ABUT THE “FELLOWSHIP” OF DAVID THE BUIDER AND THE CRUSADERS

Abstract

In 2022 David the Builder (Numismatic Heritage) - the book of numismatist Maia Pataridze was published, which discusses the newly discovered five-cross coin of David IV and related issues. According to the author, putting a Latin cross on his own coin by a Georgian king is a manifestation of active alliance with the Crusaders აnd it is a direct indication that the relationship between David IV and the Crusaders was indeed went beyond diplomatic ties and that they were not merely linked to each other by a desire for fellowship. The Latin source quoted by the author does not show that the Crusaders and the King of Georgia had close political-military ties. Such references are not preserved in any other sources either. Therefore we can not share the author’s point of view. M. Pataridze also fails to substantiate her assumption that David IV the Builder could change the royal flag of feudal Georgia and display the Catholic “five-cross” symbol on his flag.
In view of the above: her assumption regarding the change of the appearance of the flag is unfounded and it is perceived as the author’s M. Pataridze’s imaginative point of view.