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Georgia (Country) Unified National Examination in History study materials
Georgia (Country) Unified National Examination in History study resources

Georgia (Country) Unified National Examination in History practice questions

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Question 1Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

In classical Greek mythology, which ancient western Georgian kingdom was the legendary destination of Jason and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece?

  1. Colchis Correct answer.
  2. Iberia
  3. Diauehi
  4. Albania

Explanation

Colchis (Kolkha) on the eastern Black Sea coast was renowned in Greek myth as the wealthy kingdom ruled by King Aeetes, guardian of the Golden Fleece. The myth reflects early Greek maritime exploration and commercial contacts with ancient Georgian metallurgists along the Phasis (Rioni) River basin.

Question 2Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

Which Urartian monarchs recorded extensive cuneiform inscriptions detailing their victorious campaigns and tribute collection against the kingdom of Diauehi in the 9th and 8th centuries BC?

  1. Menua and Argishti I Correct answer.
  2. Rusa II and Sarduri IV
  3. Shalmaneser III and Adad-nirari III
  4. Cyrus the Great and Cambyses II

Explanation

Urartian kings Menua (c. 810–786 BC) and his son Argishti I (c. 786–764 BC) launched repeated expeditions against King Utupursi of Diauehi, capturing royal cities such as Shashilu and annexing Diauehi's southern districts. These campaigns weakened Diauehi, which was subsequently absorbed by Colchis and local nomadic tribes.

Question 3Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

What were the famous silver coins minted in western Georgia from the 6th to the 4th century BC, testifying to Colchis's developed monetary economy and trade with the Greek world?

  1. Colchian Tetri (Kolkhuri Tetri) Correct answer.
  2. Darics
  3. Staters of Alexander
  4. Drams of Iberia

Explanation

Colchian Tetri (Kolkhuri Tetri) were indigenous silver coins minted in Colchis starting in the late 6th century BC, commonly bearing an archaic female head on the obverse and a bull's head or lion on the reverse. Their abundance in archaeological sites demonstrates a monetized domestic market and robust maritime commerce across the Euxine Pontus.

Question 4Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

According to the medieval Georgian chronicles ('The Georgian Chronicles' / Kartlis Tskhovreba), who was the first monarch of the Kingdom of Iberia (Kartli) who divided the realm into eight administrative provinces (saeristavo)?

  1. King Parnavaz I Correct answer.
  2. King Mirian III
  3. King Vakhtang Gorgasali
  4. King Pharasmanes I

Explanation

King Parnavaz I (traditionally dated to the early 3rd century BC) unified the lands of eastern and southern Georgia after overthrowing the ruler Azo. He established Mtskheta as his capital, created eight duchies (saeristavo) governed by eristavis, instituted the office of spaspet (military commander-in-chief), and according to tradition, created the Georgian script.

Question 5Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

Which supreme deity was installed by King Parnavaz atop the mountain overlooking Mtskheta, becoming the chief pagan protector god of the Kingdom of Iberia until Christianization?

  1. Armazi Correct answer.
  2. Zadeni
  3. Gatsi
  4. Mithra

Explanation

King Parnavaz erected a monumental gilded copper statue of Armazi, represented as a warrior in gold armor with a diamond eye and holding a raised sword, on Mount Kartli (later Armaztsikhe). Armazi served as the supreme dynastic state deity of pagan Iberia until the idols were toppled during the Christianization under King Mirian and St. Nino.

Question 6Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

Which prominent statesman and orator presided over the Golden Age of Athenian democracy in the 5th century BC, leading the construction of the Parthenon on the Acropolis?

  1. Pericles Correct answer.
  2. Solon
  3. Cleisthenes
  4. Peisistratus

Explanation

Pericles (c. 495–429 BC) led Athens during its political, artistic, and imperial zenith between the Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian War. He introduced state salaries for jurors to expand democratic participation and commissioned majestic architectural monuments including the Parthenon.

Question 7Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

At which decisive battle in 490 BC did Athenian and Plataean hoplites under Miltiades repel the first Persian invasion sent by King Darius I?

  1. Battle of Marathon Correct answer.
  2. Battle of Thermopylae
  3. Battle of Salamis
  4. Battle of Plataea

Explanation

The Battle of Marathon (490 BC) was a watershed moment in the Greco-Persian Wars where Athenian hoplites decisively defeated Darius I's amphibious Persian army on the plains of Attica. The victory proved Greek heavy infantry could defeat Persian forces and gave rise to the legendary run to announce victory.

