Who was the king after Queen Tamara. Holy Queen Tamara the Great

In the troubled and difficult 12th century, Georgia was ruled by Queen Tamara. We, the Russian-speaking inhabitants of the planet, call this great woman Queen. In fact Tamara- the only woman in the history of the world who had the title of king. It was the king (“mepe” - “king”, Georgian language) that her contemporaries called her.

Both in Tamara’s life and death there are many secrets and mysteries hidden. The exact dates of her birth and death have not yet been established. The place where the body of the famous queen-king rests is also unknown. Who is she? Tamara - Queen of Georgia?

At Georgiy's, Georgian king, Tamara was the only daughter. Ruled during a difficult time of wars and internal strife, George made a shocking decision for that time - he crowned his daughter while still in full health. The motive for such a strange act was George’s desire to avoid strife and struggle for the throne in the event of his sudden death. Tamara received the crown at fourteen.

Queen Tamara - warrior and patroness

However, the thought that after the death of King George a woman would rule Georgia haunted the highest Georgian nobility. At a meeting of the highest officials of the state, it was decided to urgently marry the queen. A grandson was chosen as a contender for Tamara’s heart and the throne of Georgia Yuri Dolgoruky, Russian Prince Yuri. He was a man with a quarrelsome character and bad manners. The queen opposed the marriage with all her might, but... The decision of the meeting of the nobility was firm in Georgian style. Fortunately for Tamara, the marriage did not last long: Yuri turned out to be a rowdy, drunkard and libertine - the queen demanded a divorce. After the story of Tamara’s coronation, this demand became the second, out-of-the-ordinary, event in the life of high society in Georgia in the 12th century. Despite numerous obstacles, the queen's wish was granted. After the divorce, husband and wife became blood enemies - Yuri even made an attempt to take Tamara’s Georgian throne and made a military campaign against Georgia. In the first battle he was shamefully defeated by his former subjects.

Second husband Queen Tamara became the man whom the girl chose herself. It was her childhood friend, Prince David. Together the couple lived a happy life. True, despite the discontent of the nobility, the country was still ruled by Georgian Queen Tamara, not her new husband.

The period of Tamara's reign in Georgia is called the Golden Age. The queen managed to ensure the political dominance of the Georgian state in Asia Minor. Despite the fact that Georgia was not a superpower territorially, all its external enemies were defeated and its borders were expanded. Tamara abolished the death penalty - not a single person was officially killed during her reign.

Queen Tamara turned out to be not only a skilled warrior. She also showed concern for the spiritual life of her people. Women were generous patrons of the arts, supporting artists, poets and writers. The name of the famous poet Shota Rustaveli is associated with the name of the Georgian Queen Tamara. He dedicated his famous work, which is a masterpiece of Georgian literature - “The Knight in the Skin of a Tiger” - to the queen. There are many legends and legends about the poet’s love for Tamara, but today we can only guess whether the woman had a reciprocal feeling for Rustaveli - the chronicles are silent about this.

Queen Tamara belonged to the camp of Orthodox Christians. She made a lot of efforts spreading her faith throughout Georgia. The Orthodox Church ranked Tamara among the Saints. Saint Tamara is the patroness of the sick and infirm, a healer of serious illnesses.

Ruling the state, Tamara participated in all its affairs. She said about herself: “ I am the father of all beggars and the judge of all widows" The queen easily communicated with poor people, always listened to their requests and, if possible, did not refuse help to anyone. She herself led a modest and simple lifestyle. Contemporaries called her " vessel of wisdom, radiant but humble sun, enchanting but humble beauty" Officially bearing the title of king, she was widely known not only in the countries surrounding Georgia, but also far beyond their borders. Even Ivan the Terrible, who later ruled, speaking about Tamara, called her “manly queen of Georgia».

The Turkish Sultan Nucardin wanted to get a smart Georgian woman into his harem. He demanded that Tamara convert to Islam and marry him. The offended queen responded with a daring and indignant letter, after which Nucardin gathered an army and went to war against Georgia. Tamara personally led the Georgian troops and defeated the failed “groom” to smithereens.

