Simon, Prince of Mukhrani


Svimon or Simon Mukhranbatoni was a Georgian nobleman of the House of Mukhrani, a collateral branch of the royal Bagrationi dynasty of Kartli. He was Prince of Mukhrani and ex officio commander of the Banner of Shida Kartli and Grand Master of the Household at the court of Kartli from 1756 to 1778.

Career

Svimon was a son of Levan, Prince of Mukhrani, and a certain Princess Elene. He acceded to the titles and possessions of his father in 1756, in the reign of King Teimuraz II of Kartli, succeeding on the death of his relative, Constantine III, Prince of Mukhrani, whose heirs were in their minority. He was further appointed by Teimuraz as nasakhchibashi, "Lord High Executioner", the office which gave rise to his moniker, Svimon the nasakhchibashi.
During the 1768–74 war between the Russian and Ottoman empires, in which the Georgians allied themselves with the Russians, Prince Svimon contributed to the victory of Teimuraz II's son and successor, King Heraclius II of Georgia at Aspindza in April 1770. During the campaign, Heraclius was abandoned by his ally, the Russian general Count Totleben, and the Georgian forces had to confront a larger Turkish-Lesgian army. The night before the battle Prince Svimon led some two dozen men and clandestinely dismantled the only bridge across the river, stranding the enemy forces on the riverbank and allowing Heraclius to win a decisive victory. In 1778, a change in political climate forced Prince Svimon to abdicate in favor of his nephew, Ioane, and retire to Russia.

Family

Prince Svimon was married twice, first to a certain Tamar and secondly to Ana, probably a daughter of Prince Alexander of Kartli. He had the following children: