David II ( ka, დავით II) (died 937) was a member of the
Georgian Bagratid dynasty of
Tao-Klarjeti and titular king of
Iberia
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese language, Aragonese and Occitan language, Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a pe ...
from 923 until his death.
The eldest son and ultimate successor of
Adarnase IV of Iberia
Adarnase IV ( ka, ადარნასე, tr) (died 923) was a member of the Georgian Bagratid dynasty of Tao-Klarjeti and prince of Iberia, responsible for the restoration of the Iberian kingship, which had been in abeyance since it had b ...
as king of Iberia, David's control was limited to the duchies of
Queli-
Javakheti
Javakheti ( ka, ჯავახეთი ) or Javakhk ( hy, Ջավախք, ''Javakhk'') is a historical province in southern Georgia, corresponding to the modern municipalities of Akhalkalaki, Aspindza (partly), Ninotsminda, and partly to the Turk ...
, and
Lower Tao as the core lands of Inner Iberia (
Shida Kartli) were under the
Abkhazian control. In spite of his royal title and unlike his father, David did not bear the traditional high
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
title of ''
curopalates'' which was bestowed by the
emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( ...
upon David's younger brother
Ashot II
Ashot II the Iron ( hy, Աշոտ Բ; r. 914–929) was an Armenian king of the royal Bagratuni line. He was the son and successor of King Smbat I. His reign was filled with rebellions by vassals and pretenders to the throne, as well as foreign in ...
. As a result, David's influence and prestige were overshadowed by those of his younger brother, Ashot II. As evidenced by
Constantine Porphyrogenitus
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (; 17 May 905 – 9 November 959) was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 6 June 913 to 9 November 959. He was the son of Emperor Leo VI and his fourth wife, Zoe Ka ...
's ''
De Administrando Imperio
''De Administrando Imperio'' ("On the Governance of the Empire") is the Latin title of a Greek-language work written by the 10th-century Eastern Roman Emperor Constantine VII. The Greek title of the work is ("To yown son Romanos"). It is a domes ...
'', David only had the title of ''
magistros
The ''magister officiorum'' (Latin literally for "Master of Offices", in gr, μάγιστρος τῶν ὀφφικίων, magistros tōn offikiōn) was one of the most senior administrative officials in the Later Roman Empire and the early cent ...
'' which he shared with his relative
Gurgen II of Tao. Both Gurgen and David resolutely opposed the Byzantine takeover of the Bagratid town of
Artanuji, a fief of Gurgen's father-in-law,
Ashot the Swift Ashot the Swift (died in 939) ( ka, აშოტ კისკასი, tr) was a Georgian prince of the Bagrationi dynasty from Tao-Klarjeti. He was nicknamed ''Kiskas'', meaning "the Swift"
Ashot was a son of Bagrat I of Klarjeti. He was marrie ...
. During the dispute, David even arrested the Byzantine plenipotentiary, the ''
patrikios
The patricians (from la, patricius, Greek: πατρίκιος) were originally a group of ruling class families in ancient Rome. The distinction was highly significant in the Roman Kingdom, and the early Republic, but its relevance waned aft ...
'' Constans, who was dispatched to create Gurgen ''
magistros
The ''magister officiorum'' (Latin literally for "Master of Offices", in gr, μάγιστρος τῶν ὀφφικίων, magistros tōn offikiōn) was one of the most senior administrative officials in the Later Roman Empire and the early cent ...
'' and bring David's brother Ashot for investiture as ''curopalates''.
David died childless, being succeeded by his brother
Sumbat I.
Toumanoff, Cyril
Cyril Leo Toumanoff (russian: Кирилл Львович Туманов; 13 October 1913 – 4 February 1997) was a Russian-born Georgian historian and genealogist who mostly specialized in the history and genealogies of medieval Georgia, Armenia, ...
(1967). ''Studies in Christian Caucasian History'', pp. 490–493. 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 s ...
.
References
937 deaths
Kings of Bagratid Iberia
Bagrationi dynasty of Iberia
10th-century monarchs in Asia
10th-century monarchs of Georgia
Year of birth unknown
Magistroi
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