Davit I Curopalates

David I Kurapalates (curopalates) (reigned 876–881) was the eldest son of Bagrat I Kurapalates. In the late 870s, the powerful noble Liparit I Baghvashi of Argveti, recognized David I as his sovereign. Consequently, David I, along with Liparit, actively participated in the struggle for Inner Kartli, opposing Adarnase Shavliani, the King of Abkhazia.

According to the chronicler Giorgi Merchule, in 881, David I was treacherously killed by Nasra, the son of Guaram Mampali. Ivane Javakhishvili believed that the murder was motivated by Liparit’s conquest of Trialeti and his declaration of loyalty to David I, which Nasra saw as an infringement on the possessions of the House of Guaram and sought to restore his father’s lost rights.

Though Guaram had initially conquered Trialeti, he had shared it with his brothers, making David I, as one of the legal heirs, a legitimate co-owner. So, the cousins did not quarreled only over Trialeti. Their conflict and their positioning in opposing factions in the struggle for Kartli seem to have had deeper political reasons.

Nasra’s growing influence, stemming from his sister’s marriage to the King of Abkhazia, posed a threat to the head of the Bagrationi house. Therefore, David I could not allow Adarnase Shavliani to take over of Inner Kartli. Liparit Baghvashi, also would not accept Adarnase's dominance, fled from him and submitted to David I Curopalates as a vassal. This indicates that David I enlisted Liparit’s support in opposition to the Nasra-Adarnase alliance.

Sources: მატიანე ქართლისა, წგ.: ქართლის ცხოვრება, ს. ყაუხჩიშვილის გამოც., ტ. 1, თბ., 1955; ს უ მ ბ ა ტ დ ა ვ ი თ ი ს ძ ე, ცხოვრება და უწყება ბაგრატონიანთა, იქვე.

Literature: ბ ო გ ვ ე რ ა ძ ე  ა., ტაო-კლარჯეთის ბაგრატიონთა სახლში ბრძოლის ისტორიიდან IX ს. უკანასკნელ მეოთხედში, «მაცნე». ისტ., არქეოლ., ეთნოგრ. და ხელოვნ. ისტორიის სერია, 1987, №2; ჯ ა ვ ა ხ ი შ ვ ი ლ ი  ივ., ქართველი ერის ისტორია, წგ. 2, თბ., 1965.

A. Bogveradze