The History of Georgia: Kingdoms Between Great Powers — Fexingo History

Episode

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  The Iron Fortress of Tmogvi: Georgia's Unbreakable Border 17.08.2026 6mnt

  This episode of The History of Georgia digs into the story of Tmogvi, the fortress that guarded Georgia's southern border for centuries. Perched on a cliff above the Kura River, Tmogvi was a linchpin in the kingdom's defenses against Seljuk, Mongol, and Ottoman invasions. We trace its construction in the 9th century, its role in Queen Tamar's expansion, and its dramatic fall to the Ottomans in the 16th century, when the fortress's iconic seven towers were finally breached. Along the way, we meet the Mkhargrdzeli family, the powerful warlords who held Tmogvi and other strongholds, and unpack the siege tactics that made the fortress so formidable. We also touch on the local legends that grew around Tmogvi, including tales of hidden tunnels and a legendary treasure that has never been found. This episode offers a fresh angle on Georgia's military history, focusing on the physical and strategic realities of border defense rather than a single battle or ruler. #Tmogvi #GeorgianHistory #Fortress #Caucasus #QueenTamar #Mkhargrdzeli #SiegeWarfare #OttomanEmpire #Seljuk #Mongol #Medieval #Georgia #KuraRiver #BorderDefense #MilitaryHistory #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Mongol Yoke: Georgia Under the Ilkhanate 16.08.2026 9mnt

  In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a century of Georgian history under Mongol domination, from the devastating invasions of the 1220s to the rise of the Ilkhanate and the kingdom's eventual fragmentation. They discuss how Queen Rusudan navigated a precarious vassalage, the brutal punitive campaigns that reduced Tbilisi to rubble, and the administrative systems the Mongols imposed on the Caucasus. The episode also delves into the cultural resilience of Georgia during this period, including the preservation of the Georgian script, the role of the Orthodox Church as a national institution, and the remarkable story of King David VII Ulu, who was taken to Karakorum and later rebelled against his overlords. Along the way, Lucas and Luna consider how Mongol rule reshaped Georgia's political landscape, leading to the division into two kingdoms and setting the stage for future conflicts. A thoughtful look at a turbulent but formative era in Georgia's history. #Georgia #MongolEmpire #Ilkhanate #Caucasus #QueenRusudan #DavidVIIUlu #Tbilisi #Karakorum #GeorgianHistory #MedievalHistory #MongolInvasion #Vassalage #OrthodoxChurch #GeorgianScript #Sakartvelo #Bagrationi #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Georgian Knights of Jerusalem: The Order of the Holy Sepulchre 15.08.2026 6mnt

  In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a remarkable chapter of medieval Georgian history: the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. Founded in the early twelfth century under King David IV the Builder, this chivalric order was headquartered in the Holy Land and operated alongside the Knights Hospitaller and Templars. The order's origins lie in Georgian pilgrimages to Jerusalem, which had become a major devotion after the Georgian Church established a monastery there in the fifth century. Lucas explains how the monastery of the Holy Cross, home to the order, was richly endowed by Georgian kings and nobles, and how its scribes produced exquisite illuminated manuscripts that survive today. He traces the order's evolution through the Crusades, its ties to Queen Tamar's court, and its eventual decline after the fall of Acre in 1291. Luna raises questions about the order's role in crusading politics—whether Georgians ever took up arms in the Holy Land—and Lucas clarifies that their mission was primarily one of pilgrimage and care, not military conquest. The episode also touches on the later centuries, when the order faded but its church remained a Georgian pilgrimage site until the twentieth century. Ultimately, this is a story of how a small Caucasus kingdom left a lasting spiritual and cultural imprint on the heart of Christendom. #Georgia #HolySepulchre #Jerusalem #Crusades #DavidIV #QueenTamar #MonasteryOfTheCross #KnightlyOrders #CaucasusHistory #Medieval #Pilgrimage #GeorgianChurch #Bagrationi #Templars #Hospitallers #IlluminatedManuscripts #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Fall of Tbilisi 1122: David the Builder's Reclaimed Capital 14.08.2026 8mnt