Question 8Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

What major geopolitical era was initiated by the conquests of Alexander the Great across the Near East, Persian Empire, and Central Asia between 334 and 323 BC?

  1. Hellenistic Period Correct answer.
  2. Archaic Greece
  3. Pax Romana
  4. Classical Dark Age

Explanation

Alexander the Great's campaigns dismantled the Achaemenid Empire and inaugurated the Hellenistic Period (323–31 BC), characterized by the widespread synthesis of Greek language and culture with Near Eastern traditions. This cultural diffusion profoundly shaped trade routes, urban planning, and governance in the Caucasus, including the emerging Kingdom of Iberia.

Question 9Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

Which Roman general invaded the South Caucasus in 65 BC during the Third Mithridatic War, compelling the kingdoms of Iberia and Albania to accept Roman client status?

  1. Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey) Correct answer.
  2. Lucius Cornelius Sulla
  3. Julius Caesar
  4. Marcus Licinius Crassus

Explanation

In 65 BC, Roman triumvir Pompey the Great pursued Mithridates VI of Pontus into the Caucasus. Pompey marched into Iberia, defeated King Artag at the fortress of Armaztsikhe and along the Pelorus (Mtkvari) River, and forced Iberia and Caucasian Albania into treaty relationships as Roman client states.

Question 10Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

What strategic Caucasian mountain pass was guarded by the Kingdom of Iberia, prompting Rome and Parthia to vie for Iberian friendship to prevent northern nomadic Alans from raiding the Near East?

  1. Daryal Gorge (Caspian/Caucasian Gates) Correct answer.
  2. Kluhori Pass
  3. Roki Pass
  4. Jvari Pass

Explanation

The Daryal Gorge (known to Greco-Roman geographers as the Caucasian or Caspian Gates, and in Persian as Dar-i Alan, 'Gate of the Alans') was the critical military defile cutting through the central Greater Caucasus. Control of this pass enabled Iberian kings to unleash or block devastating Alan horse-raids against Roman Syria or Parthian Mesopotamia.

Question 11Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

According to Georgian historical tradition, who was the Christian maiden from Cappadocia who arrived in Mtskheta carrying a grapevine cross bound with her own hair to preach the Gospel?

  1. Saint Nino Correct answer.
  2. Saint Shushanik
  3. Saint Ketevan
  4. Saint Barbara

Explanation

Saint Nino of Cappadocia, recognized as the 'Enlightener of Georgia' and 'Equal to the Apostles', arrived in the Iberian capital of Mtskheta in the early 4th century. Bearing a cross fashioned from grapevine branches and secured with her own hair, she healed Queen Nana and guided King Mirian III to embrace Christianity.

Question 12Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

Which early ecumenical church council, held in 325 AD, was attended by Bishop Stratophilus of Pityus (Bichvinta) representing the Black Sea coast of Georgia?

  1. First Council of Nicaea Correct answer.
  2. First Council of Constantinople
  3. Council of Ephesus
  4. Council of Chalcedon

Explanation

The First Council of Nicaea (325 AD), convened by Roman Emperor Constantine the Great to resolve the Arian controversy and formulate the Nicene Creed, included among its signatories Bishop Stratophilus of Pityus (modern Bichvinta, Abkhazia). This confirms that organized Christian dioceses existed along the western Georgian littoral prior to or concurrent with Kartli's state conversion.

Question 13Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

According to the famous royal hunting legend involving a fallen pheasant in warm sulfur springs, which 5th-century monarch founded the city of Tbilisi and decreed it the future capital of Georgia?

  1. King Vakhtang I Gorgasali Correct answer.
  2. King Parnavaz I
  3. King David IV the Builder
  4. King Bagrat III

Explanation

King Vakhtang I Gorgasali ('Wolf-Head', c. 447–502 AD) was hunting with his falcon in the wilderness when it struck a pheasant; both birds fell into thermal sulfur springs and were scalded. Impressed by the strategic topography and curative warm waters ('tbili' meaning warm), Vakhtang initiated the construction of Tbilisi, which his son Dachi later completed and designated as the royal capital.

Question 14Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

In the 480s AD, King Vakhtang Gorgasali forged a joint Caucasian anti-Sasanian rebellion in coordination with which prominent Armenian general and leader of the Mamikonian clan?

  1. Vahan Mamikonian Correct answer.
  2. Vardan Mamikonian
  3. Ashot Msaker
  4. Smbat I Bagratuni

Explanation

In 482 AD, Vakhtang Gorgasali executed the pro-Persian apostate vitaxa Varsken of Tsurtaveli and raised a general revolt against Sasanian Persian King Peroz I. He allied with Vahan Mamikonian (nephew of Vardan), orchestrating coordinated military actions across Kartli and Armenia to resist Sasanian Zoroastrian religious and political subjugation.