According to one legend, the Sultan, who failed to take possession of Tamara during his lifetime, vowed to get her after death... Today there is every reason to believe that the Turk has fulfilled his promise: in the burial place of Tamara named in official documents (in the city of Gelati), her body is missing. It is not found in the Palestine indicated in Vatican sources. Where are the queen's remains?

This is unknown today. They say that anticipating the imminent death, Queen Tamara ordered the production of seven identical coffins. In one of them she had to go to the kingdom of the dead... The coffins were given to people from the personal guard - each buried his burden in a place known only to him. With the death of the guards, information about the resting place of Queen Tamara also died. And with the death of Tamara, the Golden Age ended in Georgia - decades later the country lost its position in Asia Minor, and soon found itself torn to pieces by numerous armies of the Turks, Persians and Mongol-Tatars.

The memory of Queen Tamara lives in the heart of every Georgian to this day. The great woman is the most revered Georgian saint and the purest heroine of the folk epic.

The last secret of Queen Tamara

"...I need skill, language and heart to sing about her. Give me strength, inspiration! The mind itself will serve her..."

Shota Rustaveli "The Knight in the Skin of a Tiger"

She came from the Bagration dynasty and was the daughter of George III and Queen Burdukhan, daughter of the Ossetian king Khudan. She was raised by her highly educated aunt Rusudan. Contemporary poets of the queen praised her intelligence and beauty. They called her not a queen, but a king, a vessel of wisdom, a smiling sun, a slender reed, a radiant face; they glorified her meekness, hard work, obedience, religiosity, and enchanting beauty. There were legends about her perfections that have survived in oral transmission to our times. Byzantine princes, the Sultan of Aleppo, and the Shah of Persia sought her hand. Tamara's entire reign is surrounded by a poetic aura.

There are names known to every resident of the former great country - the USSR. These include the name of the legendary Queen Tamara (1166-1209). Back at school we were told about the cruel ruler of Georgia who lived in the Daryal Gorge. We learned about her from the inspired poem by M.Yu. Lermontov. Every night the Caucasian beauty feasted with a new lover - a young man who idolized her - and every morning the bloody corpse of her lover was taken by the waves of the mighty Terek.

Sh. Rustaveli wrote about Tamara:

"...The lion, serving Tamar the queen, holds her sword and shield. I, the singer, what deed should serve her? The royal braids are agates, the heat on the cheeks is brighter than lalov. He who sees the sun drinks in nectar. Let us sing to Tamar the queen , revered sacredly! I once dedicated wonderfully composed hymns to her. My pen was a reed, my ink was a lake of agate. Whoever listened to my creations was struck down by a damask blade..."

But in historical works, and even novels, a different Tamara appears. This is a wise ruler, whose memory is preserved in the Caucasus in the form of numerous fortresses preserving peace in mountain gorges. There is another Tamara, not a queen, but a faithful friend, who carried throughout her life a great love for her childhood friend, the warlike Alan Soslan, who received the Christian name David after baptism. Romantic legends about Queen Tamara have also reached our time. One of them, the most recent, haunts historians. Tamara ruled Georgia and her own court in Mtskheta with a firm, sometimes cruel hand, often causing discontent among individual feudal lords who were accustomed to viewing their fiefdoms as independent principalities. It was unusual for the freedom-loving Georgian nobility to submit to a “weak” woman.
After the death of the queen, the relatives, not without reason, feared desecration of her remains. To prevent this from happening, four absolutely identical oak coffins were made. The deceased queen was placed in one of them, and the bodies of women similar to her were placed in the other three. At night, four processions secretly left the royal palace and went in different directions. The locations of all four burials are still unknown. They kept their secret in a very simple way. Participants in each procession, after returning to Mtskheta, were surrounded by soldiers and mercilessly hacked to pieces. The foresight of the queen's entourage, who covered the body of their mistress, went further. They were not sure that any of the killed participants in the funeral processions in the last minutes of their lives did not report where the coffin was hidden. A special detachment of warriors most devoted to the queen destroyed those warriors who eliminated the participants in the funeral processions.

