Bagrat III of Imereti

Bagrat III (Georgian: ბაგრატ III; born 23 September 1495 – died 1565), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the King (mepe) of the Kingdom of Imereti from 1510 to 1565, one of the three Georgian kingdoms that shared control over Georgia following its division in 1490.

Bagrat ascended the throne at the age of fifteen after the death of his father. Throughout his reign, he faced numerous invasions by the Ottoman Empire, notably in 1512, 1543, 1545, and 1549. These invasions led to widespread devastation across his realm and marked the beginning of the decline of a once-powerful western Georgian kingdom. Although Bagrat initially controlled extensive territories, he gradually lost authority over Abkhazia, Samtskhe, and, toward the end of his reign, over the strong principalities of Guria and Mingrelia. His struggles against rebellious vassals proved fruitless, and by the time of his death, after fifty-five years of rule, his dominion had been reduced to the capital city of Kutaisi and a few surrounding agricultural provinces.

Bagrat III is particularly remembered for refusing to convert to Islam, unlike several contemporary Georgian rulers. He actively promoted the construction of new churches and strengthened the influence of the Catholicate of Abkhazia. He is also notable for abolishing slavery, a measure that, while moral in intent, had a detrimental effect on the agrarian economy of his kingdom.