Ivane Abazasdze

Who is Ivane Abazasdze?

Ivane Abazasdze was an 11th-century Georgian feudal lord who functioned as an eristavi of Kartli under King Bagrat IV of Georgia. During the king’s minority, he assumed an important place in the country’s aristocratic regency government. Alongside Liparit Baguashi, he was instrumental in defeating al-Fadl, the Shaddadid emir of Ganja, and recovering the Birtvisi fortress from Jaffar, an Arab emir of Tiflis. The regency had advanced the positions of the high nobility whose influence Bagrat tried to limit when he assumed full ruling powers. Ivane and his four brothers soon withdrew into opposition and plotted an insurrection against the royal authority. However, Bagrat put Ivane in prison and deprived him of his titles, granting the dignity of eristavi to Liparit Baguashi.