Kingdom of Hereti facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kingdom of Hereti ⴠⴄⴐⴄⴇⴈⴑ ⴑⴀⴋⴄⴔⴍ
893–1020s
situation in the Caucasus in 850s (Hereti's greatest extent)
Status	Kingdom
Capital	Shaki 41°11′31″N 47°10′14″E / 41.19194°N 47.17056°E / 41.19194; 47.17056
Official languages	Georgian
Common languages	Georgian Caucasian Albanian
Religion	Georgian Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodox
King
Historical era	Early Middle Ages
• Established	893
• Disestablished	1020s
Succeeded by Kingdom of Kakheti-Hereti
Today part of	Countries today Georgia Azerbaijan Russia

The Kingdom of Hereti (Georgian: ⴠⴄⴐⴄⴇⴈⴑ ⴑⴀⴋⴄⴔⴍ, Heretis samepo) was a medieval kingdom in the Caucasus region. It existed during the Early Middle Ages, from 893 to the 1020s. Today, the land that was once Hereti is part of southeastern Georgia and northwestern Azerbaijan.

People believe the name Hereti came from a legendary leader named Heros. He was said to have founded a city called Hereti near the Alazani River.

Hereti's Early Days

In ancient times, Hereti was part of Caucasian Albania. As Caucasian Albania became weaker, Hereti slowly joined the Iberian kingdom. By the 5th century, it became one of Iberia's provinces, called a saeristavo. The people living there gradually became part of the Georgians. This is when the name Hereti first appeared in Georgian writings.

Hereti was home to many different groups of people. These included Caucasian Albanians, Dagestani, Armenians, Persians, and Georgians. It had busy towns that traded with places like Persia and Armenia.

Becoming a Principality

Around 740–750 AD, an Iberian ruler named Archil of Kakheti rewarded the noble Bagrationi family. He gave them control of Hereti for helping fight against the Arab occupation.

Later, in 787, the local lords of Hereti decided to become independent. They formed their own principality, a smaller state ruled by a prince. Their capital city was Shaki.

The Kingdom of Hereti

Rise to Power

The first known ruler of Hereti was Sahl Smbatean. In 822, he took control by defeating the ruling family of Caucasian Albania. He even called himself "Shah of Arran". Sahl tried to gain favor with the Caliphate (the Arab empire) by betraying a rebel leader.

However, Sahl later lost the trust of the Arabs and was arrested. His son, Adarnase I, and grandson, Grigol Hamam, ruled after him. By 893, the principality of Hereti had grown strong. Prince Grigol Hamam was then crowned as its first king.

Challenges and Changes

The growing power of Hereti worried its neighbor, the Kakhetian principality. In 915, the Kakhetian ruler, Kvirike I, teamed up with King Constantine III of Abkhazia. They attacked King Adarnase II Patrikios of Hereti.

The allies took over and divided Hereti for a short time. But King Adarnase Patrikios quickly won back his lands. Hereti survived these attacks. However, it lost control of Caucasian Albania to its powerful neighbor, the Sallarid dynasty.

Adarnase Patrikios married Queen Dinar, who was a princess from another kingdom. They had a son named Ishkhanik.

Queen regnant Dinar.

Ishkhanik became king after his father. Under his rule, Hereti had to accept the power of the stronger Principality of Daylam, which was ruled by the Sallarid dynasty.

An important event happened during Ishkhanik's reign. His mother, Queen Dinar, helped Hereti change its main religion. In the 10th century, the kingdom converted to the Eastern Orthodox faith. Before this, they followed the Oriental Orthodox faith.

In 950, Ishkhanik saw a chance to regain independence. The Sallarid state was having internal problems. Ishkhanik stopped paying tribute, making Hereti independent again.

Peak of Power

The next ruler, John (also known as Ioane Senekerim), ruled from 951 to 959. During his time, the Kingdom of Hereti reached its strongest point. He added the right bank of Caucasian Albania to his kingdom. An Armenian historian even called him the "restorer of the Kingdom of Albania."

John also took parts of Kakheti and called himself "King of the Tsanars." He had good relationships with the Sallarid Dynasty and with David III Kuropalates of Tao. Like his father and grandmother, Queen Dinar, he helped a lot with the religious conversion of his kingdom. John died in 959 without any children to take his place.

End of the Kingdom

After John's death, the land of Hereti was fought over. David, the ruler of Kakheti, and Bagrat III, the Georgian king, both wanted control. King Bagrat III wanted to unite all Georgian lands into one big kingdom.

In the 1020s, the next Kakhetian ruler, Kvirike III the Great, finally took over Hereti. He combined it with his own lands to form the Kingdom of Kakheti-Hereti.

Later, in 1104, the Georgian king David the Builder brought this combined kingdom under his control. Hereti then became a saeristavo (a duchy) within the larger Georgian kingdom.

Over the centuries, different empires ruled Hereti, including the Atabegs of Azerbaijan, the Khwarezmid Empire, and the Ilkhanids. After the unified Georgian monarchy broke apart in 1466, Hereti became part of the Kakhetian crown. Eventually, the name "Hereti" slowly disappeared from history books and everyday use.

Rulers of Hereti

See also

• Caucasian Albania
• History of Georgia
• Kakheti
• Saingilo