The coffin with the body of Queen Tamara was searched for eight centuries. All places that could become the last refuge of the legendary ruler were carefully examined: the royal cemetery of Gelati in Mtskheta, the monastery on the slopes of Mount Kazbek, caves in the Kasar Gorge and many others. All searches ended in failure. Gradually, archaeologists and amateur searchers gave up trying to find the resting place of the queen or at least one of the three women killed after her death.

But scientists early abandoned the opportunity to reveal one of the historical secrets. There is a place in Georgia where one of the coffins can be kept. The supposed burial place of Queen Tamara remains in Georgia, with which Russia today has strained relations. But sooner or later, countries that have lived together for hundreds of years must make peace, and then such an expedition will become a reality. In the winter of 1967, athletes from the Moscow Geological Exploration Institute, under the guidance of their coach, master of sports in mountaineering Eduard Grekov, climbed the peaks in the Georgian corner area. The first overnight stay was in the kosh, located in the upper reaches of the Kistinka River. As often happens, the excitement from the dark beauty of the mountains surrounding the gorge and the spectacle of the fast river carrying its waters to the Terek kept them awake, and they listened half the night to the trainer’s stories about his adventures in the mountains. Among others, we heard a story that was directly related to Queen Tamara.

Around 1963-1964, a tragedy occurred on the Georgian Military Road, near the high-mountain village of Kazbegi. At a sharp turn, the driver was unable to hold the car, and it, along with four passengers, fell into the Terek gorge. The mountain rescue team that arrived at the scene had to lift the bodies of the dead travelers onto the road. While descending down the climbing rope, one of the rescuers saw under the ledge of the rock a dark opening of the entrance to the cave, blocked by a forged rusty lattice. Attempts to “pump up” to the exit were unsuccessful. The rescuers did not have a cat with which to cling to the grate, so the exploration of the cave was postponed until better times. But they never came. The following year, all participants in the rescue work died while climbing one of the peaks.

Eduard Grekov learned about the mysterious cave from the head of the rescue team. Both had heard about the mysterious burial of Queen Tamara and believed that the coffin with her remains was hidden behind that forged lattice. But the head of the detachment died, and Grekov soon moved to Moscow and was no longer in the mood for expeditions with dubious hope of success.

So the cave found in the Terek Gorge is still waiting for enthusiasts who, perhaps, will be able to unravel the last secret of the legendary Queen Tamara.

Tamara died not yet an old woman, as historical sources testify, from some serious and long illness, leaving behind two children - a son, George, named after his grandfather, and a daughter, Rusudan. This happened around 1207. She spent the last years of her life in the cave monastery of Vardzia. missus queen had a cell connected through a window with the temple, from which she could offer prayers to God during Divine services.

Tamar died on January 18, 1212 from a serious illness. She was buried in the family crypt in Gelati. Several centuries later, the crypt was opened, but the queen’s remains were not found there. According to legend, when the great ruler was living her last days, she asked that the place of her burial be hidden from people. Tamar did not want her tomb to be found and desecrated by Muslims, who, over many years of struggle, were unable to defeat the Georgian queen. Apparently, Tamar’s ashes were secretly taken out of the monastery, and no one knows where he rests now.

One way or another, chronicles were discovered in the Vatican, according to which the Georgian ruler was allegedly buried in Palestine, in the ancient Georgian monastery of the Holy Cross. As if she so passionately wanted to visit this monastery, but due to numerous wars she did not have time to do this, and therefore bequeathed to take her there after her death. Perhaps, in eternity, Tamar wanted to remain with her faithful poet.

The death of Rustaveli is also shrouded in legends. All that is known for sure is that one day the headless body of a Georgian poet was found in a small cell of the monastery. The killer was never found.

Many years later, a fresco depicting an old man was discovered in Jerusalem. It is believed that this is the face of the great Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli. No evidence was found that the Georgian Queen Tamar was buried next to him.

Apparently, the poet decided that the one whose life always belonged to the world, to the bustle of state affairs, should unite in another dimension with his Muse.