  In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the dramatic siege of Tbilisi in 1122, when King David IV the Builder finally drove out the Seljuk Turks and made the ancient city the heart of a reunited Georgia. They trace the decades of Muslim rule, the failed attempts by earlier Bagrationi kings, and the devastating famine inside the city walls. They also examine David's brutal punishment of the Muslim population, the legend of the severed heads, and how the king's piety and strategic ruthlessness shaped the kingdom's Golden Age. Along the way, they discuss the role of the Kipchak mercenaries, the shadow of the Great Seljuk Empire, and the complex religious dynamics of medieval Tbilisi. The episode also touches on the city's Christian past, the role of the Catholicos, and the controversial decision to exile some Muslims while allowing others to stay. It's a story of conquest, faith, and the fragile unity of a kingdom caught between empires. #DavidIV #Tbilisi #SiegeOf1122 #Georgia #Caucasus #MedievalHistory #Bagrationi #Seljuk #GoldenAge #Kipchaks #BattleOfDidgori #Jvari #Mtskheta #Sakartvelo #GeorgianHistory #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  Episode 200: The Battle of Basian and Georgia's Last Great Crusade 13.08.2026 8mnt

  For episode 200, we step back to 1203, to the windswept highlands of Basian where Queen Tamar's general, Ivane Mkhargrdzeli, faced the Seljuk Sultan Rukn ad-Din with a fraction of his army. This is the story of the Battle of Basian, a night march, a false surrender, and a Christian kingdom's last great stand against the Muslim tide. We'll explore the geopolitics of the late Crusades, the fragile peace between Georgia and the Sultanate of Rum, and how Tamar's victory echoed through the Caucasus, securing a golden age and the legacy of a warrior-queen. Along the way, we'll reflect on what it means to study a battle where the evidence is thin, the stakes were enormous, and the outcome shaped the destiny of a nation. #Basian1203 #QueenTamar #IvaneMkhargrdzeli #RuknAdDin #SeljukSultanate #GeorgiaHistory #Caucasus #MedievalGeorgia #GoldenAge #BattleOfBasian #Sakartvelo #Bagrationi #Crusades #MilitaryHistory #TamarTheGreat #FexingoHistory #History #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Bagratid Restoration: Georgia's Throw of the Dice 12.08.2026 5mnt

  In the 1120s, King David IV the Builder didn't just win a battle — he changed the rules. This episode of The History of Georgia follows David's leap from the fortified cave city of Uplistsikhe to the gates of Tbilisi, where a century of Seljuk rule was about to end. We look at how he enlisted Kipchak horse archers, reformed the army, and used the First Crusade's aftershocks to carve out a new Georgia. The centrepiece is the 1121 Battle of Didgori — a day so complete that Georgians still call it the 'miraculous victory.' But victory was only the start. We trace David's rebuilding of Tbilisi, his founding of Gelati Academy, and his refusal to bow to either Byzantium or the Caliphate. Then we step back: what did David's reign set in motion? The answer leads to Queen Tamar's golden age and to a question that still haunts the Caucasus — what happens when a small state bets everything on one audacious move? #DavidIV #Didgori #Bagrationi #Georgia #Caucasus #MedievalHistory #Seljuk #Kipchak #Tbilisi #Gelati #Uplistsikhe #Crusades #GoldenAge #Tamar #Sakartvelo #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  Vakhtang Gorgasali: The Wolf's Head Who Built Tbilisi 11.08.2026 9mnt

