ENUMERATION FOR CATHOLICOI OF KARTLI IN MEDIEVAL GEORGIAN HISTORIOGRAPHY

Abstract

Enumeration for Catholicoi of Kartli has been a significant issue for medieval Georgian historiography.
“The Conversion of Kartli” (,,Moktsevai Kartlisai”) is the oldest example of the Georgian historical work known today, which keeps the enumeration of the Catholicoi of Kartli. The major story of the chronicle, which concludes circa 650 AD, involves 20 Catholicoi from Peter to Eunone. In the essay, Catholicoi’s order is synchronized with the order of the kings and “Erismtavaris” (literary “grand dukes’’) of Kartli.
There is a so-called “additional list” which is attached to the end of the major story. It includes Catholicoi’s numbered order until the 970s. The protograph of the additional list separately contained the list of married Catholicoi (Tavachag, Eulale,
Joel, Samuel, Georgi, Kirion, Izid-Bozid, Tevdore, Peter) who headed Georgian Or thodox Church until the years of 640–50, that is, before Eunone. The list was followed by the numbered order of other high primates since Eunone.
Later scribes have misidentified those married Catholicoi as post-Eunone ones, and united them under single numbering. Then-made mistake influenced modern historiography too, which was manifested in the fact that the non-existent Tvarachung II, Eulale II, Joel II, Kirion II, etc. are named as the next hierarchs of the Georgian Catholicoi’s rank. Apparently, the mentioned order and numbering require revision.