I’ll sing about love, but you won’t listen.

The stars will play with rays.

And the desert is like a tender mother,

He will open his arms to me!

I'm leaving - sorry!

No offensive rewards

I will complete my creation:

But it will be confirmed

Our grandchildren will be grandchildren -

May your name be glorified!

This is what the Russian poet Ya. Polonsky wrote about the love of Tamara and Shota Rustaveli.

After the death of Tamar, Georgia began to quickly lose its power. Years of prosperity gave way to the difficult years of the Mongol-Tatar yoke, then Turkey seized power over the country.

Now Tamar has been canonized. There are numerous legends about her. In particular, they say that at night she appears to the sick and treats them of serious illnesses. Kings rule over the people, and the best of them serve their subjects as their masters. The queen's sleepless nights passed in long prayers, like those of a schema-nun, and her tears—sometimes transparent, like a diamond, sometimes bloody, like a ruby—flowed down like streams of peace onto the earth. Her prayer was the flame that the demons feared: just as wild animals are afraid of a lit torch, just as wolves cannot approach the fire of a fire and only howl piercingly from afar.

Unfortunately, historical sources are very contradictory and this mystery has not yet been resolved. But something else is important - the people’s memory of the great queen and the gratitude of her descendants.

Queen Tamara and her husband Georgy Andreevich.

There is no corner in Georgia where the name of Queen Tamar is not pronounced with blessing. The queen knew that the enemies of Christ would want to take revenge on her after death, and therefore she bequeathed to bury her secretly, so that the grave would forever remain hidden from the world. Georgia fulfilled her will. Her grave was preserved from the Mohammedans and the Mongols, and from those vandals who tear up and desecrate the tombs of their kings. The whole country mourned the queen, the whole people felt orphaned. It seemed that the glory and greatness of Georgia were embodied in the person of the queen, and now formidable trials lay ahead. At night, ten detachments left the gates of the castle where Queen Tamar died. Everyone carried a coffin, ten coffins were secretly buried in different places. No one knew which of them contained the queen's body.

And yet, two more or less coherent legends about Tamarina’s grave have survived. One is Georgian, the other is European.

According to the first, the queen bequeathed to bury her secretly, hiding her final refuge from friends and enemies, so that in the event of an invasion of infidels, which she foresaw, to avoid outrage. Nine funeral carts set off in nine directions, and nine boxwood coffins were buried in nine provinces of a fairly vast kingdom. Sometimes temperamental Georgians go even further and claim that after this, nine young brothers, who performed the “rite” and were devoted to the queen even on the other side of life, pierced each other with swords, so as not to inadvertently give away the secret. But this is perhaps too much...

But here is a European legend: at the beginning of the 13th century, a certain knight of De Bois wrote from the East to the Archbishop of Besançon in France: “Now listen to the news, amazing and important. I learned from rumors, and then established the truth of this matter through trustworthy ambassadors, that from Iberia Christians called Georgens (Georgians - Ed.), with countless cavalry and infantry, inspired by God's assistance, very heavily armed, came out against the infidel pagans and with a quick onslaught they had already taken three hundred fortresses and nine large cities, of which they captured the strong and turned the weak into ashes. Of these cities, one, located on the Euphrates, is considered the most famous and rich of all pagan cities (meaning Erzurum. - Ed.). The owner of that city was the son of the Babylonian Sultan... The above-mentioned are coming to liberate the land of sacred Jerusalem and conquer the entire pagan world. Their noble king is sixteen years old, he is similar to Alexander in courage and virtue, but not in faith (the author means that Alexander the Great was a pagan, and the Georgian king, in this case Lasha, George, is a Christian. - Ed.). This young man is carrying with him the bones of his mother, the powerful Queen Tamara, who during her lifetime made a vow to visit Jerusalem and asked her son: if she dies without having been there, to take her bones to the Holy Sepulcher. And he, remembering his mother’s request... decided to transport her remains, whether the pagans wanted it or not.”

