Zakarid-Mkhargrzeli

The Zakarid (Armenian: Զաքարյաններ, Zak'aryanner), also known by their Georgian language moniker as Mkhargrdzeli (Georgian: მხარგრძელი), were a noble family prominent in medieval Armenia and Georgia. Their name in Georgian, Mkhargrdzeli, or in Armenian: Երկայնաբազուկ, (Yerkaynbazuk) meant long-armed. A family legend says that this name was a reference to their Achaemenid ancestor Artaxerxes II the "Longarmed" (404-358 BC).^[1]

The family was of Armenian origin.^[2] Some historians think they were of Kurdish origin.^[3]

Origin

When the Georgian King David IV the Restorer liberated these lands from the Seljuq grasp, the Zakarids came to be loyal vassals of the Georgian Bagratids, as they had served the Kingdom of Lori. They subsequently gained more prominence as military commanders and sponsors of cultural activities in both Armenian and Georgian lands.

Zakare and Ivane were the most brilliant representatives of the family, who succeeded in liberating several Armenian districts with the Georgian army from the Muslim overlords and were responsible for Georgian-Armenian military victories during the era of Tamar of Georgia (1184-1212/3). Around the same time, Ivane converted to Georgian-Orthodox Christianity, while Zakare remained Armenian-Apostolic in faith. Both brothers left several bilingual inscriptions across the Armeno-Georgian border lands and built several churches and forts.

References

• Minorsky, Vladimir (1953). Studies in Caucasian History. New York: Taylor’s Foreign Press. pp. 102–103. ISBN 0521057353. 
• Sim, Steven. "The City of Ani: A Very Brief History". VirtualANI. http://www.virtualani.org/history/part1.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-15. 
• Vardan, Arewelts'i. "Compilation of History: 82". RBedrosian. http://rbedrosian.com/va3.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-15. 

1. ^ Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd volume, page 676
2. ^ Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd volume, page 676
3. ^ The Making of the Georgian Nation p 39, Ronald Grigor Suny, Published 1994, Indiana University Press, 418 pages, ISBN 0253209153

See also

• Zakarid Armenia