Demetre II. The self-sacrifice
Demetre II the self-sacrifice (* around 1260 ; † (executed) March 12, 1289 ) was King of Georgia from 1270 to 1289 .
Life
When his father David VII Ulu died, Demetre was still a minor. His uncle Sadun Mankaberdeli ran the government for him until 1278. During his prudent reign and Demetres active government, the royal power in Georgia strengthened again and the country experienced a period of relative prosperity despite Mongol rule. An expression of this is the building of the imposing Metekhi Church in Tbilisi .
When Demetre was suspected of rubbish by the Mongols and the country threatened with severe reprisals, Demetre voluntarily surrendered himself to the Mongols in order to save Georgia from renewed destruction. In the camp of the Mongol ruler, the Il-Khan Arghun (1284/91), he was tortured and beheaded. He was nicknamed "the beheaded" or "the self-sacrifice" by the Georgian people.
Demetre donated the Metekhi Church in Tbilisi.
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| David VII |
King of Georgia 1270–1289 |
Wachtang II. |
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Demetre II. The self-sacrifice |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Georgian king |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1260 |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 12, 1289 |