David was a son of
Alexander II of Kakheti by his wife, Princess Tinatin
Amilakhvari. In mid-1601, he capitalized on the illness of his father and gained an effective control of the government, sidelining his younger brother
George. When Alexander recovered, David refused to relinquish his powers and forced his father into abdication in October 1601. David was crowned king of Kakheti, but his brother, George, masterminded a plot which quickly collapsed and led to repressions. David had George imprisoned while seventeen of his supporters were executed. David’s foreign policy was a continuation of his father’s line. In 1602, he received a
Russian embassy and reaffirmed his loyalty to the
tsar. He then marched against
Nugzar, the defiant lord of the
Aragvi and forced him into submission. David suddenly died on 21 October 1602, and Alexander II recovered the crown. David is also remembered as a translator of a portion of the
Tales of Kalila and Dimna from
Persian. ==Family==