Claim: In the 13th century the Kingdom of Georgia fell.

The Kingdom of Georgia , also known as the Georgian Empire , was a medieval monarchy which emerged in circa 1008 AD . It reached its Golden Age of political and economic strength during the reign of King David IV and Queen Tamar the Great from 11th to 13th centuries . At the peak of its dominance , the kingdom 's influence spanned from the south of modern-day Ukraine to the northern provinces of Iran , while also maintaining religious possessions in the Holy Land and Greece . A predominantly Christian , Georgian-speaking realm , it was the principal historical precursor of present-day Georgia .   Lasting for several centuries , the kingdom fell to the Mongol invasions in the 13th century , but managed to re-assert sovereignty by the 1340s . The following decades were marked by Black Death spread by the nomads , as well as numerous invasions under the leadership of Tamerlane , who devastated the country 's economy , population , and urban centers . The Kingdom 's geopolitical situation further worsened after the Fall of Constantinople , which effectively marked the end of the Eastern Roman Empire , Georgia 's traditional ally . As a result of these processes , by the end of the 15th century Georgia turned into an isolated , fractured Christian enclave , surrounded by hostile Turco-Iranic neighbors . Renewed incursions from 1386 led to the final collapse of the kingdom into anarchy by 1466 and the mutual recognition of its constituent kingdoms of Kartli , Kakheti and Imereti as independent states between 1490 and 1493 .