Ashot I also known as Ashot Kukhi () (died 918) was a
Georgian prince of the
Bagratid dynasty of
Tao-Klarjeti and hereditary ruler of
Tao with the title of ''
eristavt-eristavi'', "duke of dukes". He was nicknamed ''kukhi'', meaning "the Immature".
Ashot was the younger son of
Gurgen I of Tao. After the death of his elder brother
Adarnase in 896, he probably stepped in and co-reigned with his nephew David who was still underage at that time. When David died in 908, Ashot became a sole ruler which he remained until his own death in 918.
[ Toumanoff, Cyril (1967). ''Studies in Christian Caucasian History'', pp. 493-6. ]Georgetown University Press
Georgetown University Press is a university press affiliated with Georgetown University that publishes about forty new books a year. The press's major subject areas include bioethics, international affairs, languages and linguistics, political sc ...
.
The Georgian chronicles
Kartlis Tskhovreba
''The Georgian Chronicles'' is a conventional English name for the principal compendium of medieval Georgian historical texts, natively known as ''Kartlis Tskhovreba'' ( ka, ქართლის ცხოვრება), literally "Life of Ka ...
and contemporary hagiography such as the Vita of Grigol Khandzteli by
Giorgi Merchule evidence that Ashot was a keen supporter of monasticism and cultural projects in Tao-Klarjeti. He sponsored the construction of a
cathedral at Tbeti in
Shavsheti (now
Cevizli,
Turkey) and installed as its first bishop
Stepane Mtbevari Stepane Mtbevari ( ka, სტეფანე მტბევარი) was a 10th-century hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, religious writer and calligrapher. ''Mtbevari'', "of T'beti", is the title indicating his holding of the diocese of ...
from whom Ashot commissioned the hagiographic novel ''Martyrdom of
Mikel-Gobron
Gobron ( ka, გობრონი, tr) also known as Mikel-Gobron or Michael-Gobron () (died November 17, 914) was a Christianity, Christian Georgians, Georgian military commander who led the defense of the fortress of Q'ueli against the Sajids, S ...
''. A statue purportedly showing Ashot Kukhi which was removed from Tbeti towards the end of
World War I is now on display at the
Art Museum of Georgia
The Art Museum of Georgia (AMG) ( ka, საქართველოს ხელოვნების მუზეუმი, ''sak'art'velos khelovnebis muzeumi''), alternatively known as Shalva Amiranashvili Museum of Fine Arts, is one of the l ...
in
Tbilisi.
[Antony Eastmond (1998), ''Royal Imagery in Medieval Georgia'', pp. 9-12. Penn State Press, .]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashot the Immature
Grand dukes of Tao
9th-century births
918 deaths
Year of birth unknown
10th-century rulers in Asia
10th-century monarchs of Georgia
10th-century people from Georgia (country)
Bagrationi dynasty of Tao