Question 15Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

What major constitutional and political change did the Sasanian Persian Empire impose on eastern Georgia following the death of King Bakur III in approximately 580 AD?

  1. Abolition of the royal monarchy and direct rule by a Persian marzpan (governor) Correct answer.
  2. Conversion of all Christian churches into Zoroastrian fire temples
  3. Transfer of Kartli's administration to the Roman province of Cappadocia
  4. Creation of the unified Kingdom of Georgia under Bagrat III

Explanation

Around 580 AD, Sasanian Shah Hormizd IV exploited the death of King Bakur III to abolish the five-century-old Iberian monarchy. Kartli was reduced to a Persian province governed by a marzpan stationed in Tbilisi, while local Georgian eristavis retained feudal control over their private estates until electing Guaram I as the first presiding Prince of Iberia (erismtavari).

Question 16Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

Which ancient Mesopotamian ruler enacted one of history's earliest and most complete written legal codes, inscribed on a diorite stele and establishing the principle of retributive justice ('eye for an eye')?

  1. Hammurabi of Babylon Correct answer.
  2. Sargon of Akkad
  3. Nebuchadnezzar II
  4. Gilgamesh of Uruk

Explanation

Hammurabi, the sixth king of the First Babylonian Dynasty (reigned c. 1792–1750 BC), promulgated the Code of Hammurabi containing nearly 300 legal judgments. Inscribed on a basalt/diorite stele crowned by the sun god Shamash, it formalized contract law, property rights, family statutes, and retributive penalties (lex talionis).

Question 17Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

In 27 BC, which Roman political figure took the title of 'Augustus', fundamentally transforming the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire?

  1. Gaius Octavius (Octavian) Correct answer.
  2. Mark Antony
  3. Julius Caesar
  4. Tiberius

Explanation

Following his victory over Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, Gaius Octavius formally restored constitutional authority to the Roman Senate in 27 BC, which in turn conferred upon him the title 'Augustus' ('Revered') and proconsular imperium. This constitutional settlement inaugurated the Roman Principate and two centuries of Pax Romana.

Question 18Ancient and early medieval Georgia and the world

Which event in 476 AD is conventionally recognized by Western historians as marking the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the European Middle Ages?

  1. The deposition of Emperor Romulus Augustulus by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer Correct answer.
  2. The sack of Rome by Alaric and the Visigoths
  3. The Vandal sack of Rome led by Genseric
  4. The coronation of Charlemagne in Rome

Explanation

In September 476 AD, the Germanic foederati general Odoacer deposed the teenage emperor Romulus Augustulus in Ravenna. Rather than appointing another puppet emperor, Odoacer sent the western imperial regalia to Emperor Zeno in Constantinople and proclaimed himself King of Italy (Rex Italiae), an act widely adopted as the boundary between classical Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

Question 19Medieval Georgia and the world

Which major conflict between the Byzantine Empire under Justinian I and the Sasanian Persian Empire under Khosrow I (541–562 AD) was fought primarily for control of the western Georgian kingdom of Lazica (Egrisi)?

  1. The Lazic War Correct answer.
  2. The Iberian War
  3. The War of the Byzantine Succession
  4. The Nika Riots

Explanation

The Lazic War (541–562 AD) was a protracted twenty-year conflict between the Byzantine Empire and the Sasanian Empire over the strategically vital Black Sea kingdom of Lazica. The war involved the tragic assassination of Lazic King Gubazes II by Byzantine generals and concluded with the Fifty-Year Peace Treaty of 562 AD, in which the Sasanians recognized Lazica as a Byzantine client state in exchange for an annual tribute.

Question 20Medieval Georgia and the world

Which 8th-century literary and hagiographical work by Ioane Sabanisdze describes the life and martyrdom of an Arab Muslim youth who converted to Christianity in Tbilisi and was executed by the Arab emir in 786 AD?

  1. The Martyrdom of Saint Abo of Tbilisi (Martvilobai Abo Tbilelisa) Correct answer.
  2. The Martyrdom of Saint Shushanik
  3. The Life of Saint Nino
  4. The Martyrdom of Saint Eustace of Mtskheta

Explanation

Written by Ioane Sabanisdze between 786 and 790 AD, 'The Martyrdom of Saint Abo of Tbilisi' chronicles Abo, a young Arab perfumer from Baghdad who accompanied Prince Nerse to Kartli and Khazaria, embraced Orthodox Christianity, and was beheaded in Tbilisi after refusing to apostatize. It is one of the earliest ideological treatises articulating Georgian Christian national consciousness.

