Patr. (1687–1708) whose patriarchate was contested by five anti-patriarchs
during various parts of his life. Born in [
Mosul
](https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/Mosul) to ʿAbd
al-Karīm, his family produced three patr. (him, his nephew [
Isḥoq
](https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/Ishoq-Azar) [1709–24], and Giwargis IV [1768–81], an uncle’s grandson),
two maph. (Matay II [1713–27], a nephew, and Loʿozor IV [1730–59], a
nephew’s son), one bp. (a nephew’s son), and five priests (an uncle, a
cousin, a brother, and two nephews).
Giwargis joined [
Dayro d-Mor
Matay
](https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/Matay-Dayro-d-Mor), was ordained priest in 1669, and consecrated bp. for
Jazīrat Qardu in 1677. When Maph. Yaldo voluntarily abdicated the
maphrianate to serve in Malankara, Giwargis was installed maph. in his place
in 1684. On 22 Apr. 1687, he was elevated to the patriarchate.
Following disputes with the newly established Syr. Cath. community in [
Aleppo
](https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/Aleppo),
Giwargis spent one year in the Aleppo courts and regained control over
churches which were under the control of the Cath. party. He rebuilt [
Dayr
al-Zaʿfarān
](https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/al-Zafaran-Dayr) in 1699, and renewed many churches in [
Mardin
](https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/Mardin) (1704), [
Edessa
](https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/Edessa),
[
Amid
](https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/Amid)
(1690s), Jazīrat Qardu, and Mosul. He built two new churches in Ḥisn Manṣūr
(ca. 1701) and Zakho. Giwargis visited Edessa in ca. 1702 or 1703 where he
was sent to prison due to conflicts with the Cath. party there. He died in
1708 and was buried in Dayr al-Zaʿfarān.
Many divisions took place during his lifetime. In 1701, there existed six
patriarchs (Giwargis in Mardin, Ḥabib in [
Ṭur ʿAbdin
](https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/Tur-Abdin),
Peṭros who later converted to Catholicism, Denḥa, Behnam, and Shemʿun of
Maʿdan), and three maphrians (Isḥoq Loʿozor, Isḥoq b. Gbir who later
converted to Catholicism, and Loʿozor of Ṭur ʿAbdin).