  Before Tbilisi was the capital, before the Bagrationi dynasty, there was Vakhtang Gorgasali — the fifth-century king of Iberia who wore a wolf-headed helmet, fought the Sasanian Empire, and, according to legend, founded Tbilisi after a hunting trip. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace his life from a childhood marked by his mother's regency, through his campaigns alongside the Byzantine emperor, to his death in battle against the Sasanians. They explore the legend of the hot springs that gave Tbilisi its name, the building of the Sioni and Metekhi churches, and the creation of the autocephalous Georgian Church. They also untangle the historical evidence from the medieval chronicles, the debates over his tomb in Uplistsikhe, and his legacy as a symbol of Georgian unity. This episode offers a close look at a pivotal figure who shaped Georgia's early identity, blending history, legend, and archaeology. #VakhtangGorgasali #Tbilisi #Iberia #SasanianEmpire #Byzantine #GeorgianHistory #Caucasus #Uplistsikhe #Sioni #Metekhi #Autocephaly #5thCentury #Kartli #Mtskheta #WolfHead #GoldenAge #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Heirs of King Mirian: Iberia's Little-Known Dynasties 10.08.2026 7mnt

  In this episode of The History of Georgia, Lucas and Luna explore the centuries between the Christian conversion of Iberia and the rise of the Bagrationi dynasty — a period often overshadowed by better-known rulers. They focus on the Chosroid and Guaramid dynasties, the heirs of King Mirian III, whose reigns shaped the kingdom through alliances with Byzantium and the Sasanian Empire. The conversation covers the establishment of autocephaly under King Vakhtang I, the strategic marriage of Princess Olympias to a Byzantine prince, the brutal Arab invasions under Marwan ibn Muhammad, and the restoration of the monarchy by Ashot I Kuropalates. Along the way, they discuss the architectural masterpiece of Jvari Monastery, the influence of the Catholicos, and the enduring legacy of these lesser-known kings. The episode highlights how these dynasties navigated between great powers, preserving Georgian identity and laying the groundwork for future unification. #ChosroidDynasty #GuaramidDynasty #Iberia #GeorgiaHistory #JvariMonastery #AshotIKuropalates #VakhtangI #Sasanian #Byzantine #ArabInvasions #Caucasus #MedievalGeorgia #KingdomOfIberia #Christianity #DynasticPolitics #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Battle of Didgori: Georgia's Turning Point Against the Seljuks 09.08.2026 7mnt

  In 1121, a coalition of Seljuk and Georgian forces clashed at Didgori, a battle that reshaped the Caucasus. King David IV the Builder, who had unified Georgia and modernized its army, faced a numerically superior enemy. Using a combination of heavy cavalry, Kipchak auxiliaries, and a daring feigned retreat, the Georgians shattered the Seljuk army, opening the way for the reconquest of Tbilisi. This episode explores the strategies, the personalities, and the aftermath of a victory that became a national symbol. We look at David's reforms, the role of the Kipchaks, the controversial tactics, and how Didgori paved the way for Georgia's medieval Golden Age under Queen Tamar. With fresh perspective and vivid detail, we bring this pivotal moment to life. #BattleOfDidgori #DavidIVTheBuilder #SeljukEmpire #GeorgiaHistory #KingdomOfGeorgia #Kipchaks #MedievalCaucasus #GoldenAgeGeorgia #Tbilisi #1121 #FeignedRetreat #HeavyCavalry #QueenTamar #Sakartvelo #CrusadesEra #GeorgiaTurningPoint #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Georgian Script: A Written Voice Through the Centuries 08.08.2026 8mnt

  Before the Bagrationi kings, before the Mongol invasions, before the Russian annexation—Georgia already had a written voice. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the life of the Georgian script, from its mysterious creation in the fifth century to its survival under Persian, Ottoman, and Soviet rule. They explore the oldest known inscriptions, the golden age of manuscript illumination under Queen Tamar, and the role of the script in forging a national identity. Along the way: the legend of Pharnavaz, the Georgian diplomatic correspondence with Rome, the printing presses of the seventeenth century, and the Soviet-era struggle to keep the alphabet alive. It's a story of letters that outlived empires—and still carry the sound of Sakartvelo today. #GeorgianScript #Sakartvelo #AlphabetHistory #Caucasus #Pharnavaz #Mtskheta #Bagrationi #Tamar #SovietEra #Linguistics #Manuscripts #Palimpsest #CulturalSurvival #Georgia #WritingSystems #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Dual Kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti in the Seventeenth Century 07.08.2026 7mnt