Question 21Medieval Georgia and the world

Who was the founder of the Bagrationi royal dynasty in southwestern Georgia who revived the principality of Tao-Klarjeti and rebuilt the fortress-city of Artanuji in the early 9th century?

  1. Prince Ashot I Kurapalates Correct answer.
  2. King Bagrat III
  3. David III the Great of Tao
  4. Guaram I

Explanation

Ashot I Bagrationi ('the Great', died 826/830 AD) migrated to the southwestern borderlands of Tao-Klarjeti following Arab pressure in Kartli. Supported by the Byzantine Empire, which granted him the prestigious title of Kurapalates, Ashot rebuilt the fortress of Artanuji as his capital and established the enduring Bagrationi royal house that governed Georgia until 1801.

Question 22Medieval Georgia and the world

Which historic battle in 1071 AD, where Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan captured Byzantine Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes, precipitated the catastrophic Seljuk nomadic invasions of Georgia known as 'Didi Turkoba' (The Great Turkish Influx)?

  1. Battle of Manzikert Correct answer.
  2. Battle of Yarmouk
  3. Battle of Hattin
  4. Battle of Myriokephalon

Explanation

The Battle of Manzikert (1071 AD) resulted in the crushing defeat of the Byzantine army by Alp Arslan's Seljuk Turks. The collapse of Byzantine border defenses opened Anatolia and the Caucasus to mass nomad pastoralist migrations and seasonal raids, precipitating the devastating 'Didi Turkoba' starting in 1080 AD, which forced King George II to pay humiliating annual tribute.

Question 23Medieval Georgia and the world

Which historic church council was convened by King David IV in 1104 AD to reform the Georgian Orthodox Church, dismiss corrupt feudal bishops, and subordinate ecclesiastical authority to the royal crown?

  1. The Council of Ruis-Urbnisi Correct answer.
  2. The Synod of Dvin
  3. The Council of Mtskheta
  4. The Council of Gelati

Explanation

The Synod of Ruis-Urbnisi (1104 AD) was convened between the cathedral centers of Ruisi and Urbnisi. It expelled unworthy and venal bishops who held office purely by hereditary noble privilege, instituted strict canonical discipline, and combined the royal chancellor office (Mtsignobartukhutsesi) with the prestigious bishopric of Chqondidi (creating the Chqondideli-Mtsignobartukhutsesi as royal prime minister).

Question 24Medieval Georgia and the world

Which battle, fought on 12 August 1121 AD and celebrated in Georgian history as the 'Miraculous Victory' (Dzvlevai Sakvirveli), saw King David IV decisively rout a massive Seljuk coalition led by Ilghazi of Mardin?

  1. Battle of Didgori Correct answer.
  2. Battle of Shamkor
  3. Battle of Basian
  4. Battle of Aspindza

Explanation

At the Battle of Didgori (12 August 1121 AD), David IV deployed brilliant tactical deception, blocking the exit routes behind his troops to eliminate retreat and sending 200 suicidal decoy cavalrymen into the enemy ranks. The Georgian army, supported by Kipchak, Alan, and Crusader detachments, routed the vast Muslim coalition led by Atabeg Ilghazi, securing Georgia's status as the preeminent regional military superpower.

Question 25Medieval Georgia and the world

In what year did King David IV liberate Tbilisi from four centuries of Muslim municipal rule, subsequently transferring the royal capital of unified Georgia from Kutaisi to Tbilisi?

  1. 1122 AD Correct answer.
  2. 1121 AD
  3. 1104 AD
  4. 1125 AD

Explanation

Following the victory at Didgori, King David IV besieged and captured Tbilisi in 1122 AD, ending over 400 years of Muslim emirate and oligarchic council rule. He relocated the royal capital to Tbilisi and instituted a policy of religious tolerance, granting tax protections and judicial rights to Muslim, Jewish, and Armenian residents.

Question 26Medieval Georgia and the world

Which prestigious medieval monastic complex and educational academy near Kutaisi was founded in 1106 AD by King David IV, intended as a 'Second Jerusalem' and 'New Athens'?

  1. Gelati Monastery and Academy Correct answer.
  2. Iviron Monastery
  3. Vardzia
  4. Svetitskhoveli

Explanation

King David IV founded the Gelati Monastery in 1106 AD and established its famous Academy, gathering outstanding Georgian scholars, translators, and Neoplatonist philosophers such as Ioane Petritsi and Arsen Iqaltoeli. David was buried beneath the south entrance gate of Gelati according to his humble royal testament, so that all who entered would step upon his grave.

