Origins & Early Life

David IV, also known as David IV the Builder (Georgian: დავით IV აღმაშენებელი, romanized: davit IV aghmashenebeli; c. 1073 – 24 January 1125), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the 5th king (mepe) of the Kingdom of Georgia from 1089 until his death in 1125. Popularly considered to be the greatest and most successful Georgian ruler in history and an original architect of the Georgian Golden Age, he succeeded in driving the Seljuk Turks out of the country, winning the Battle of Didgori in 1121. His reforms of the army and administration enabled him to reunite the country and bring most of the lands of the Caucasus under Georgia's control.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

A friend of the Church and a notable promoter of Christian culture, he was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church. The epithet aghmashenebeli (აღმაშენებელი), which is translated as 'the Builder' (in the sense of "built completely"), 'the Rebuilder', or 'the Restorer', first appears as the sobriquet of David in the charter issued in the name of "King of Kings Bagrat" in 1452 and becomes firmly affixed to him in the works of the 17th- and 18th-century historians such as Parsadan Gorgijanidze, Beri Egnatashvili and Prince...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Zhou Dunyi — Contemporary (Died in 1073) (1073): Pioneering Song Dynasty philosopher who shaped Neo-Confucian cosmology.
• Amedeo Modigliani — Shared historical date (01-24 · Died) (1920): Italian painter and sculptor known for elongated, modern portraits and nudes.
• B. V. Doshi — Shared historical date (01-24 · Died) (2023): Pioneering Indian architect celebrated for modernist and brutalist design.
• Han Shizhong — Historical peer (Born in 1089) (1089): Renowned general, poet, and politician of the Song Dynasty.
• Lanfranc — Historical peer (Died in 1089) (1089): Italian-born scholar and Archbishop of Canterbury, pivotal figure in medieval church life.
• Zhou Bangyan — Historical peer (Died in 1121) (1121): Northern Song Dynasty poet, musician, and statesman from Qiantang.
• Diogo Cão — Historical peer (Born in 1452) (1452): Portuguese explorer renowned for charting the west African coast and the Congo River.
• Ferdinand II of Aragon — Historical peer (Born in 1452) (1452): Co-ruler with Isabella I, establishing the foundation of the Spanish Monarchy.
• Bernard Kroger — Shared historical date (01-24 · Born) (1860): Pioneering American supermarket chain founder, introducing self-service shopping.
• Caligula — Shared historical date (01-24 · Died) (41): Third Roman Emperor, known for his tumultuous and short reign (AD 37-41).
• 1073 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1073
• 1125 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1125
• January 24 (01-24) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 24