The mountaineers have a legend that when troubles and sorrows increase, Queen Tamar will come to Georgia again, sit again on her golden throne and console the people. But Queen Tamar, reigning not on earth, but in heaven with her spirit and love, never left Georgia and will never leave it.

Many people believe that the famous poem by Shota Rustaveli was written some two hundred years ago, and they are mistaken. This wonderful work was published nearly nine centuries ago. The poet dedicated it to the ruler of Georgia, Queen Tamara.

Persevering in the face of difficulties

Tamara was an amazing queen. Her courtyard did not resemble a gathering of intriguers, frivolous beauties, gossip and intrigue. Tamara was glad to see real stars of philosophy, poetry, and painting at court. Her secretary was the very famous poet Sargis Tmogveli at that time, and on her campaigns the ruler was always accompanied by another poet, the monk Shavteli. But the most noticeable person in her circle was the brilliant Shota Rustaveli. Many scientists believe that he quietly and unrequitedly loved Tamara. Knowing that he would never win the hand of the woman he loved, Shota left Georgia and became a monk.

A complete and historically accurate portrait of Queen Tamara, perhaps, does not exist now. Her image is pieced together - she lived in too distant a time. It is believed that Tamara was born between 1164 and 1169. She received an excellent education. Among the advantages of the future queen was her character: no matter how difficult it was for her, she never lost her composure. And this subsequently played a role.

Young ruler

Tamara's grandfather Dmitry Bagration had two sons - Georgy and David. When he passed away, he transferred power to his eldest son, David. However, six months after accession to the throne, Dmitry unexpectedly died. The heir of the Georgian king was his young son Dmitry, and Uncle George was appointed guardian. When Dmitry entered his years, he tried to remove his uncle from the throne. But it was not there. George the Third (as he began to call himself) did not want to give up power voluntarily.

As usual, this led to war. The subjects split into two camps - supporters and opponents of the young king. Seasoned Georgy won. And Dmitry... Nothing has been known about him since then.

At the time when these bloody events took place, Tamara was born. She became a ruler, according to historical sources, at the age of 15 to 20 years. How did such a young girl manage to curb a country torn apart by strife, how did she manage to calm down the hot-tempered Georgian men? No one will give an exact answer now. But, obviously, the fact that the young ruler used her intelligence, cunning, and even deceit played a role. In addition, as mentioned above, she had excellent self-control, which many men cannot boast of.

Like a skilled captain

Tamara began her reign by bringing order to her environment. She brought people loyal to herself closer and removed opponents from her horizon. Chief among the opponents was Patriarch Michele. It was an invincible cliff, which also concentrated many key posts in its hands. Tamara needed helpers in her fight against “dissidents.” And she found them. The most notable among them was the scholar-theologian Catholicos Nikolai Gulabridze. At Tamara's request, he came from Jerusalem itself.

Tamara was in no hurry. Like a skilled captain, she led her ship-state between dangerous reefs. When necessary, she brutally got rid of her opponents, and showered those on whom she could rely with awards.

David - a reliable shoulder

Of course, in this difficult situation, a loving husband could become a reliable shoulder. But Tamara was unlucky here. Her first marriage was unsuccessful. There were enough contenders for the hand of the Georgian ruler - both rich and famous. But for some reason she chose Yuri, the son of the Vladimir-Suzdal prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. Yuri's husband turned out to be completely unsuccessful. Those two and a half years that the queen lived with him brought her only suffering and shame. Yuri drank and walked, which did not suit the ruler’s husband at all. In the end, Tamara decided to break up with him. But Yuri had already tasted the benefits of a luxurious life, and did not want to lose it. He went to Constantinople and a short time later went to war against his ex-wife. Yuri now has support from the feudal lords offended by Tamara. But Tamara still prevailed in this difficult situation. This life test taught her a lot.

Tamara pardoned the captured Yuri and sent him outside the country. Yuri did not learn anything from defeat, and he went to war against the Georgian state for the second time. But he lost again. Nothing more is known about him.

