The Good Christian Ruler in the First Millennium by Philip Michael Forness Alexandra Hasse-Ungeheuer Hartmut Leppin

Author:Philip Michael Forness, Alexandra Hasse-Ungeheuer, Hartmut Leppin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: De Gruyter
Published: 2021-08-02T16:24:15.182000+00:00

The Image of Vakhtang I in the Life of Kartli

In the Life of Kartli, Vakhtang I Gorgasali,66 the son of Mirdat V and Sagduxt,67 comes of age in the context of this tense situation and has a Christian upbringing. Since the Life of Kartli depicts him as an ideal ruler, its statements regarding his life cannot be taken at face value. Yet his depiction is significant for understanding the concept of good rulership at the time at which this work was authored and redacted.68 This section focuses on the religious and especially the philosophical elements of the depiction of Vakhtang’s rule in the Life of Kartli in order to gain insight into the perspective on good rulership within this work.

According to the Life of Kartli, Vakhtang receives instruction from a Christian bishop. Through an education that was characterised by Christian spirituality, he then quickly develops into a staunch proponent of Christianity and a fierce opponent of Zoroastrianism.69 Already at a young age, he drafts policy guidelines and compiles them into a political platform, which he presents to the high nobility of Kartli and emphatically promotes. He promises the Georgian dignitaries unprecedented royal support, far exceeding that of his fathers.70 As the Life of Kartli suggests, Vakhtang keeps to his word, implementing his plans and cleverly gearing his politics towards the improvement of his subjects’ situation.

The Life of Kartli does not only esteem Vakhtang’s individual efforts towards ensuring safety for, strengthening, and consolidating Georgia. But it also attends to the remarkable king’s inner disposition and mindset. Throughout, the image of a good ruler with Christian virtues is clearly visible. Vakhtang searches for inspiration within the Holy Scriptures, reveres the biblical Kings David and Solomon, and is guided by their pious actions.71 Vakhtang also regards Constantine the Great as his role model. The miracles, which the Roman emperor had witnessed through the power of the cross, become a source of inspiration for him.72 King Solomon and Constantine are also considered exemplary monarchs by his advisors, especially because they had modelled their rule on the kingdom of heaven.73 According to the Life of Kartli, Christianity has a profound impact on the Georgian monarch’s style of rule.

But the image of a good Christian ruler in the Life of Kartli importantly extends beyond his Christian faith and suggests that he received a philosophical education. For example, it reports that the Georgian king distinguishes himself by his wisdom early on.74 The biographer implies here that Vakhtang did not merely have worldly wisdom but also a knowledge of philosophy that complements his Christian disposition. If what his biographer later wrote in this section is true, then Vakhtang’s tutors did not merely emphasise his religious education but also taught him philosophy.

This raises several difficult – perhaps unanswerable – questions. First, where might Vakhtang’s knowledge of philosophy have come from? Byzantium seems the only likely possibility.75 Since late Roman emperors wanted to both win over Georgia to their side in their conflict with Persia and to cement their influence

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