Law of Bagrat Curopalate

The Law of Bagrat Curopalate (Kouropalates) is the law included in Vakhtang VI's collection of law books and in the Book of Law of Beka and Aghbugha. The identity of its compiler and the time of its compilation are not certain.

Articles 99-170 are included in the appendix of the Book of Law of Beka and Aghbugha. The appendix was studied by Ivane Javakhishvili and he was the first to express the opinion that a part of it (Articles 99-103) is an excerpt from the Book of Law of Bagrat Curopalate. There is also an opinion in the scientific literature that the articles 99-160 of the appendix must belong to Bagrat Curopalate (I. Dolidze).

According to various researchers, Bagrat, who complied these laws (in the appendix he is called “Curopalate” and “King of Kings”), must be Bagrat I Curopalate (826-876) or Bagrat III (975-1014; I. Javakhishvili), Bagrat, brother of Alexander I the Great (1412 -1442) (S. Kakabadze), Bagrat III or Bagrat IV (1027-1072; I. Surguladze), Bagrat IV (I. Dolidze) or Bagrat I (A. Kikvidze).

The Law of Bagrat Curopalate is the law of the era of unification of Georgia. It reflects the relations of the developed feudal society; the privileged position of the clergy. The monument mainly contains criminal law norms. Crimes include murder, injury, insult, slander, robbery, theft; Types of punishments — death penalty, mutilation, handing over the offender to the victim, as well as seizing property. Many of the laws in this appendix deal with issues of judicial procedures and judicial organization.

The Law of Bagrat Curopalate influenced the legislation of the later period.

Source: ქართული სამართლის ძეგლები, ი. დოლიძის გამოც., ტ. 1, თბ., 1963, გვ. 464–478, 625–636.

Literature: დ ო ლ ი ძ ე  ი., ძველი ქართული სამართალი, თბ., 1953, გვ.43–63, 335–345; ჯ ა ვ ა ხ ი შ ვ ი ლ ი  ივ., ქართული სამართლის ისტორია, წგ. 2, ნაკვ. 1, თბ., 1982 (თხზ. თორმეტ ტომად, ტ. 6).

I. Dolidze