of Iberia. The dynasty produced kings in Kartli and Kakheti, and in the 11th–12th centuries princes and nobles who supported the central monarchy. In the 12th and 13th centuries Georgia experienced a cultural and territorial peak under monarchs such as David IV and Tamar the Great, but later periods saw fragmentation into separate realms, notably the western kingdom of Imereti and the eastern principalities. In the 18th century, the Bagratids pressed for stronger ties with Russia, culminating in the Treaty of Georgievsk in 1783.

Decline and legacy: The Georgian statehood weakened under repeated wars and invasions, and in 1801 the eastern realm of Kartli-Kakheti was annexed by the Russian Empire, followed by Imereti in 1810. The dynastic line continued to exist as a noble and genealogical legacy, and some Bagrations became prominent in Russia, forming lines such as the Bagration-Dolgorukov. The Bagrationi remain a central symbol in Georgian history, literature, and national identity.

Overall, the dynasty is foundational to Georgia’s medieval and early modern history, shaping political structures, culture, and international relations in the region for centuries.