This article had been written in the beginning of the century and in 2007 included into my book “For the constitutional public monarchy”. I have added the remark at the end.

Various branches of Bagrationi family have not lost royal dignity (From the book “For the constitutional public monarchy” by Gaioz Mamaladze, 2007). If somebody wants to prove something different I have nothing against.

Some persons used to state that the family of Bagrationi had lost their royal dignity, for they served to other monarchy. 

For example the part of Russian monarchists did not wanted Vladomor Kirillovich Romanov, the crown prince of Russia to be married with Leonida, daughter of George Bagrationi-Mukhranbatoni.

For Russian crown prince it is forbidden to marry the noble person of non-royal origin. In the case of morganatic marriage crown prince and his children lose right for crown and the title of prince of royal blood. Russians meant under suspicion the royal dignity of not only Mukhranbatoni, but also Gruzinski and whole Bagrationi family.

This view is not true. There are several dynasties in Europe who often used to be meant as subjects of various emperors against will.  But under various circumstances representatives of these families used to accessed to the throne of other even foreign kingdoms.

For example, nobody suspected about royal dignity of Wittelsbachs, kings of Bayern, subjects of Hohenzollerns.   

Gruzinskis of Kakheti (there were Gruzinskis of Kartli too), legatees of united Kartl-Kakheti kingdom, never agreed with cancellation of their kingdom, never recognized it.

True, begun from the 2nd half of 19th century they had no attempts to return their throne but royal dignity is defined not by concrete deeds of concrete persons but by tradition and nlood of dynasty.

Especially, Russian Empire broke conditions of Georgievsk treatise and forced cancellation of Kartl-Kakheti kingdom. Later it broke treatise of Elaznauri and cancelled Imereti kingdom.        By the way, the head of Romanov’s emperor’s house Vladimir Kirillovich recognized royal dignity of Bagrationis.

Traditionally we know that direct ancestors of modern Gruzinski family begun from George the 8th were kings in Kakheti and finally in Kartl-Kakheti. So, we may conclude that Gruzinskis have the royal dignity.  

This branch comes from the third son of Alexander 1st the great. But if this branch will rule the country before invading country by outer aggression, or deprivation the throne by other branch, this branch is the bearer of the royal dignity (like Bonapartes, for example).We may also speak the same about the branch of Imereti Bagrationis. All the descendants of Imereti kings are bearers of the royal dignity.

 Unfortunately, king Irakli 2nd refused Imereti kingdom in joining. Because of it his descendants are not able to pretend for the legatee on the throne of Imereti. Besides, though Russia cancelled kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti, it recognizes Solomon 2nd as the king of Imereti. Not only Russia, all the world recognized him. He is known as the holy king.

King of Imereti legally was the ruler of the whole Western Georgia. Princes of Abkhazia, Samegrelo and Guria formally were meant as subjects of the king of Imereti. Accordingly, the descendent of the whole Western Georgia is Irakli Bagrationi, living in Ghvankiti (born in 1925).

Existence of Imereti kingdom and Imere

Each from the Bagrationi family, begun from David Ulu are descendants of illegal born prince but nobody took under suspicion their royal dignity, including David himself. Nobody took under suspicion royal dignity of David’s son – holly Dimitry the Devoted, his grandson – George the Splendid, grand grandson – Alexander the Great. Nobody suspected for the dignity of the great Georgian scientist, prince Vakhushti. I repeat again, that all the Bagrationis are descendants of David Ulu but nevertheless they represent great and splendid royal family. 

Descendants of the second son of Alexander the great were kings of Kartli, kings from the Mukhrani family and modern Mukhranbatonis (the elder son died without descendant).

Mukhranbatonis were the minor branch in Kartli and became kings after expiring of the senior branch. There are known seven kings from the Mukhrani branch of the Bagrationis.

The royal branch of the Bagrationis from Mukhrani stopped in 1919. Their desc

endant became the side branch of the Bagrationis of Kartli – the Mukhranbatonis. They have the royal dignity for the royal heredity goes to the minor branch when the king or the main descendant of the throne dies without son, as it happened in cases of the Gruzinskis and the Bagrationis of Imereti.

The direct descendants of the Kartli kings are the modern Mukhranbatonis, who come from the main branch of the kings of Georgia (from Constantine 2nd). Furthermore, as the main branch of the Bagrationis, they will become descendants of Kartl-Kakheti king’s branch if it expires without direct descendant.

So we may conclude that in Georgia we have three branches with the royal dignity.

Besides, if these branches will not have direct descendants, the right for the throne will turn to the branch of the Bagrationi-Davitashvilis.

Remark:Often is said that the branch of the Mukgranbatois is the branch of noblemen but not of kings’.

Reply – Shahnavaz was a nobleman, not a king’s son (but his ancestors were kings). But when the male line of kings of Kartli became over, he became the king as a relative and stepson of king Rostom. So, nobleman became the king, or the representative of noble branch became enthroned. After this his descendants became of king’s not of noblemen. It sometimes happens in history that the noble branch may become the king’s branch.

By the way, in the history of Britain’s royal family present representatives not only noble but even peasant’s families. Because of the relationship with royal family they belong to the royal blood. Of course their rank is lower than king’s one.  

The Bagrationis must state their ranks themselves. I just say that if because of the Lord’s will one branch is over, the whole dynasty will not be expired. There are other branches of Bagrations. They will continue family’s existence and receive legacy of the dynasty, as is happened after king Rostom.

By the way, when Juan Carlos was enthroned he was not the main representative of the royal family. But it happened so, because they decided Juan Carlos was worth of the throne, not his father, uncle or cousin. So, everything is possible at this world.

The king of Georgia will become the person who will be worthy from Lord and Nation.