Vahram Gageli

Vahram Gageli (ვარამ გაგელი) or Vahram of Gagi, also known as Varam marquess (monapire) of gagi, was Georgian noble of Armenian descent during the 13th century.

Biography
Vahram, son of Zakaria Gageli was the one that initiated and participated in the raids in Iran alongside with Ivane Mkhargrdzeli in 1210. Around 1212, Queen Tamar assigned Vahram — a worthy man and victorious in campaigns — to the position of msakhurtukhutsesi (Majordomo). During the first Mongol invasion of Georgia In 1220, Vahram Gageli and atabeg Ivane informed King George IV of the invasion of foreign tribes, with foreign languages, and about the ravaging of Somkhiti. The King called up his army and advanced towards the Mongols who were camped around Gagi. When the battle started, the Mongols used their old expedient of feigned retreat and the Georgians chased them up to the river Kotman until Jebe’s sudden advance from the ambush ended the battle. The king and Ivane fled, leaving Vahram Gageli to fight on the right flank. Georgians suffered heavy losses in this war and the King himself was severely wounded and died soon after. He was succeeded by his sister Rusudan in 1223, which exercised the authority through the commanders Ivane and his son Avag, Shanshe, son of Zakaria, Vahram Gageli and others.

During the second Mongol invasion, Queen Rusudan and Vahram Gageli fled to western Georgia; the population of Shamkor was forbidden to resist, by Vahram himself. By 1240 all the country was under the Mongol yoke. Rusudan was forced to accept the sovereignty of the Mongol Khan in 1242. Fearing that his nephew David VII "Ulu" (son of George IV) would pretend to the throne, Queen Rusudan held him prisoner at the court of her son-in-law, the sultan Kaykhusraw II for nearly seven years, and sent her son David to the Mongol court to get his official recognition as heir apparent. Following the death of Queen Rusudan in 1245 an interregnum (1245–1250) began, the Mongols divided the Kingdom of Georgia into eight districts (tumen), five of which belonged to the Georgians, the remaining three tumens were Armenian, i.e., the territories of the Shanshe Mkhargrdzeli in Ani and Kars; of the Avag Mkhargrdzeli in Syunik and Artsakh; and of the Vahram (Gagi, Shamkor and the surrounding area).

In 1246, Lord Vahram Gageli was sent to Rum Sultanate to represent Baiju in negotiations for the liberation of David "Ulu", from prison, who was later crowned and sent to the Great Khan. Exploiting the complicated issue of succession, the Mongols had the Georgian nobles divided into two rival parties, each of which advocated their own candidate to the crown. Vahram came to be a loyal supporter of David VII "Ulu". After a failed plot against the Mongol rule in Georgia (1246), Güyük Khan made, in 1247, both pretenders co-kings.

In 1249 Shanshe, Vahram Gageli and many others along with their troops, gathered in Tbilisi in order to convince King David Ulu that with such a great army, they could attack the Mongols suddenly and exterminate them. On discovering this rebellion, the Mongols arrested the participants. The Mongols demanded that the rest of the princes demonstrate their loyalty to the Khan. King David and the other princes responded quickly to Chaghatai Noyan's call but in accordance with their custom, the Mongols bound their hands and feet tightly with thin cords and kept them for three days in punishment for their rebellious plan.