George IV of Georgia

George IV (გიორგი IV), also known as Lasha Giorgi (ლაშა გიორგი) (1191–1223), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the king (mepe) of the Kingdom of Georgia from 1213 to 1223.

Early life
George was the son of Queen Tamar of Georgia and her consort David Soslan, George was declared as a coregent by his mother in 1207. According to the Georgian chronicles the second name Lasha meant 'illuminator of the world' in the language of Apsar (cf. a-lasha meaning light in Abkhaz language).

He had princely domain in Javakheti, centered at Alastani, for which he was known by the title of javakht' up'ali, i.e., "the Lord of the Javakhians" as suggested by a type of silver coins struck in his name.

Reign
After Tamar's death, George IV became the ruler of Kingdom of Georgia, George continued Tamar's policy of strengthening of the feudal Georgian state.

The feudal lords supporting George were Sargis Tmogveli, Shalva and Ivane Akhaltsikheli, Sula Surameli, Botso and Memna Jaqeli. Lasha's opponents were Ivane I Mkhargrdzeli and Varam Gageli. At Tamar's death, the atabeg of Ganja stopped to pay tribute, King George called Darbazi – the supreme royal council – where he proposed punishing the atabeg of Ganja immediately. The nobles approved a campaign and with an ample army George IV set out to ravage Ganja. The Georgian army under Ivane Mkhargrdzeli immediately sent troops to Ganja and enforced Georgian suzerainty by besieging, instead of storming the city. George lost patience with his generals’ decision, detached 4,000 men from the siege force and circled Ganja. The Ganja garrison realized George’s vulnerability: 10,000 well-armed men left the citadel and attacked. The ensuing fighting, although the Georgians won, caused heavy casualties, but the atabeg of Ganja agreed to pay tribute again.

The economy of Georgia's vassal states suffered from inflation in the 1210s. The nineteen lines inscribed on the stone block of the new ruined church of Ani record the head of the Georgian Church, Catholicos Epiphanes, a condyophysite layman. The fees for baptism, marriage and burial increased three times and reached 100 Tbilisi's drams, priests also demanded a banquet or a whole cow hide. The clergy refused to accept less, the laity boycotted the church. Epiphanes ordered the fess to be reduced by two-thirds: any extra should be within the layman's means. If this inflation was general, it explains the reluctance of Armenian cities to pay taxes to Tbilisi. Unlike in the east, where the Khwarazmians blocked Georgia from action, in the south the Georgian army could enforce its will.

In 1219 George campaigned against Erzurum, Nakhchivan and Ahlat and forced them to pay annual tribute, George once again confirmed the Georgian dominance in Anatolia and Iran. Innocent III had managed to secure the participation of the Kingdom of Georgia in the Crusade. In the late 1210s, according to the Georgian chronicles, George began making preparations for a campaign in the Holy Land to support the Franks. The first Mongol expedition defeated two Georgian armies in 1221–1222 and left through the Inner Caucasus. Georgians suffered heavy losses in this war, and the King himself was severely wounded, His plans for the Fifth Crusade were cut by the invasion of the Mongols.

King George IV went to Bagavan, Armenia, to secure his sister's marriage to the Shah of Shirvan and ensure her succession. But at the age of 31, he died prematurely due to complications from his wound in Bagavan. He was succeeded by his sister Rusudan. George was buried at Gelati monastery.

Family
While George IV was relaxing in Kakheti, in the village of Velistsikhe, he spotted a pretty young woman, a freeman's daughter; he seduced her, and, although she was married, installed her at royal court. In 1215, she had a son with him (the future king David VII Ulugh), whom the king gave to his sister Rusudan to bring up. This upset the Georgian Orthodox Church and deputation of bishops, and the Catholicos and ministers came to remonstrate with the king: the woman was a commoner as well as another man’s wife. George IV was forced to let nuns escort his mistress back to her husband. But he adamantly deemed the woman from Velistsikhe his wife and refused any marriage which his court might negotiate for him. The king would not beget a legitimate heir.


 * David VII Ulugh, King of Georgia.