ABSTRACT
The quarter century before the Bagratids’ seizure of the presiding principate was among the most productive historiographical periods in pre-modern Georgia. To this short span belongs The Life of the Kings, The Life of Vaxtang Gorgasali and its untitled continuation by Ps.-Juanšer Juanšeriani. The last two comprise K‛art‛lis c‛xovreba’s second ensemble: C‛xorebay vaxtang gorgaslisa. Although deriving from the same era and fused since at least the mid-eleventh century (if not earlier, perhaps shortly after their inception), The Life of Vaxtang and its continuation were written by different authors who had distinctive interests, approaches and aims. The Life of Vaxtang commences in 411 with the death of Mirdat IV, Vaxtang’s greatgrandfather. Following concise treatments of Arč‛il (r. 411-435) and Mirdat V (r. 435-447), the narrative is locked on the larger-than-life exploits of the hero-king Vaxtang I Gorgasali. The length and exact dates of Vaxtang’s reign are disputed; I accept Toumanoff’s calculation of 447 to 522, which places Vaxtang’s birth in 440. Ps.-Juanšer picks up the narrative with Vaxtang’s son and successor Dač‛i (r. 522-534), covers all but the final third of the interregnum and concludes with the Chosroid prince of Kaxet‛i Arč‛il (r. 736-786).
