David III, Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia facts for kids

David III or IV (Georgian: დავით III/IV, davit' III/IV) was an important religious leader in Georgia during the 1400s. He was known as the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, which means he was the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church. We know about David from old documents written between 1435 and 1439. These papers show that David worked hard to rebuild the main church center in Mtskheta. This area had been badly damaged by Timur's attacks earlier in that century. David was the church leader when a big meeting called the Council of Florence happened from 1438 to 1439. At this meeting, representatives from Georgia decided not to join forces with the Roman Catholic Church.

Who Was David III/IV?

David III or IV was a powerful religious leader in Georgia. He held the title of Catholicos-Patriarch. This role is like being the main spiritual leader for the entire country. He was in charge of the Georgian Orthodox Church during the mid-1400s. We learn about him from historical records. These records cover the years from 1435 to 1439.

Rebuilding Georgia's Church

During David's time, Georgia was recovering from tough times. The country had suffered a lot from Timur's attacks. These invasions caused much damage, especially to important religious places. David focused on bringing back the strength of the church. He worked to restore the patriarchal see of Mtskheta. This was a very important religious center for Georgia. His efforts helped to heal the country after the destruction.

The Big Church Meeting: Council of Florence

David's time as Catholicos-Patriarch also included a major event. This was the Council of Florence, also known as the Council of Ferrara. It was a large meeting of church leaders from different parts of the world. The meeting took place from 1438 to 1439. During this council, Georgian representatives were present. They had to make a big decision. They chose not to unite with the Roman Catholic Church. This decision was important for the future of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

A Mystery: Was David One Person or Three?

Historians are not completely sure about David III/IV. There is a debate about whether he was one person or several. Some scholars believe that David III is the same person as David II (III) and David IV (V). These other Davids are mentioned in documents from 1426–1428 and 1447–1457.

Traditional lists of Georgian church leaders, like those by Michel Tamarati and Roin Metreveli, say there were three different Davids in the 15th century. The Georgian Orthodox Church also agrees with this view. However, some historians, like Cyril Toumanoff, think it was just one person. They believe this one person was a son of King Alexander I of Georgia. The confusion comes from different groups of documents. Also, the numbers after David's name change because some historians leave out an earlier Catholicos David from 859–861.