Ashot I აშოტ I | |
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Kouropalatēs | |
Presiding prince of Iberia | |
Reign | 813–826/830 |
Predecessor | Stephen III |
Successor | Bagrat I of Iberia Adarnase II of Tao-Klarjeti Guaram Mampali |
Died | c. 826/830 Nigali valley |
Issue | Bagrat I of Iberia Adarnase II of Tao-Klarjeti Guaram Mampali Bagrationi, Queen of Abkhazia |
Dynasty | Bagrationi dynasty |
Father | Adarnase I of Tao-Klarjeti |
Religion | Georgian Orthodox Church |
Ashot I the Great (Georgian: აშოტ I დიდი ashot I didi) (died 826/830) was a presiding prince of Iberia (modern Georgia), first of the Bagratid family to have attained to this office c. 813. From his base in Tao-Klarjeti, he fought to enlarge the Bagratid territories and sought the Byzantine protectorate against the Arab Muslim encroachment until being murdered c. 826. Ashot is also known as Ashot I Kouropalates for the Byzantine title of kouropalates that he bore. A patron of Christian culture and a friend of the church, he has been canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church.[1]