Guranduct of Abkhazia

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Queen Guranduct. Sketch of a relief in the cathedral of Kumurdo on the Javakheti plateau in the municipality of Akhalkalaki , in Georgia

Gurandukt von Abkhazia (cl. 960 - 999 ) (In Georgian language : გურანდუხტი, გუარანდუხტი) also written Gurandoukt or Guranducht, was a princess from the Caucasian kingdom of Abkhazia who, through her marriage to Gurgen, was king of Tao-Klardschetien from the house of Georgians Bagratiden became queen and after the death of their brothers as the last of their house became the ancestor of the later kings of Georgia, since their son Bagrat III. the inheritance of his father, the kingdom of Tao-Klardschetien united with the inheritance of his maternal ancestors, the kingdom of Abkhazia and thereby became the first king of the united kingdom of Georgia in 1008 . Through their descendants, family relationships developed that went far beyond the Caucasus, as they also included emperors from Byzantium and Islamic princes from the Seljuq empire .

origin

Gurandukt came from the Anchabad / Anchabadze dynasty, which had ruled the medieval principality of Abkhazia in the Caucasus since 510 and from which its ancestor, Leon II Prince of Abkhazia, around 780 - after repelling attacks by the Arabs with the support of the Khazars - by uniting his principality with the territories of his wife and other acquired territories, the Kingdom of Abkhazia - also called Egrisi-Abkhazia - created, which lay in the Caucasus region in the east of the Black Sea between Alania in the north and Armenia in the south. Gurandkht was a daughter of King George II of Abkhazia, who had succeeded his father Constantine II as King of Abkhazia in 916 and during his long reign until his death in 960 was essential for expanding his domain, for cultural prosperity and for strengthening contributed to the political influence of his empire. Only the first name Helene is known of her mother.

Life

The Caucasus region around the year 1000

youth

Gurandukt grew up as a princess of the Kingdom of Abkhazia, on her father's court in the capital of the empire, the ancient "city of roses and May" Kutaisi , which early as the 8th century BC as the capital of the ancient kingdom of Colchis was known, that is almost in the same area as the later Kingdom of Abkhazia. Kutaisi is now the third largest city in the Republic of Georgia and the capital of the Imereti region .

Gurandukt grew up with her four brothers, whose fate would have a decisive impact on their lives. Her eldest brother, Prince Constantine of Abkhazia, who was appointed Viceroy of Iberia by her father King George II in 923 , was deposed, blinded and emasculated after a rebellion on behalf of his father in 926. Gurandukt's second brother Prince Leo III. of Abkhazia then took over the office of Viceroy of Iberia in 926 and followed the death of his father from 960 to 967 as King of Abkhazia, but remained without descendants.

Consort of Gurgen of Tao-Klardschetien

Tao-Klardschetien outline de

Gurandukt was married to Prince Gurgen (Georg) Bagratuni, who was a son of King Bagrat II from 958 to 960, by her father, who sought a rapprochement with the kings of Tao-Klardschetien from the house of the Georgian Bagratids In 994 the kingdom of Tao-Klardschetien ruled and traced its descent to Ashot I the Great, who was the first of his house, based on his ancestral holdings , to be the leading prince of Iberia from 813 to 826, and as such was recognized as such by the Caliph of Baghdad in 818 has been. Because of the successful defense against the Arab advance and as the patron of Christian culture, King Ashot I is venerated as a saint in the Georgian Orthodox Church . Her father-in-law King Bagrat II who was nicknamed "Regueni", d. that is, the simple-minded wore was considerably less important, for he only ruled in the northern part of the kingdom, since his cousin Adarnase V ruled in the south.

Gutrandukht's life at the court of her father-in-law was not always peaceful, as there was war with the Rawadids , a Muslim dynasty that ruled Iranian Azerbaijan with a focus on Tabriz , but also controlled parts of Armenia , which only with the support of his cousin, the most powerful prince of the Kingdom, David III. "Kuropalates" by Tao could be completed successfully. Her husband Gurgen, who acted as co-king of his father, also tried to rise up against his father, but this was unsuccessful, since this was again Prince David III. "Kuropalates" was supported by Tao. In her homeland of Abkhazia, her second brother, King Leo III, died in 967. of Abkhazia, whereupon her third brother, Demetrius III. succeeded as king from 967 to 975.