Question 27Medieval Georgia and the world

During the accession of Queen Tamar in 1184 AD, which high royal official led a noble aristocratic rebellion demanding the establishment of the 'Karavi' (a separate council tent with legislative and veto power over the monarch)?

  1. Qutlu Arslan Correct answer.
  2. Ivane Mkhargrdzeli
  3. Zakaria Chqondideli
  4. Ioane Shavteli

Explanation

Qutlu Arslan, the royal treasurer (Mechurchletukhutsesi), headed a faction of powerful feudal magnates who demanded the creation of a 'Karavi' adjacent to the royal palace at Isani. This assembly sought legislative supremacy, proposing that royal edicts only take effect after noble deliberation and approval. Queen Tamar neutralized the revolt by arresting Qutlu Arslan and sending two noblewomen (Kravai Jakeli and Khvashak Tsokali) to negotiate an amicable compromise.

Question 28Medieval Georgia and the world

At which major battle in 1195 AD did Queen Tamar's Georgian army, commanded by David Soslan, decisively defeat the Ildegizid Atabeg Abu Bakr of Azerbaijan, capturing the Caliph's ceremonial banner?

  1. Battle of Shamkor Correct answer.
  2. Battle of Didgori
  3. Battle of Basian
  4. Battle of Garni

Explanation

At the Battle of Shamkor (1 June 1195 AD), Georgian forces routed the army of Atabeg Abu Bakr of Azerbaijan. The Georgians liberated the cities of Shamkor and Ganja, seizing vast riches and the Caliph's embroidered holy standard, which Queen Tamar reverently donated to the icon of the Virgin of Khakhuli at Gelati.

Question 29Medieval Georgia and the world

Which monumental epic poem of the Georgian Golden Age, composed in shairi quatrains and exploring themes of friendship, chivalry, and selfless love, was dedicated by Shota Rustaveli to Queen Tamar?

  1. The Knight in the Panther's Skin (Vepkhistqaosani) Correct answer.
  2. Tamariani
  3. Abdulmesia
  4. The Wisdom of Balahvar

Explanation

Composed around the turn of the 13th century, 'The Knight in the Panther's Skin' by Shota Rustaveli is the supreme masterpiece of Georgian literature. Following the epic quests of Avtandil, Tariel, and Pridon to rescue Nestan-Darejan, its prologue openly exalts Queen Tamar ('To Tamar, mourning for her rays, my heart with sorrow pine...').

Question 30Medieval Georgia and the world

Which renowned Mongol commanders led the first reconnaissance expedition into Transcaucasia in 1220–1221 AD, clashing with and wounding Georgian King George IV Lasha at the Khunan steppe?

  1. Subutai and Jebe Correct answer.
  2. Hulagu and Baichu
  3. Batu and Berke
  4. Chormaqan and Baiju

Explanation

In 1220–1221 AD, Genghis Khan's elite reconnaissance generals Subutai and Jebe Noyan marched through Iran and entered Georgia with 20,000 horsemen. They defeated the Georgian heavy cavalry led by young King George IV Lasha on the Khunan plains; the king was wounded and died shortly after in 1223, shattering Georgia's plans to join the Fifth Crusade in Egypt.

Question 31Medieval Georgia and the world

Which Georgian king voluntarily traveled to the court of Mongol Ilkhan Arghun in 1289 AD and accepted public execution at Movakan to spare his kingdom and people from imminent punitive slaughter, earning the epithet 'The Self-Sacrificer' (Tavdadebuli)?

  1. King Demetre II Correct answer.
  2. King David VII Ulu
  3. King George V the Brilliant
  4. King Vakhtang III

Explanation

King Demetre II (reigned 1270–1289 AD) was summoned by Ilkhan Arghun on suspicion of involvement in the conspiracy of Chancellor Buqa. Fully aware of his likely execution, Demetre chose to surrender his life rather than flee into the mountains, which would have triggered a devastating Mongol punitive massacre across Kartli. He was beheaded on 12 March 1289 and canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church as Saint Demetre the Self-Sacrificer.

Question 32Medieval Georgia and the world

Which Georgian monarch (reigned 1314–1346), known as 'The Brilliant' (Brtskinvale), unified Kartli, Kakheti, western Georgia, and Samtskhe, expelled Mongol garrison troops, and discontinued tribute to the Ilkhanate?

