Background
He succeeded on his father Demetrius I"s death in 1156. He changed his father"s defensive policy into a more aggressive one and resumed offensive against the neighboring Seljuk rulers in Armenia.
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Georges George III of Georgia
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His reign, and that of Tamar, are seen as the Georgian Golden Age - the era of empire, diplomatic success, military triumphs, great learning, cultural, spiritual, and artistic flowering. With his ascent to the throne, Giorgi III launched a successful campaign against the Seljuk sultanate of Ahlat (the Shah-Armen State) in 1156. Giorgi took and annexed the Armenian cities of Ani and Dvin in 1161–1162.
The city was finally incorporated into the Georgian Kingdom in 1173.
Throughout this period, the Georgian army was swelling with Armenian volunteers, enthusiastically participating in the Iiberation of their country. In 1177, the nobles of the realm rose against the king and declared Prince Demna (Demetrius) a "true and lawful King of Georgia".
Being a son of Giorgi III"s late elder brother David V, Demna was considered by many as a legitimate pretender to the Georgian throne. Approximately 30,000 rebel forces under Demna"s father-in-law Ioane Orbeli strengthened their positions at the citadel of Lore.
The fortress was besieged by the royal army.
However, he remained co-regent until his death in 1184. He was buried at Gelati Monastery, western Georgia. The Most High King Giorgi, by the will of our Lord, King of Kings of the Abkhazians, Kartvelians, Ranians, Kakhetians and the Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah and Master of all the East and the West.
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In 1167, he marched to defend his vassal Shah Aghsartan of Shirvan against the Khazar and Kipchak assaults and strengthened the Georgian dominance in the area.
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Died
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Nationality
Georgia -
Ethnicity
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Religion
Georgian Orthodox Church