The fate of her youngest brother, Theodosius, was decisive for her own life as well as for the future of the dynasty. As crown prince he tried his brother King Demetrius III. to overthrow, however, was driven out of the country after the failed attempt. He later reconciled with his brother, who mistrusted him, however, and blinded him in order to exclude him from rule. After the death of King Demetrius in 975, Theodosius was the only male representative of his house and therefore followed - despite his blindness - from 975 to 978 as Theodosius III. as King of Abkhazia. In the same year 975, Gurandukt's son Bagrat, who was born around 960, was given to a cousin of his father, the aforementioned Prince David III. Kuropalates - from the line of the Bagratids ruling in the historical Tao region in the Kingdom of Tao-Klardschetien - adopted as heir and made rulers of the important Kartlien region, whereby the rulers of the still child rulers, Guandukht and Gurgen, were appointed as regents took on an important role in the kingdom of Tao-Klardschetien, but were faced with strong opposition from the local nobility.

Queen Mother in Abkhazia

Another significant event in Gurandukt's life concerned the kingdom of her own family, Abkhazia. Her brother King Theodosius III ruled there since 975, who was blind, childless and besieged by a revolt by Bagratid princes, who decided in 978 to abdicate in favor of her son - his nephew Bagrat - whereupon Bagrat in 978 with the name Bagrat (III.) Became king was crowned by Abkhazia. His uncle Theodosius III. died around 980 as a monk and the last male representative of his dynasty. Gurandukt, co-queen of Tao-Klardschetien through her marriage, thus became queen-mother in her home kingdom of Abkhazia.

Bedia Cathedral

On the occasion of the accession to the throne of her son Bagrat III. Gurandukt founded the Bedia Cathedral together with her son, which was completed in 999, the ruins of which are now in the Tkuartschal Rajon in the Republic of Abkhazia, which is recognized by only a few countries .

The golden Beda chalice (around 999)

On the occasion of the completion of this cathedral, Gurandukt donated together with their son Bagrat III. In this church in 999 a golden chalice, which is known as an outstanding example of Georgian goldsmithing as the "Beda chalice" and is now in the Georgian National Museum in Tbilisi . Under the edge is an inscription in Georgian using the Mkhedruli script, which in translation reads: “Holy Mother of God use you with your son for Bagrat, King of the Abkhazians and his mother, Queen Gurandukt, who this vessel and the Commissioned the decoration of this altar and built this holy church. "

Despite the extinction of her dynasty, Gurandukt had the satisfaction of seeing her own son as king on the throne of Abkhazia. She was not limited to the formal role of a queen mother, however; but worked in his absence as regent, administered parts of the former kingdom of Kartli and u. a. the fortress and cave town Uplistsikhe , on a hill at the river Kura near the town of Gori in the administrative region of Shida Kartli in Georgia is located and is regarded by archaeologists as one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia. She supported her son all her life with words and deeds with the intention of uniting in his hands the kingdoms of Abkhazia and Tao-Klardschetien, which came from his father's and his mother's side, so that a not inconsiderable part of the success that her son Bagrat III. achieved due to their influence.

Queen of Tao-Klardschetien

Gurandukt's father-in-law, King Bagrat II, died in 994, whereupon her husband Gurgen succeeded him from 994 to 1008 as the sole king of Tao-Klardschetien and assumed the title of "King of Kings". Gurandukt himself finally became queen. The territory of this kingdom is today in Turkey and for the most part in the regions of Erzurum , Artvin , Ardahan and Kars .

Demise

Gurandukt, the last representative of the line of the Abkhazian kings from the house of Anschabadze, died soon after 999, as she is later no longer mentioned in the chronicles and is mentioned as deceased in an inscription in the church of Shidra Kartli in 1002. She therefore no longer experienced the unification of the two kingdoms of Abkhazia and Tao-Klardschetien initiated by her marriage, as this only occurred in 1008, after the death of her husband, because her son King Bagrat III. of Abkhazia also became king of Tao-Klardschetien and subsequently united both kingdoms into a united kingdom of Georgia. From Gurandukt's point of view, this new beginning would undoubtedly have been a historic success of their efforts, but it also signaled an end. Because after her own dynasty, which had ruled Abkhazia for almost half a millennium, had expired in 980 with the death of her last brother, the Kingdom of Abkhazia now also disappeared, as it merged into the new united Kingdom of Georgia, that of the dynasty of Bagratids was ruled.