  1. King George V Correct answer.
  2. King George VII
  3. King David VIII
  4. King Constantine I

Explanation

King George V the Brilliant (1314–1346) took advantage of the internal disintegration of the Ilkhanate following the death of Chupan. He centralized royal power, re-annexed western Georgia (Imereti) and the Principality of Samtskhe, expelled all Mongol garrisons from the country, revitalized agriculture, and established diplomatic relations with the Pope, Egypt, and Trebizond.

Question 33Medieval Georgia and the world

What was the name of the comprehensive customary and criminal legal code promulgated by King George V the Brilliant at an all-highland synod to pacify tribal feuds and restore royal law in the Caucasus mountains?

  1. Dzeglisdeba ('Establishment of the Monument') Correct answer.
  2. Dasturlamali
  3. The Law of Beka and Aghbugha
  4. The Judicial Code of King Vakhtang VI

Explanation

To restore order in the northern mountain communities (Mtiuleti, Pshavi, Khevsureti) disrupted during decades of Mongol chaos, King George V summoned an assembly of tribal elders and issued 'Dzeglisdeba' (c. 1335 AD). It harmonized traditional mountain customary law with royal criminal jurisprudence, substituting blood vengeance with regulated financial bloodwite (wergild).

Question 34Medieval Georgia and the world

On Christmas Day in 800 AD, which King of the Franks was crowned 'Emperor of the Romans' by Pope Leo III at Old Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, establishing the Carolingian Empire?

  1. Charlemagne (Charles the Great) Correct answer.
  2. Charles Martel
  3. Pepin the Short
  4. Louis the Pious

Explanation

On 25 December 800 AD, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne (Charles the Great) as Emperor of the Romans in Rome. This revival of the Western imperial title united much of Western Europe under Frankish Christian rule and laid the foundation for the Holy Roman Empire.

Question 35Medieval Georgia and the world

At which church council in 1095 AD did Pope Urban II deliver his famous sermon calling upon Western Christian knights to march to the Holy Land, thereby launching the First Crusade?

  1. Council of Clermont Correct answer.
  2. Council of Trent
  3. Fourth Lateran Council
  4. Council of Constance

Explanation

At the Council of Clermont in southern France (November 1095 AD), Pope Urban II answered the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos's appeal for military aid by urging Western European nobility to liberate Jerusalem under the rallying cry 'Deus vult!' ('God wills it!'), triggering the First Crusade (1096–1099 AD).

Question 36Medieval Georgia and the world

Which historic legal charter was King John of England forced by rebel barons to seal at Runnymede in June 1215, establishing the fundamental principle that the monarch is subject to the rule of law?

  1. Magna Carta Libertatum Correct answer.
  2. The English Bill of Rights
  3. The Petition of Right
  4. The Habeas Corpus Act

Explanation

Magna Carta ('Great Charter of Liberties'), agreed to by King John in June 1215 at Runnymede, placed legal limitations on royal arbitrary taxation and power. Its famous clauses (especially Clause 39 protecting free men from imprisonment without lawful judgment of peers) established foundational concepts of due process and constitutional government.

Question 37Medieval Georgia and the world

The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453), which transformed European military tactics with the longbow and artillery, was fought primarily between which two rival realms?

  1. Kingdom of England and Kingdom of France Correct answer.
  2. Holy Roman Empire and Ottoman Empire
  3. Kingdom of Spain and Kingdom of Portugal
  4. Byzantine Empire and Republic of Venice

Explanation

The Hundred Years' War was a series of intermittent conflicts fought between 1337 and 1453 between the English House of Plantagenet and the French House of Valois over the French throne and control of Gascony. Highlights included the battles of Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt, the inspiration of Joan of Arc, and the final French victory at Castillon (1453).

Question 38Medieval Georgia and the world

On 29 May 1453, which historic event extinguished the Byzantine Empire, brought an end to the European Middle Ages, and geopolitically isolated the fractured Georgian principalities from Western Christendom?

  1. The Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II Correct answer.
  2. The Sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade
  3. The Battle of Kosovo
  4. The Fall of the Empire of Trebizond

Explanation

On 29 May 1453, Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II ('the Conqueror') captured Constantinople after a 53-day siege, culminating in the death of Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos. The collapse of Byzantium severed Georgia's overland and Black Sea links to Europe, accelerating the fragmentation of Georgia into three separate kingdoms (Kartli, Kakheti, Imereti) and five principalities surrounded by Islamic empires.

Question 39Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

Which major bilateral treaty signed between the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Persia in 1555 formally partitioned Georgia into eastern and western spheres of imperial influence?

