Tamar (1160-1213), from the House of Bagrationi, was Queen of the Kingdom of Georgia from 1184 to 1213. She ruled during what is generally regarded as Georgia’s “golden age” and gained a reputation as an outstandingly successful ruler, dubbed “King of Kings and Queen of Queens” by her subjects.

Life

Tamar was an elder daughter of the Georgian King Giorgi III (1156-1184) and his wife Gurandukht , daughter of King Khuddan of Ossetia. Giorgi declared Tamar co-ruler and hair apparent to forestall any dispute after his death in 1178. Tamar succeeded on her father’s death in 1184.

With Tamar’s ascent to the throne, a part of nobles led by Minister of Finances (mechrurchletukhutsesi) Qutlu Arslan demanded that the power of monarchs should be limited by a legislature, or karavi. In retaliation of the Queen’s refusal and arrest of Qutlu Arslan, the oppositionist rose in rebellion and marched to the royal palace. Tamar managed to negotiate with the rebels and released their leader granting only limited functions to karavi.

In 1185, a certain group of Georgian nobles arranged a marriage of the Russian Prince Yuri Bogolyubsky (known in Georgia as Giorgi Rusi (Giorgi the Russian)) with Tamar. She had no children by Yuri. The Queen soon got disappointed in her husband as Yuri proved to be a heavy drinker and immoral person. Tamar divorced him in 1187 and selected her second husband herself. He was Prince David Soslani from Ossetia, a descendant of Georgian royal family of Bagrationi, whom he married in 1188. The Queen's consort was King only by virtue of being her husband. Tamar was the supreme ruler, and continued to be called "King of Kings and Queen of Queens". Tamar’s former husband Yuri allied with a powerful party of Georgian nobles and organized two unsuccessful revolts in order to seize power in 1191.

After stabilization of the kingdom’s internal life, Tamar revived her father’s aggressive foreign politics and attacked the neighbouring Seljuk rulers. Tamar played an active military role as the commander of an army. In 1193 the Georgian army marched to Bardav . Following its triumphant return, a new campaign was undertaken against Erzerum. The army under Tamar and David attacked the Seljuks (Turks) wintering on the banks of the river Araxes.

The Atabag of Azerbaijan Abu-Bakr was given command of the army of the coalition of Georgia's Muslim opponents. A battle was fought near Shamkor in 1195 which ended in a Georgian victory. Numerous prisoners and huge amounts of booty were seized, including the Khalif's standard, which Tamar donated to the Icon of Our Lady of Khakhuli . The Georgians took the city of Shamkor and the adjoining regions, and the occupied lands were turned over to the Shirvan-Shah on terms of vassalage. From Shamkhor the Georgian army marched to Ganja.

The Georgian victories alarmed the Muslim rulers of Georgia's neighbours, particularly Rukn ad-Din, Sultan of the Seljuk state in Asia Minor. The Sultan prepared for war in order to break the might of Christian Georgia and fought a major battle near Basian in 1203. Despite the huge size of the Seljuk army - said to number more than 400,000 troops - the Georgian army under David Soslani won a famous victory.

During her reign the kingdom reached the apex of its political, economic and cultural might. In 1201-1203, Georgians took and annexed the Armenian capitals of Ani and Dvin . In 1204, Tamar's army occupied the city of Kars.

In 1204, Tamar helped to found the Empire of Trabizond on the southern shore of the Black Sea (now the Turkish province of Trabzon). This so-called "empire" was populated mainly by Laz (Chani) Georgian tribes, ruled by refugees from Constantinople. The first ruler of the Empire of Trabizond Alexius I Comnenus was a grandson of the King of Georgia David the Builder. In 1208-1209, Georgians attacked Khlat , Archesh and Ardebil and subdued local rulers to the Georgian throne. In 1210, the Georgian army campaigned against Northern Persia and plundered the country.

In June 1212, Tamar had to fight another rebellion. This time, Pkhovs and Didos, the mountaineers of eastern Georgia rose against the Queen’s power. Tamar’s army under Ioane Mkhargrdzeli attacked the rebel provinces and quelled the revolt by August 1212.

Like other medieval monarchs, Tamar played an active role in promoting her country's religion and culture, sponsoring the construction of numerous Georgian Orthodox churches.

Queen Tamar died in 1213 and was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church.

She was succeeded on throne by her son Giorgi IV Lasha.

Issues

She was survived by two children

• Lasha Giorgi, the future King Giorgi IV of Georgia

• Rusudan, the future Queen of Georgia

Tamar’s Grave

A legend says, Tamar was buried at the secret place at Gelati Monastery near Kutaisi, Western Georgia. Georgian scholars suggest, Tamar was buried in one of Gelati’s niches. Queen Tamar’s words are quoted from a 12th century literary source: "To my ancestors’ land, to the monastery of Gelati will I be taken, and buried there in an honourable grave". There is another belief, which prevails today, that Queen Tamar was buried at the new Gelati Monastery.

Tamar in Georgian Literature and Art

The poet Shota Rustaveli commemorated Tamar in his epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin, in which her coronation gave Rustaveli the historical background for his sublime description of the coronation of Tinatin. Chakhrukhadze was another Georgian poet of that time who devoted his poem “Tamariani” to the Queen. Numerous folk songs, poems and legends are also dedicated to her.

Tamar’s frescos are preserved in the Monasteries of Gelati, Vardzia, Betania and Qintsvisi.

Title

H.M. The Most High Queen Thamar, by the will of our Lord, King of Kings and Queen of Queens of the Abkhazians, Kartvelians, Ranians, Kakhetians and the Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah and Master of all the East and West, Glory of the World and Faith, Champion of the Messiah.

External Links

• Saint Tamar of Georgia

• The Bagrationi Dynasty