Kingdom of Georgia
Georgia, 1008–1466. Draft, not yet reviewed
The Kingdom of Georgia was a medieval Eurasian monarchy that was founded in c. 1008 AD. It reached its Golden Age of political and economic strength during the reign of King David IV and Queen Tamar the Great. The kingdom fell to the Mongol invasions in the 13th century, but managed to re-assert sovereignty by the 1340s. A series of invasions and other troubles led to the final collapse of the kingdom into anarchy by 1466.
Seat of power: Tbilisi
Rulers
Tamar of Georgia
King of Georgia, 1178–1213
Her position as the first woman to rule Georgia in her own right was emphasized by the title mepe. She presided over the apex of the Georgian Golden Age. Tamar consolidated an empire which dominated the Caucasus until its collapse under the Mongol attacks within two decades after her death.
Portrait of Tamar of Georgia: 13th century painter, Public domain, file
Rusudan of Georgia
queen regnant, 1223–1245
She succeeded her brother George IV in 1223. During her reign, Georgia was attacked by the Khwarezmian ruler Jalal al-Din Mangburni, who was fleeing the Mongols. In 1239 she assented to a treaty with the Mongols, which obliged Georgia to provide tribute to the Mongols in gold and military.
Portrait of Rusudan of Georgia: Unknown authorUnknown author, CC0, file
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Culture
- Georgia became one of the pre-eminent nations of the Christian East, and its pan-Caucasian empire and network of tributaries stretched from Eastern Europe to Anatolia and northern frontiers of Iran.
- The Georgian Church broke away from Constantinople in the 9th century. The church language was changed from Greek to Georgian.
- People of the time called the Gelati Academy "a new Hellas" and "a second Athos".
Picture
The Gelati monastery near Kutaisi was founded in 1106 by King David IV as a monastic and educational center.
Image: Ihor Burliai, CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.