  1. The Peace of Amasya Correct answer.
  2. The Treaty of Zuhab (Qasr-e Shirin)
  3. The Treaty of Istanbul
  4. The Treaty of Georgievsk

Explanation

The Peace of Amasya (29 May 1555), signed between Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and Safavid Shah Tahmasp I, settled the Ottoman-Safavid War of 1532–1555. It divided fragmented Georgia: western Georgian realms (Imereti, Guria, Odishi/Samegrelo) were assigned to the Ottoman sphere, while eastern Georgian realms (Kartli, Kakheti) fell under Safavid Persian dominion.

Question 40Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

Which valiant King of Kartli (reigned intermittently 1556–1600), known as 'Sultan Mahmud' while held captive in Alamut, fought relentless guerrilla warfare against both Safavid Persia and the Ottoman Empire before dying in Ottoman captivity in Yedikule Fortress?

  1. King Simon I (Svimon I) Correct answer.
  2. King Luarsab I
  3. King George X
  4. King David XI (Daud Khan)

Explanation

King Simon I of Kartli dedicated nearly five decades to defending Georgian statehood. Refusing to convert to Islam, he was captured by the Persians in 1569 and imprisoned in the fortress of Alamut for nine years; released by Shah Mohammad Khodabanda to lead Persian-allied forces against Ottoman invaders, he drove the Turks from Tbilisi and Gori until being captured by Ottomans at Partskhisi in 1599, dying in Istanbul's Yedikule Fortress in 1611.

Question 41Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

Which King of Kartli (reigned 1633–1658), raised at the Isfahan court as Rostom Khan, pursued a pragmatic policy of external compromise with the Safavid court while preserving internal Christian autonomy and revitalizing Tbilisi's economy?

  1. King Rostom Correct answer.
  2. King Teimuraz I
  3. King Vakhtang V (Shah Nawaz)
  4. King George XI

Explanation

King Rostom (Rostom Khan, 1633–1658), illegitimate son of David XI, was appointed Wali of Kartli by Shah Safi. By formally adopting Persian court manners and paying tribute, Rostom brought a quarter-century of peace to devastated Kartli, restored damaged churches, patronized his Christian queen Mariam Dadiani's cultural projects, and transformed Tbilisi into a thriving regional caravan trade hub.

Question 42Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

Which enlightened monarch of Kartli established the first Georgian printing house in Tbilisi in 1709, publishing the Gospels and the first printed edition of Shota Rustaveli's 'The Knight in the Panther's Skin' (1712)?

  1. King Vakhtang VI Correct answer.
  2. King Erekle II
  3. King Archil II
  4. King Solomon I

Explanation

King Vakhtang VI established the first typography in Tbilisi in 1709 with the assistance of the Wallachian printer Antim the Iberian and Mihail Ishtvanovits. In 1712, Vakhtang published the monumental first printed edition of Shota Rustaveli's 'The Knight in the Panther's Skin' along with his own extensive scholarly and allegorical commentary.

Question 43Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

What was the name of the state legal and administrative constitution compiled under King Vakhtang VI that codified royal court protocol, tax obligations, and governmental ranks in 18th-century Kartli?

  1. Dasturlamali Correct answer.
  2. Dzeglisdeba
  3. Beka-Aghbugha Code
  4. Edisons Statute

Explanation

'Dasturlamali' (completed between 1707 and 1709) was the royal state code enacted by Vakhtang VI. It served as the fundamental administrative and fiscal regulation for the Kingdom of Kartli, defining the duties of court dignitaries (Viziers, Eristavis, Mouravs), state treasury operations, feudal tenant dues, and royal ceremonies.

Question 44Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

In 1722, which Russian Tsar launched the Russo-Persian Campaign and convinced King Vakhtang VI of Kartli to gather a Georgian army at Ganja, only to abruptly cancel the march south, leaving Georgia vulnerable to devastating Ottoman invasion?

  1. Peter I the Great Correct answer.
  2. Ivan IV the Terrible
  3. Paul I
  4. Alexander I

Explanation

Peter I the Great concluded a military pact with King Vakhtang VI, agreeing to coordinate their armies in the South Caucasus to liberate Christian peoples from Persian and Ottoman control. Vakhtang assembled 40,000 Georgian-Armenian troops at Ganja in autumn 1722, but Peter abruptly halted his Caspian expedition at Derbent and returned to Russia. The betrayal exposed Kartli to the Ottoman invasion of 1723 ('Osmaloba'), forcing Vakhtang and 1,200 followers into permanent exile in Russia in 1724.

