Bagrationi-Boer Niko

Bagrationi-Boer Niko (1868-1933), Niko Bagrationi actively fought in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) on the side of Boers. He belonged to the branch of Royal Bagrationis, Princes of Mukhrani (Kartli, East Georgia). He was born in Tbilisi. In 1899 he left for St. Petersburg; then he traveled to Paris. From there N. Bagrationi moved to Marseille where he boarded the ship and sailed to Alexandria (Egypt). When the Anglo-Boer War broke out, Niko Bagrationi left for Transvaal and fought as a volunteer against the English. Due to his sympathy for the Boers, N. Bagrationi was given the nickname – Niko the Boer. He befriended President of Transvaal Paul Kruger and outstanding Boer Commanders Petrus Joubert and Louis Botha. After the Boers lost the war, Niko Bagrationi participated in the guerilla fight. The English captured him and sentenced him to be shot. However, since he was the descendant of Georgian Royal family, the sentence of execution by a firing squad was changed to the exile to St. Helen’s Island. After he was released, Niko the Boer arrived in France and then left for Georgia. In his book of memoirs Life with the Boers, N. Bagrationi narrated the details of the Transvaal War and recollected his participation in the war. He also described the adventures of his family and the life of Georgia in the 19th century.

N. Bagrationi-Boer died in Tbilisi