Mepe (title)

Mepe (Georgian: მეფე [mepʰe]) is a title used to designate the Georgian monarch, whether it is referring to a king or a queen regnant.[1]

A coin of King David IV with Asomtavruli inscription reading ႫႴႤႠႴႧႵႰႬႩႾႧႱႾႧ (mpe~apt~k~rn~kkht~skht) meaning "King, of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians, Armenians"

Etymology

The word is derived from Georgian word მეუფე ("me-u-pe")[2] which literally means sovereign and lord. Even though mepe has a female equivalent, დედოფალი (dedopali, literally meaning queen) it is only applied to the king's consort and does not have a meaning of a ruling monarch.[3]

History

Later, after David IV, the official style of Georgian kings became "mepet mepe" (king of kings),[4] similar to the Byzantine "Basileus Basileōn" and Persian Shahanshah. Title Shahanshah was also separately used by Georgian monarchs, denoting sovereignty over several Persianate subjects such as Shirvanshahs and Atabegate of Azerbaijan.

See also

References
  1. Rayfield, location: 1292
  2. Georgy Klimov (2011) Etymological Dictionary of the Kartvelian Languages, p. 120
  3. Antony Eastmond (1998) Royal Imagery in Medieval Georgia, p. 109
  4. Rayfield, location: 2199

Bibliography
  • Rayfield, D. (2013) Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia, Reaktion Books, ISBN 9781780230702
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