  In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the intricate political landscape of seventeenth-century Georgia, focusing on the dual kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti. They discuss how these realms navigated the competing pressures of the Ottoman and Safavid empires, the cultural renaissance under King Teimuraz I, and the devastating consequences of the forced migration of tens of thousands of Georgians to Persia. The episode sheds light on the complex legacy of King Rostom, who accepted Islam to secure his throne, and the enduring impact of these events on Georgian identity. Listeners will learn about the role of the Bagrationi dynasty, the significance of the Kakhetian kingdom in the eastern Caucasus, and the cultural flowering that occurred even amid political turmoil. This conversation offers a nuanced look at survival, adaptation, and resilience in a small nation caught between great powers. #Kartli #Kakheti #TeimurazI #Rostom #SafavidGeorgia #OttomanGeorgia #Bagrationi #GeorgianHistory #SeventeenthCentury #Caucasus #PersianInfluence #ForcedMigration #Tbilisi #Qizilbash #ShahAbbas #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Sasanian Walls of Derbent: Georgia's Northern Gate 06.08.2026 8mnt

  In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the monumental Sasanian fortifications of Derbent, the so-called 'Gates of Alexander' on the Caspian Sea, and how these walls shaped the fate of the Caucasus, including Georgia. They discuss the engineering marvels of the sixth century, the role of the Khazars and other steppe nomads, the strategic importance of the Caspian Gates, and the Byzantine-Sasanian rivalry that turned Derbent into a flashpoint. The conversation also touches on the local populations, the military history of the region, and the legacy of these walls in Georgian and Persian memory. Filled with specific names like Khosrow I, Darband, and the Lakhmid and Turkic forces, this episode offers a fresh angle on the longstanding interplay of empires in the Caucasus. #Derbent #Sasanian #CaspianGates #Georgia #Caucasus #KhosrowI #Khazars #Byzantine #History #FexingoHistory #Fortifications #GatesofAlexander #Sassanid #Darband #Steppe #AncientDefense #MilitaryHistory #Caucasian Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  Queen Tamar's Coin: The Silver That Shaped Georgia 05.08.2026 6mnt

  In this episode, we trace the story of Queen Tamar's silver coinage — the first Georgian currency to bear a female ruler's name and imagery. We explore how Tamar, reigning from 1184 to 1213, transformed Georgia's economy through a unified monetary system that stretched from Tbilisi to Trebizond. We discuss the coins' design, featuring Tamar's portrait and Georgian script, and their role in projecting royal authority. We also examine the minting process, the silver mines of the Caucasus, and the coins' circulation in regional trade networks. Along the way, we consider the challenges Tamar faced as a female monarch and how her coinage countered contemporary gender norms. We also touch on the later medieval coinage of George V the Brilliant and the eventual decline of Georgian minting under Mongol and Safavid influence. This episode offers a fresh view of Georgia's golden age through the lens of money, power, and representation. #QueenTamar #GeorgianHistory #MedievalCoinage #SilverCoins #CaucasusHistory #TamarTheGreat #GeorgianGoldenAge #Numismatics #BagrationiDynasty #TbilisiMint #MedievalEconomy #WomenInHistory #MedievalGeorgia #SilverTrade #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast #MedievalWorld Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  Georgia's Queen Tamar and the Golden Age's Female Ruler 04.08.2026 9mnt

