bagrat iii () (c. 960 – 7 may 1014), of the georgian bagrationi dynasty, was king of abkhazia from 978 on (as bagrat ii) and king of georgia from 1008 on. he united these two titles by dynastic inheritance and, through conquest and diplomacy, added more lands to his realm, effectively becoming the first king of the kingdom of georgia. before bagrat was crowned as king, he had also reigned in kartli as co-ruler with his father gurgen from 976 to 978.