Born to the king Vakhtang VI of Kartli of the House of Bagrationi-Mukhrani and Queen Rusudan, George followed his father into exile in Russia following the Ottoman occupation of Georgia in 1724. He established himself at Moscow and entered the Russian military service. During the Russo-Swedish War (1741–1743), he became a major-general and commanded a squadron of galleys. He distinguished himself in the campaign of the Rhine during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) and was promoted to lieutenant general in 1750. He also fought early in the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) and retired in 1759 with the rank of general-in-chief.