Pictorial representation

The representation of Gurandukt reproduced above is a sketch of on a relief, which is with an inscription with her name in medieval Georgian script in the northern trompe above the eastern arch of the cathedral of Kumurdo, which is in the municipality of Akhalkalaki in the Samtskhe- Javakheti is located in southern Georgia . In the southern trompe there is a relief depicting her brother Leon III, who is mentioned in a dedication inscription on the southern gate of the church from the year 964.

Marriage and offspring

Georgian states (830-1020) -fr

marriage

Gurandukt was married by her father to Prince Gurgen (Georg) Bagratuni, a son of King Bagrat II of Tao-Klardschetien from the house of the Georgian Bagratids , who was King of Tao from 994 to 1008 after the death of his father Klardschetien ruled

Inscription: "Gurgen, King of Kings" from the year 1006 on the church of Ishkhani

progeny

Bagrat III of Georgia, son of Gurandukt (fresco in Gelati)
  • Bagrat III. Bagratuni (* around 963; † Phanascert May 7, 1014) ruled from 975 to 978 as Duke of Kartli , from 978 to 1008 as King of Abkhazia and from 1008 to 1014 as King of the United Kingdom of Georgia , where he succeeded in establishing this state to consolidate domestic and foreign policy. His wife named herself after the Georgian genealogist Cyrille Toumanoff Martha, whose family background is unknown.
    • Giorgi I. Bagratuni (* 996; † August 16, 1027) King of Georgia (1014-1027), fought mainly against the Byzantine Empire ⚭ I. Mariam Artsruni of Vaspurakan, a daughter of Senekerim-Johannes King of Vasporakan, regent of Georgia 1027-1037 († 1072/1103); ⚭ II / relationship with Alda of Ossetia, daughter of a king of Ossetia (Alania)
      • Bagrat IV. (King of Georgia from 1027 to 1072) (* 1017 married; † 1072) ⚭ I. around 1032 Helena Argyra († 1033), niece of Emperor Romanos Argyros ⚭ II around 1033/40 Borena of Alania (Ossetia) , Sister of King Durgulel the Great of Alania .
        • Giorgi II. King of Georgia (1072-1089) (* in 2nd marriage around 1045; † 1112) suffered defeats against Malik Shah I , Sultan of the Great Seljuks (1072-1092), to whom he lost Tbilisi in 1088 . ⚭ Elena Ne, resigned in favor of his son
          • Dawit IV the builder King of Georgia (1089–1125), saint of the Orthodox Church, ⚭ I. Rusudan of Armenia, ⚭ II. Gurandukt, a daughter of Otrok prince of the Kipchaks (Cumans)
        • Martha of Georgia , called Maria in Byzantium; † after 1090 as a nun Martha; ⚭ I. after 1071, later expelled, Michael VII. Dukas , Emperor of Byzantium (1067-1078), ⚭ II. 1078 Nikephoros Botaneiates , Emperor of Byzantium (1078-1081)
        • Mary of Georgia; † November 1072
      • Gurandukt of Georgia († January 11, 1055, called Mangana Monastery), after 1044 mistress of Constantine IX. Monomachus (Emperor of Byzantium 1042-1055), receives the title "Augusta"
      • Kata of Georgia ⚭ Smbat of Lorhi, son of Dawit King of Lorhi and Aghbania
      • Martha of Georgia; † before 1027, before her father
      • Demetre of Georgia († 1052) from (2nd marriage) pretender of Georgia against s. Half-brother of King Bagrat IV.) (+ Around 1052)
        • David of Georgia, donates royal line in Alania (Ossetia) including David-Soslan
    • Basil Prince of Georgia (* around 982, † around 1040), monk in the Khakhuli monastery (today in the village of Bağbaşı in the province of Erzurum , Turkey) and scholar, "The Holy Father Basil, jewel and illuminator of the Georgian Church", saint of the Georgian Orthodox Church, feast day May 27th.
  • Katramid of Abkhazia & Gagik I. "the Great" King of Armenia (989 to 1017/20)
    • Smbat III. King of Armenia (1017/20 to 1041) ⚭ I. Ne. ⚭ II. Argyra, a niece of Romanos III. Argyros (* 968; † 1034) Byzantine Emperor (1028-1034)
      • Erkat from Armenia; † in front of the father
    • Ashot IV. "The brave" king of Armenia together with his brother (1017/20 - 1041), ⚭ Ne
      • Gagik II. King of Armenia (1041 to 1076/80) (* 1025/26; † murdered March 2, 1076/29 February 1080) & Ne von Vaspurakan, T. v. Davit from Vaspurakan Lord of Sivas
    • Kouschkousch Princess of Armenia ⚭ Seneqerim-Johannes Artsruni Prince of Vaspurakan († 1024) (see above)

