''Amirspasalar'' or ''amirspasalari'' ( ka,
ამირსპასალარი, from fa, امیر سپه سالار, ) was the
commander-in-chief of the medieval Georgian army and one of the highest officials of the
Kingdom of Georgia
The Kingdom of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამეფო, tr), also known as the Georgian Empire, was a medieval Eurasian monarchy that was founded in circa 1008 AD. It reached its Golden Age of political and economic ...
, commonly rendered as "Lord High Constable" (and sometimes also as ''
generalissimo
''Generalissimo'' ( ) is a military rank of the highest degree, superior to field marshal and other five-star ranks in the states where they are used.
Usage
The word (), an Italian term, is the absolute superlative of ('general') thus me ...
'') in English. It is composed of ''
amir
Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cerem ...
'', an
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
term meaning 'commander', 'governor', or 'prince'; and ''
sipahsalar
''Ispahsālār'' ( fa, اسپهسالار) or ''sipahsālār'' (; "army commander"), in Arabic rendered as ''isfahsalār'' () or ''iṣbahsalār'' (), was a title used in much of the Islamic world during the 10th–15th centuries, to denote the se ...
'', from the Persian for 'army commander'.
[Robert Bedrosian, "Amirspasalar", in: Joseph Reese Strayer (1983), '']Dictionary of the Middle Ages
The ''Dictionary of the Middle Ages'' is a 13-volume encyclopedia of the Middle Ages published by the American Council of Learned Societies between 1982 and 1989. It was first conceived and started in 1975 with American medieval historian Josep ...
'', p. 235. Scribner, .
The ''amirspasalar'' was a wartime supreme commander-in-chief of the royal armies, and the bearer of the state flag. Under
Queen Tamar
Tamar the Great ( ka, თამარ მეფე, tr, lit. "King Tamar") ( 1160 – 18 January 1213) reigned as the Queen of Georgia from 1184 to 1213, presiding over the apex of the Georgian Golden Age. A member of the Bagrationi dynasty ...
(r. 1184–1213), it was the third great, after the ''
atabek
Atabeg, Atabek, or Atabey is a hereditary title of nobility of Turkic origin, indicating a governor of a nation or province who was subordinate to a monarch and charged with raising the crown prince. The first instance of the title's use was wit ...
'', office of the Georgian state. ''
The Institution of the Royal Court'', most probably codified during the second reign of
George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936.
Born duri ...
(1314–1346) defines the office as "an honorary
vizier
A vizier (; ar, وزير, wazīr; fa, وزیر, vazīr), or wazir, is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in the near east. The Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was a ...
and the head of army".
The title of ''amirspasalar'' is first mentioned in the reign of
George III of Georgia
George III ( ka, გიორგი III) (died 27 March 1184), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the 8th King of Georgia from 1156 to 1184. He became king when his father, Demetrius I, died in 1156, which was preceded by his brother's revolt agains ...
(1156-1184), but it was apparently introduced by George's grandfather
David IV
David IV, also known as David the Builder ( ka, დავით აღმაშენებელი, ') (1073–1125), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the 5th king of United Georgia from 1089 until his death in 1125.
Popularly considered to be ...
(r. 1089–1125), who had substantially reformed Georgia's military and civil administration. In the early 12th century the ''amirspasalar'' was chosen from the
House of Orbeli
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
, but in 1155,
David
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
, son of
Demetrius I of Georgia
Demetrius I ( ka, დემეტრე) ( 1093 – 1156), from the Bagrationi dynasty, was King of Georgia from 1125 to 1156. He is also known as a poet. He was King of United Georgian kingdom two times, first in 1125 to 1154 and second in 1155 b ...
, overthrow his father and attempted to curb the Orbeli influence by transferring the post to their rival,
Tirkash Abuletisdze. After Demetrius's restoration, the Orbeli again held the post down to their rebellion against George III in 1176–1177, when it was given to Qubasar, of
Kipchak origin. In 1184, Queen Tamar removed Qubasar and appointed a member of the
Gamrekeli
The Toreli ( ka, თორელი), earlier known as the Gamrekeli (გამრეკელი), were a noble family in medieval Georgia (country), Georgia, known from the 10th century and prominent into the 14th. The dynastic name "Toreli" is ...
family. Later, the office passed to the family of
Zachariads (
Mkhargrdzeli), succeeded by the
Jaqeli
The House of Jaqeli ( ka, ჯაყელი) was a Georgian princely (''mtavari'') family and a ruling dynasty of the Principality of Samtskhe, an offshoot of the House of Chorchaneli.
History
"Jaqeli", literally meaning "of/from Jaqi", was ori ...
.
The position was effectively abolished with the dismemberment of the Kingdom of Georgia later in the 15th century.
See also
*
Court officials of the Kingdom of Georgia The court officials of the Kingdom of Georgia, were in charge of the royal court.
The chronological lists below are not exhaustive, since there exist large gaps in the historical record.
Majordomo
The majordomo (Georgian: msakhurtukhutsesi) w ...
*''
Spaspet ''Spaspet'' ( ka, სპასპეტი) was a feudal office in Georgia (country), Georgia that originated in Caucasian Iberia, ancient Iberia. It is usually translated in English language, English as High Constable.
The institution of ''spasp ...
''
References
Military ranks of Georgia (country)
Noble titles of Georgia (country)
Military history of the Kingdom of Georgia
Georgian words and phrases
Georgian military ranks of Persian origin
11th-century establishments in the Kingdom of Georgia
15th-century disestablishments in the Kingdom of Georgia
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