Wachtang III.

Wachtang III. (* 1276 , † 1308 ) from the Bagratids - Dynasty ruler was the medieval Georgia ( 1298 -1308).

After the youngest brother of David VIII and Vakhtang III, Giorgi , had ruled Tbilisi for a few months , the Mongols set Watchtang III. as a king. Numismatic finds show that Vakhtang was king in Tbilisi from 1298 to 1308. According to ancient sources, he ruled from 1301 to 1307. Since he was at the court of Il-Khan in 1297 when David VIII was deposed, it can be assumed that Wachtang was installed as king in 1297. In gratitude he had to take part in the campaigns of Ghazan in Syria (1301-1303) and Oldschaitus in Gilan (1307) with strong troop contingents . In 1303, Mongol-Georgian troops marched into Jerusalem, led by Wachtang. But Wachtang could not assert itself in the whole of Eastern Georgia. He was only recognized as king in Somcheti , Schamswilde and temporarily in Tbilisi. When Wachtang died in 1308, not one of his sons (Giorgi or Demetre) was installed as king, but the Mongols tried to reach an agreement with David VIII, according to which his son Giorgi should become king, which also happened in 1310.

predecessor	Office	successor
Giorgi V.	King of Georgia 1298–1308	Giorgi VI.