Background
Alexander was born sometime after 1358 into the family of Bagrat I, then duke (and ex-king) of Imereti, and his wife, a Jaqeli atabeg of Samtskhe.
Alexander was born sometime after 1358 into the family of Bagrat I, then duke (and ex-king) of Imereti, and his wife, a Jaqeli atabeg of Samtskhe.
Prior to that, he was eristavi ("duke") of Imereti under the authority of the kings of Georgia. On his father"s death in 1372, Alexander was appointed by King Bagrat V of Georgia as duke of Imereti. In 1387, he took advantage of Timur"s invasions of Georgia and proclaimed himself king of Imereti at the Gelati Monastery, but the city of Kutaisi remained in the hands of Bagrat V"s loyalists and the dukes of Mingrelia, Guria, Abkhazia, and Svaneti refused to join him.
Alexander succeeded in seizing several fortresses in Imereti, but Kutaisi remained outside his control.
Alexander was married to a certain Ana. He had two children:
Prince Demetrius (died 1455), Duke of Imereti;
Princess Tamar (died c 1441), wife of Alexander I of Georgia.