Question 45Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

Which celebrated monarch, affectionately known to his subjects as 'Patara Kakhi' (Little Kakhetian), united eastern Georgia in 1762 by combining the crowns of Kartli and Kakheti into a single kingdom?

  1. King Erekle II (Heraclius II) Correct answer.
  2. King Teimuraz II
  3. King George XII
  4. King Alexander II

Explanation

King Erekle II ('Patara Kakhi') had reigned as King of Kakheti since 1744 while his father Teimuraz II ruled Kartli. Upon Teimuraz II's death during a diplomatic mission to Saint Petersburg in 1762, Erekle inherited the throne of Kartli, uniting the two eastern Georgian realms into the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti and striving to modernize its military, Europeanize diplomacy, and restrain feudal centrifugalism.

Question 46Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

Which historic treaty was concluded on 24 July 1783 in the North Caucasian fortress of Georgievsk between King Erekle II and the Russian Empire under Catherine II, placing Kartli-Kakheti under Russian imperial protectorate?

  1. Treaty of Georgievsk Correct answer.
  2. Treaty of Kucuk Kaynarca
  3. Treaty of Gulistan
  4. Treaty of Turkmenchay

Explanation

The Treaty of Georgievsk (1783) established an official Russian protectorate over the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti. King Erekle II renounced dependence on Persia or any other power in exchange for Russia's solemn guarantee of his royal dynasty's territorial integrity, internal self-governance, and permanent military defense with two Russian infantry battalions stationed in Georgia.

Question 47Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

At which tragic battle in September 1795 did Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar defeat King Erekle II's outnumbered forces, subsequently sacking and burning Tbilisi, after the Russian Empire failed to honor its Georgievsk treaty obligations?

  1. Battle of Krtsanisi Correct answer.
  2. Battle of Aspindza
  3. Battle of Marabda
  4. Battle of Martqopi

Explanation

At the Battle of Krtsanisi (September 1795), Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar invaded eastern Georgia with 35,000 Persian soldiers demanding the annulment of the Treaty of Georgievsk. Erekle II, fielding only 5,000 fighters (including the legendary 300 Aragvians), resisted heroically on the outskirts of Tbilisi before being overwhelmed; despite the mutual defense pact, the Russian Empire sent no military assistance, and Tbilisi was systematically torched and looted.

Question 48Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

On 12 September 1801, which Russian Tsar issued the imperial manifesto that unilaterally abolished the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti and annexed eastern Georgia into the Russian Empire?

  1. Alexander I Correct answer.
  2. Paul I
  3. Nicholas I
  4. Peter III

Explanation

Following the death of King George XII in December 1800, Russian Tsar Alexander I confirmed his father Paul I's preliminary decree by issuing the Imperial Manifesto of 12 September 1801. The manifesto abolished the ancient Bagrationi monarchy of Kartli-Kakheti, converted the kingdom into a Russian administrative province governed by General Knorring, and deported the royal family to Russia.

Question 49Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

Which last monarch of the western Georgian Kingdom of Imereti waged a desperate resistance against tsarist forces before being deposed in 1810 and dying in exile in Ottoman Trabzon?

  1. King Solomon II Correct answer.
  2. King Solomon I
  3. King George V of Imereti
  4. Prince Grigol Dadiani

Explanation

King Solomon II of Imereti (reigned 1789–1810) resisted Russian imperial subjugation and sought support from Napoleon and the Ottoman Sultan. In 1810, Russian forces stormed Imereti, abolished its monarchy, and forced Solomon into exile in Trabzon, where he died in 1815 as the last reigning crowned Bagrationi king in Georgia.

Question 50Early modern and nineteenth-century Georgia and the world

In 1811, what imperial decision was decreed by the Russian Holy Synod regarding the ancient Georgian Orthodox Church, extinguishing fourteen centuries of ecclesiastical sovereignty?

  1. Abolition of the autocephaly of the Georgian Church and its reduction to an Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church Correct answer.
  2. Transfer of the Georgian Patriarchate to Athens
  3. Conversion of all Georgian liturgical texts into Latin
  4. Subordination of the Georgian Church to the Armenian Apostolic See

Explanation

In 1811, the Russian Imperial Holy Synod abolished the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church and dismissed Catholicos-Patriarch Anton II. Georgia was reduced to a Russian Exarchate governed by ethnic Russian Exarchs who suppressed the Georgian liturgical language, whitewashed ancient Georgian frescoes in cathedrals, and confiscated massive monastic estates until autocephaly was restored in March 1917.