  In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the reign of Queen Tamar of Georgia, the first woman to rule the kingdom in her own right. They discuss her rise to power despite patriarchal opposition, her military victories including the Battle of Shamkor, and her patronage of arts and culture that defined Georgia's Golden Age. The episode also covers her diplomatic skill in navigating the Crusader states, the Byzantine Empire, and the Muslim powers of the region, as well as her legacy in Georgian folklore and the ongoing debate about her burial place. This is a portrait of a ruler who broke through gender barriers and left an indelible mark on her nation's identity. #GeorgiaHistory #QueenTamar #GoldenAge #Shamkor #Bagrationi #Sakartvelo #MedievalGeorgia #Caucasus #FemaleRulers #Crusades #ByzantineEmpire #Patronage #ShotaRustaveli #Vepkhistqaosani #GelatiMonastery #Vardzia #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Bagrationi Dynasty’s Long Shadow: From Kings to the Russian Empire 03.08.2026 7mnt

  After three centuries of Mongol, Timurid, and Ottoman domination, the Bagrationi dynasty of Georgia faced its final reckoning. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the dynasty's survival through fragmentation, the tragic reign of Constantine II, the rise of the autonomous kingdoms of Kartli, Kakheti, and Imereti, and the Russian Empire's slow absorption of Georgia. They discuss the Treaty of Georgievsk, the betrayal of Tsar Paul I, the 1801 manifesto, and the emotional legacy of a ruling house that once stood among Byzantium, Persia, and the Ottomans. From the mountain stronghold of Svaneti to the last king George XII, discover how a medieval Christian kingdom became a pawn in the Great Game, and how the Bagrationi name still echoes in modern Georgia. Tune in for a story of resilience, betrayal, and the end of a thousand-year reign. #Bagrationi #Georgia #Caucasus #RussianEmpire #TreatyOfGeorgievsk #GeorgeXII #ConstantineII #Kartli #Kakheti #Imereti #MedievalGeorgia #Sakartvelo #TsarPaul #History #Podcast #FexingoHistory #Monarchy #Geopolitics Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Georgian Church of the Holy Sepulchre 02.08.2026 9mnt

  In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a hidden corner of Jerusalem: the small Georgian Orthodox community that held a foothold in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for centuries. They trace its origins to the Bagrationi kings and Queen Tamar, who funded monasteries and defended Georgian presence in the Crusader states. The conversation moves from the early pilgrim routes through the Caucasus to the golden age of Georgian monasticism on Mount Athos and in the Black Mountains near Antioch. They discuss the rivalry with Latin and Greek churches, the crucial role of the Georgian script in preserving the liturgy, and the slow decline after the Mongol invasions. Along the way, they touch on the kaliphe of the Georgian church, the famous Georgian monastery of the Cross, and the fragile diplomacy that kept Georgian monks in the Holy Land. The episode ends with a reflection on how a small kingdom's spiritual reach outlived its political power. #HolySepulchre #GeorgianMonks #Jerusalem #QueenTamar #Bagrationi #Crusades #GeorgianOrthodox #MonasteryOfTheCross #MountAthos #BlackMountains #Iberia #CaucasusHistory #MedievalGeorgian #ChristianPilgrimage #Sakartvelo #Mtskheta #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Lazica War: Rome and Persia in the Caucasus 01.08.2026 7mnt

  In this episode, Lucas and Luna step back from the Bagrationi kings to explore one of the most savage and consequential conflicts in the Caucasus: the Lazica War of 541–562 CE. Caught between the Byzantine Empire and Sasanian Persia, the small kingdom of Lazica on the Black Sea coast became the arena for a decades-long struggle for control of the Silk Road and the strategic passes of the Caucasus. We meet King Gubazes II, whose shifting allegiances led to tragedy, and the generals Bessas and Mermeroes, whose campaigns turned the region into a graveyard. We follow the siege of Petra, the betrayal at the court of Constantinople, and the eventual Fifty-Year Peace that redrew the borders. Along the way, we discover how the Laz people, ancestors of modern Georgians, navigated the ambitions of empires, and how the war shaped the identity of the region for centuries. If you've ever wondered what happened between the fall of the Colchians and the rise of the Bagratids, this is the story you were missing. #LazicaWar #ByzantineSasanian #GubazesII #Petra #Colchis #Caucasus #RomanPersianWars #Justinian #KhosrowI #Lazica #SilkRoad #FiftyYearPeace #Mermeroes #Bessas #Sasanian #Byzantine #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Golden Fleece: Colchis and Georgia's Ancient Origins 30.07.2026 5mnt

