THE ROYAL HOUSE OF GEORGIA
Canada Delegation
Frequently Asked Questions
: “Isn't Georgia a Republic and not a Monarchy?”
: Yes, Georgia is a Republic. However, the country, which has been united and subsequently fractured at different points in its history, has a strong monarchial tradition. While the current government does not recognize anyone as the heir to the throne in an official capacity, H.R.H. Crown Prince Nugzar is the senior descendant by male primogeniture of King George XII, the last monarch to rule in the Kingdom of Kartli and Kakheti (modern-day Georgia).
The Georgian Parliament is to discuss the possibility of restoring the monarchy in the country. The idea was floated by the Head of the Georgian Orthodox Church and has been warmly greeted by opposition parties.
With no end in sight to Georgia's political turmoil, the country's top religious leader has proposed a radical solution – bringing back the country's royal family.
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, says putting the Bagrationi family back on the throne could end the nation's political woes.
“This is not a matter to be decided by others. It is we who should decide this. The Georgian people and the people living in Georgia have to decide this. You know that the rule of the Bagrationi Dynasty was terminated in 1801, and since then Georgian people have nurtured a dream to restore the ancient, divinely blessed dynasty,” he said.
The Bagrationi Dynasty is the longest serving royal house in Europe. They ruled Georgia in one form or another for over a thousand years, until Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire and the monarchy was abolished.
The State Council of Heraldry, the official heraldic governing body of the Republic of Georgia, on May 12, 2012, concluded that the arms of H.R.H. Crown Prince Nugzar (including heraldic additaments that identify him as the royal heir) were appropriately prepared. This would seem to be an implicit recognition of his foremost place in succession. Additionally, in 2013, a video was prepared by the Patriarchate of Georgia that specifically identifies him as the heir to the throne of Georgia.
H.R.H. Crown Prince Nugzar’s ancestors were recognized as the rightful royal heirs of Georgia by the Russian Empire. Some of the Crown Prince’s forefathers endured prison and hardship because they were viewed as threats by the Soviet regime after the fall of the Russian Empire. To a lesser extent, H.R.H. Crown Prince Nugzar himself faced persecution for his royal status during the Soviet era.
: “Do your officers really serve without financial compensation?"
: Yes, all members of our organization serve without financial compensation. The Delegation has been organized to provide loyal service to His Royal Highness Prince Nugzar Bagration-Gruzinsky, advance the organization and structure of the nation of Georgia, provide a means for like-minded nobles to band together for increased influence, and to generally promote good governance of the Royal House.
: “Wasn’t Georgia invaded by Russia in 2008?”
It’s worth taking a closer look at the history of the Russo-Georgia conflict to see the similarities and differences more clearly.
Georgia lies just south of Russia. Though Georgia has a distinct national identity, Russia has a long history of creeping into Georgian territory. The 20th century saw the longest Russia-controlled period in Georgian history: after a three-year independent stint from 1918-1921, it was forcibly roped into the Soviet Union until the U.S.S.R.’s disintegration in 1991.
Georgian independence came on the heels of a fairly bitter campaign in which Soviet troops massacred protesting Georgian students, and immediately brought regional conflicts the Soviet Union had suppressed to the fore. Georgia’s central government fought wars with two restive provinces, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Both bordered Russia and were home to distinctive ethnic groups, Ossetians and Abkhazians. Abkhazians became a majority in their region after Georgians fled and/or were ethnically cleansed during the 1992-1994 war with the central government.
On 26 August 2008 the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, signed a decree recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. On 26 August 2008, in response to Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Deputy Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze announced that Georgia had broken diplomatic relations with Russia.
The Russo-Georgian war is that after winning, Russia’s ability to meddle in Georgia has been less than many expected. Mikheil Saakashvili remained Georgia`s president until November 2013. The winners have partially rolled back Saakashvili’s reforms and sought to improve relations with Russia. Yet Georgia did not join Putin’s Eurasian Economic Union, instead signing the association agreement with the EU.
: “Isn't Prince David Bagration-Mukhraneli the head of the Royal house in Georgia?”
: Prince David Bagration-Mukhraneli, the former husband of H.R.H. Princess Anna Bagrationi-Gruzinksi, the daughter of H.R.H. Prince Nugzar Bagrationi-Gruzinski, is generally recognized as the current second-most senior male-line Bagrationi that is patrilineal descended from the last king to rule all of the territory that comprises modern Georgia. His elder brother, Irakli, is senior to him, but Irakli has relinquished the role. But the modern country of Georgia splintered many centuries ago, in 1490, and was re-united only relatively recently. Namely, it was re-united in 1918 - 1921, overtaken by the Soviet Union, and then restored as a sovereign nation in 1991. The historic Kingdom that contained the modern capital of Tblisi was the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti. H.R.H. Prince Nugzar Bagrationi-Gruzinski is the current heir to the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, and he is also the patrilineal heir to the Kingdom of Imereti, which comprised another portion of modern Georgia. It is interesting to note that the Bagration-Mukhraneli princes, who Prince David descends from, accepted their position as subservient to the King of Kartli-Kakheti. Notice this order of precedence for the Georgian nobility from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries (note that the following link is to a website, which is owned by Mr. Christopher Buyers, that is not affiliated with our website):
Mr. Buyers points out, there were several positions in Georgia above the Princes of Bagration-Mukhraneli, and all positions were subservient to the King of Kartli-Kakheti. Thus, while Prince David is a bona fide prince of Georgia, he is not the Head of the Royal House of Georgia. History simply does not support him as a royal, except for his former marriage as the consort of H.R.H. Princess Anna Bagrationi-Gruzinski.
If you want more information on why Prince David Bagration-Mukhraneli is not the rightful heir, please visit our page “MISLEADING INFORMATION” at: