Ivane I Zakarian

Ivane Mkhargdzeli(means Longarm or Shoulderlong (zakarian, Իվանե Զաքարյան, died 1227 AD) was a Georgian-Armenian(with Kurd origin) noble from family of Zakarids–Mkhargrdzeli and one of the main generals of Tamar's army during the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He was given the title of atabeg and was the ruler of feudal lands in the Kingdom of Georgia.

The eastern areas Bjni, Gegharkunik, Vayots-dzor, Artsakh, Siunik, Nakhichevan, Dvin and Yerevan were under the jurisdiction of the atabeg Ivane and his son Avag. First Dvin and later Bjni were centres of this division. The subjects of Ivane’s family were the Orbelians, Khaghbakian, Dopians, Hasan-Jalalyan and others.

Biography
Ivane Zakarian and his father Sargis supported the rebellion of their suzerain Orbeli family and Prince Demna in 1177, however they soon sided with George III of Georgia and fought for the monarchy against the insurgents. The uprising was suppressed, and King George III elevated the Mkhargrdzeli family.

Following the death of George III, there was considerable opposition to Tamar's succession, however she gradually expanded her own power-base and elevated her loyal nobles to high positions at the court, most notably the Mkhargrdzeli. She gave presents to Ivane and his elder brother Zakaria, and made them a member of the Darbazi. During a revolt of Queen Tamar's disgraced husband, George the Rus', around 1191, Ivane and Zakaria were one of the few nobles who remained loyal to the queen. In exchange Queen Tamar granted him possessions over Dvin, Vaspurakan and Gelakun as a fief and elevated to the office of msakhurtukhutsesi. Ivane commanded the Georgian army for almost three decades, achieving major victories at Shamkor in 1195 and Basian in 1203. Around the same time, Ivane converted from Armenian Apostolic to Georgian Orthodox Christianity, while his elder brother Zakare remained Armenian Apostolic in faith. Tamar honored Ivane with the position of atabag (tutor), the position that became prominent was respected even more than certain Eristavis (duke).

During the siege of Ahlat Ivane Mkhargrdzeli accidentally fell into the hands of the al-Awhad on the outskirts of Akhlat. He was taken prisoner and by way of ransom had to cede several castles, to liberate 5000 Muslim prisoners and to promise the hand of his daughter Tamta to his captor. Ivane commanded one of the most devastating expeditions against the Georgian mountainers in c. 1212, who had rebelled against the attempts of transplanting feudal practices and forceful Christianization. The contemporary chronicle recounts a bloody three-month campaign of pacification, that left several villages and shrines destroyed.

During Khwarezmian invasion of Georgia in 1225, Dvin was ruled by the aging Ivane, who had given Ani to his nephew Shanshe, son of Zakare. Ivane commanded Georgian army at the battle of Garni, he placed his rival commanders in charge of the vanguard of the Georgian army and did not ordered main army to proceed as vanguard went into attack on its own. After vanguard was surrounded he ordered the troops to retreat from the battlefield entirely, leaving the other two commanders Shalva and Ivane Akhaltsikheli in enemies' hands. The lost battle resulted in decimation of the Georgian army by a quarter, leaving the country poorly steeled against an upcoming Mongol invasion. The capture of Dvin brought about the end of Georgia's medieval heyday. However, Kars and Ani were kept. His family went in decline with the Mongol invasion of Georgia.