George II of Abkhazia

Who was George II of Abkhazia?

George II was King of the Abkhazians from 916 AD until 960 AD. His lengthy reign is regarded as a zenith of cultural flowering and political power of his realm.

A member of the purported Anchabadze dynasty, he was born to Constantine II, whom he succeeded in 916. It took him, however, some time to assume full ruling powers as his half-brother Bagrat also claimed the crown,

George continued the expansionist policy of his predecessor aimed primarily at retaining the control of central Georgia, namely eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Iberia. To secure the allegiance of local nobility, he appointed his son Constantine a viceroy of Kartli, but the latter engineered a coup against his father three years later. George entered Kartli and placed the rock-hewn city of Uplistsikhe under siege. He lured Constantine by treachery and had him blinded and castrated. George installed his another son, Leon, as an eristavi of Kartli and proceeded to campaign against the easternmost Georgian principality of Kakheti whose ruler Kwirike also pretended on parts of Kartli. Kwirike was defeated and imprisoned, and released only after he had submitted to vassalage.