See also

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literature

  • Charles Cawley, FMG, Medieval Lands Georgia [9]
  • Khimshiashvili, Kakha (1999). The Architecture of. Uphlistsikhe, Georgia. Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society 43,
  • Lordkipanidze, Mariam (1967), Georgia in the XI-XII centuries , Ganatleba, edited by George B. Hewitt. Also available online at [10]
  • Rapp, Stephen H. (2003), Studies in Medieval Georgian Historiography: Early Texts And Eurasian Contexts, passim. Peeters Publishers, ISBN 90-429-1318-5
  • Detlev Schwennicke, European Family Tables, Volume II. 1984
  • Suny, Ronald Grigor (1994). The Making of the Georgian Nation. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-20915-3 .
  • Cyrille Toumanoff , Les dynasties de la Caucasie chrétienne de l'Antiquité jusqu'au XIX e siècle: Tables généalogiques et chronologiques, Rome, 1990
  • Cyrille Toumanoff , (1956), "Date of the death of the Curopalates Ashot". Le Museon, LXIX
  • Toumanoff, Cyril (1961). "The Bagratids of Iberia from the Eighth to the Eleventh Century". Le Muséon. 74 (1-2)

Web links

  • Charles Cawley FMG, Medieval Lands, Georgia [11]

Remarks

  1. ↑ Cyrille Toumanoff, Les dynasties de la Caucasie chrétienne de l'Antiquité jusqu'au xixe siècle: Tables généalogiques et chronologiques, Rome, 1990, p. 131.
  2. ↑ Cyrille Toumanoff, Les dynasties de la Caucasie chrétienne de l'Antiquité jusqu'au xixe siècle: Tables généalogiques et chronologiques, Rome, 1990, p. 75 and 535.
  3. ↑ FMG Medieval Lands Georgia [1]
  4. ^ Cyril Toumanoff: Date of the death of the Curopalates Ashot. In: Le Museon. LXIX, 1-2: 83-85 (1956).
  5. ↑ Andrew Peacock: RAWWADIDS ( English ) In: Encyclopaedia Iranica . 2017.
  6. ^ Wixom, William D. (1997). "Liturgical vessel from Bedia". In Evans, Helen C .; Wixom, William D. The Glory of Byzantium: Art and Culture of the Middle Byzantine Era, AD 843-1261. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. Pp. 342-344. ISBN 0-87099-777-7 . [2]
  7. ↑ Khimshiashvili, Kakha (1999). The Architecture of. Uphlistsikhe, Georgia. Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society 43, pp. 77-100.
  8. ↑ Toumanoff, Cyril (1961). "The Bagratids of Iberia from the Eighth to the Eleventh Century". Le Muséon. 74 (1-2): 40.
  9. ^ Eastmond, Antony (1998). Royal Imagery in Medieval Georgia. Penn State Press. pp. 34-35, 231-232. ISBN 0-271-01628-0 .
  10. ^ Cyrille Toumanoff, Les dynasties de la Caucasie chrétienne de l'Antiquité jusqu'au XIX e siècle: Tables généalogiques et chronologiques, Rome, 1990, p. 134
  11. ↑ Georgian Chronicle, 13th century 17, p. 101.
  12. ↑ FMG Georgia [3]
  13. ↑ FMG Medlands Georgia [4]
  14. ^ FMG, Medieval Lands, Georgia, [5]
  15. ↑ Detlev Schwennicke, European Family Tables, Volume II, Plate 178
  16. ↑ FMG Byzantiom Constantine IX. [6]
  17. ↑ FMG Armenia http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ARMENIA.htm#sonDawitMCataGeorgia
  18. ↑ Defrémery 'Histoire des Seldjoukides…' (1848), Chapter 4.6, p. 459
  19. ↑ FMG Georgia [7]
  20. ^ Georgian Chronicle, 18th century, p. 421, footnote 1
  21. ↑ Cyrille Toumanoff mentions in his work on page 134 Georges I (Giorgi) as the only son, but according to other sources there was this Basil (Basilius) as the second son
  22. ↑ FMG Medieval Lands, Georgia, http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/GEORGIA.htm#GurgenIKartlidied1008
personal data
SURNAME Guranduct of Abkhazia
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gurandukht; Guranduxt; Guranducht
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Queen of Tao-Klardschetien
DATE OF BIRTH 10th century
DATE OF DEATH 10th century or 11th century