Background
The eldest son of George VII of Imereti and Princess Rodam of Kartli, Alexander was brought up at the court of Vakhtang VI of Kartli and enjoyed his support in the power struggle in Imereti.
The eldest son of George VII of Imereti and Princess Rodam of Kartli, Alexander was brought up at the court of Vakhtang VI of Kartli and enjoyed his support in the power struggle in Imereti.
He visited Istanbul in the 1710s in order to seek Ottoman aid against the Gurieli usurpers of the crown of Imereti. In August 1719, he returned with a detachment of Turkish auxiliaries, deposed George VIII Gurieli in June 1720, and was crowned king of Imereti. However, from 1721 to 1728, the government was effectively run by Bejan I Dadiani, Prince of Mingrelia.
When Alexander assumed full ruling powers, Bejan"s son and successor Otia defied him and his pro-Turkish policy, and attempted to remove Alexander from the throne.
Alexander managed to force him into submission in 1732 and brought, for the time being, a feudal anarchy to an education In the early 1730s, the king effectively withdrew his loyalty from the Ottomans, refused to accept the Persian suzerainty and attempted to make an alliance with the Russian Empire.
In 1738, he sent Bishop Timothy Gabashvili to Saint St. Petersburg with a plan of joint actions against the Ottomans. However, the 1739 Russo-Turkish Treaty of Belgrade rendered the mission abortive.
The Persian ruler Nadir Shah quickly took Alexander"s side and protested to the Ottoman government.
Yet, the general instability and occasional outbreaks of aristocratic disobedience continued to trouble the rest of Alexander"s reign. Alexander was married twice. Princess Khoreshan, born of Alexander"s union with Mariam Dadiani.
Prince Narin-David (c 1727–1749), born by Mariam Dadiani.
Princess Rodam (died 1770), born by Mariam Dadiani, who married, in 1732, Prince Mamia IV Gurieli (died 1744). Solomon I (1735 – 23 April 1784), born of Alexander"s union with Tamar Abashidze, King of Imereti (1752–1766, 1768–1784).
Prince Ioseb (1739–1776), born by Tamar Abashidze, Catholicos of Abkhazia (1769–1776). Prince Bagrat (1741–1800), born by Tamar Abashidze.
Prince Archil (died 1775), born by Tamar Abashidze.
Prince Giorgi (fl 1748).