David II, Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia facts for kids
David II (Georgian: დავით II, Davit' II) was an important religious leader in Georgia during the 1400s. He was a Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, which is like being the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
David II was the fourth son of King Alexander I. King Alexander I ruled Georgia from 1412 to 1442. David's mother was Tamar of Imereti, King Alexander's second wife.
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David II: A Georgian Church Leader
David II was chosen to be a Catholicos-Patriarch in 1426. This was a very high position in the church. It meant he was a spiritual leader for many people in Georgia.
How Long Was He in Charge?
Historians don't fully agree on how long David II was the Catholicos-Patriarch. Some historians believe there were actually three different leaders named David during the 1400s. These might have been David II (1426–1428), David III (1435–1439), and David IV (1447–1457). The Georgian Orthodox Church also follows this idea.
Different Ideas About His Time
The confusion comes from different old documents. These documents sometimes show different dates for leaders named David. Also, some historians count the first David from a much earlier time (859–861). This changes the numbers after the names (like David II or David III).
What One Historian Believes
However, another historian named Cyril Toumanoff has a different idea. He believes that all these names refer to the same person: David, the son of King Alexander I.
According to Toumanoff, David was born around 1417. His father, King Alexander I, planned for him to join the church from a young age. David became, or was chosen to be, a Catholicos in 1426.
Toumanoff thinks David stayed in this role until he passed away around 1457. During this time, two other church leaders, Theodore and Shio, are mentioned in records. They were active between 1427–1434 and 1440–1446. Toumanoff believes they were locum tenentes. This means they were temporary stand-ins or acting leaders. They held the title of Catholicos while David was still very young. David himself took full control of the Georgian church around 1447.
See also
In Spanish: David II (catolicós patriarca de Georgia) para niños