  In this episode, Lucas and Luna journey back to the misty origins of Georgia, exploring the ancient kingdom of Colchis. Often overshadowed by the later Bagratid monarchs, Colchis was a crucible of culture and commerce on the Black Sea, famous for its gold and the legend of the Golden Fleece. They discuss the historical reality behind the Argonaut myth—the technique of panning gold with sheep fleeces in the mountain streams. They examine the Greek colonies like Dioscurias and Phasis, and the conflicting accounts from Strabo and other historians. The episode also covers the rivalry between Colchis and the eastern kingdom of Iberia, and how the Golden Fleece became a symbol of Georgia's ancient heritage. Along the way, they touch on Medea's story, the possible origins of the myth, and what archaeology reveals about this enigmatic civilization. No prior knowledge of Georgian history is needed—just a curiosity about the ancient world. #Colchis #GoldenFleece #Jason #Medea #Argonauts #AncientGeorgia #CaucasusHistory #GreekMythology #Phasis #ColchianKingdom #Strabo #BlackSea #Hellenistic #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast #GeorgianHistory #KingdomOfColchis Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  David VII Ulu: Georgia's Mongol Captive King 30.07.2026 5mnt

  In the aftermath of the Mongol invasion, the Kingdom of Georgia was shattered. Queen Rusudan's son, David VII, was sent as a hostage to the court of the Great Khan in Mongolia, where he lived for years before being allowed to return as a vassal ruler. This episode follows his extraordinary journey—from the gilded cages of Karakorum to a desperate rebellion alongside the Byzantine Empire. We explore how David's desperate gamble against Ilkhanate rule collapsed at the Battle of Terek in 1262, and how his defiance later inspired the unifying reign of George V the Brilliant. Along the way, we meet his cousin David VI Narin, the Mongol general Arghun Aqa, and the secret papal envoys seeking a Franco-Mongol alliance. A story of survival, faith, and the terrible price of resistance. #DavidVIIUlu #MongolGeorgia #Ilkhanate #Bagrationi #Karakorum #BattleOfTerek #GeorgiaHistory #MedievalGeorgia #Caucasus #MongolInvasion #ByzantineEmpire #DavidVINarin #ArghunAqa #QueenRusudan #Sakartvelo #FeudalGeorgia #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Arab Emirate of Tbilisi: Georgia Under the Caliphate 29.07.2026 5mnt

  In this episode of The History of Georgia: Kingdoms Between Great Powers, Lucas and Luna explore the nearly four centuries when Tbilisi was ruled by an Arab emirate, from the 730s conquest by Marwan ibn Muhammad to its liberation by David the Builder in 1122. They discuss the Battle of Anakopia (736), where Georgian and Abkhazian forces repelled the Caliphate's army, the establishment of the Emirate and its walls, the cultural and religious coexistence under Muslim rule, and how this period shaped Georgia's later identity as a Christian bastion. They also delve into the life of the last emir, Ishaq ibn Ismail, who was killed by David IV's forces. This episode reveals a lesser-known chapter of Georgia's history between the great powers of Byzantium and the Caliphate. #History #Georgia #Caucasus #ArabEmirate #Tbilisi #MarwanIbnMuhammad #BattleOfAnakopia #DavidTheBuilder #MedievalHistory #IslamicRule #SilkRoad #ByzantineEmpire #Caliphate #Abkhazia #KingdomsBetweenGreatPowers #FexingoHistory #Podcast #GeorgianHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo