David VII of Georgia

Davit VII redirects here. There was also a Caucasian Albanian Catholicos Davit VII, who ruled in 965–971.

David VII, also known as David Ulu (Mongol hegemony, seceded in western moiety of the kingdom, while David VII was relegated to the rule of eastern Georgia. During his reign, Georgia went into further decline under the Mongol overlordship.

Early life and diarchy

David was an illegitimate son of King

Decline of the kingdom

In 1256, David Ulu with the Georgian auxiliaries took part in Mongol conquest of Samtskhe, defeated the king and his spasalar (general) Sargis Jakeli of Samtskhe, but could not capture the rebels’ main strongholds and left the country in June 1261. Nevertheless, the forces were unequal and David Ulu had to take refuge at his cousin, David VI Narin’s court at Kutaisi. His family was captured and David’s wife Gvantsa killed by the Mongols. In 1262, he had to make peace with the Mongols and returned to Tbilisi, effectively splitting the country into two parts with both rulers titled as kings of Georgia.

Later life

By the Berke, Khan of the Golden Horde, and expelled his troops from Shirvan. A heavy burden of Mongol dominance led to a political and economic crisis in the kingdom. As a result of a dispute with the royal court, the province of Samtskhe seceded and submitted directly to the Ilkhan rule in 1266. Thus, Georgia further disintegrated to form three separate political entities.

David VII Ulu died of a bowel infection at the age of 55 in the spring of 1270. He was buried at Demetre II.

Marriage and children

He was married four times. His first wife, Jigda-Khatun, either a Mongol woman or a daughter of the Sultan of Rum, died in 1252. In the meantime (1249/50), he bigamously contracted a union with an Alan woman, Altun, whom