Tamara's second marriage was successful. She lived for many years in love and harmony with her childhood friend David. So David became Tamara’s reliable shoulder, which she dreamed of so much. And all her major achievements in governing the Georgian state became possible thanks to the support of David. Among these achievements is the magnificently won battle of Shamkhory. Many, many years later, Ivan the Terrible, during the capture of Kazan, cited this battle to his subordinates as an example to follow.

Beautiful army of Georgia

Tamara continued her military transformations in the state. She, a woman, created an excellent, very combat-ready army. The ruler divided Georgia into 9 districts. Each of them was headed by a governor and a military commander. Tamara made sure that the sixty thousand army that was kept at the court was always in combat readiness. She paid the soldiers well. Therefore, when there was a danger to her throne, Tamara was confident that this army (with the support of the militia) would show its best side. That's how it happened

One should not discount the fact that discipline in the army was strict. But people didn't complain about it. He saw that the ruler loved her homeland and her subjects with all her heart. She, like the hero of our days Chapaev, “was always ahead on a dashing horse.”

For the sake of the motherland

Each won battle brought many trophies. The country grew richer day by day. But Tamara turned the treasures she won into good deeds. During her reign, fortresses, roads, bridges, temples, ships, and schools were built. Tamara placed the education of her subjects at the forefront, understanding that an educated nation would achieve great success in the international arena.

The quality of teaching in Georgian schools was very high at that time. Theology, philosophy, history, Greek and Hebrew languages, arithmetic, and astrology were studied in educational institutions. There were also such subjects as interpretation of poetic texts and conducting a polite conversation.

An image of Queen Tamara by contemporary Russian artist Nadezhda Antipina.

Today in the Orthodox calendar is the day of remembrance of the blessed Tamara, Queen of Georgia.

Tamara is the famous Georgian queen (1184 - 1213), with whose name one of the best periods in the history of Georgia is associated. She came from the Bagratid dynasty and was the only daughter of George III and the beautiful Burdukhan, compared by the chronicler to Penelope.

She was raised by her highly educated aunt Rusudan. Contemporary poets of the queen praised her intelligence and beauty. She was called not a queen, but a king, a vessel of wisdom, a smiling sun, a slender reed, a radiant face; they glorified her meekness, hard work, obedience, religiosity, and enchanting beauty.

There were legends about her perfections that have survived in oral transmission to our times; Everyone wanted to see her, Byzantine princes, the Sultan of Aleppo, and the Shah of Persia sought her hand.

Tamara's entire reign is surrounded by a mysterious aura; Reliable historical information was complicated by legendary tales from the day of her accession to the throne. Her father crowned her king (1179) during his lifetime, but only after his death (1184) did she begin to rule the state. Tamara proclaimed mercy and truth as the motto of her reign: “I am the father of the orphans and the judge of widows,” Tamara said. During her reign there was not a single case of death penalty or corporal punishment.

Avoiding complications within the kingdom, the queen waged a series of wars with neighboring states.

Her first husband, the Russian prince Georgy (Yuri, according to Karamzin, is the son of Andrei Bogolyubsky) made military expeditions to the north of Armenia, to Shirvan (present-day Azerbaijan) and Erzurum. When Tamara’s marriage to George was dissolved - according to the Georgian chronicler, as a result of the atrocities committed by the prince - Tamara’s former husband became her enemy and with a large army moved from Constantinople to Georgia to return the lost throne. Despite the fact that some regional rulers joined him, the Russian prince was defeated and disappeared without a trace.

Tamara, having entered into a new marriage with the Ossetian ruler David Soslani, with whom she grew up as a child, ten years after taking the throne, opens an offensive policy.

The Georgian kingdom towards the end of Tamara's reign.

Having given Georgia predominant political importance throughout Asia Minor, subduing internal and external enemies, expanding the borders of the kingdom, Tamara took care of the spiritual development of her country. A galaxy of famous writers gather at her court, bringing the Georgian literary language to complete perfection. Her century is marked by the poetic activity of Shavteli and Chakhrukh, who dedicated enthusiastic odes to the “god-like queen.” Under her rule, secular romantic literature in prose was created, representatives of which were Khoneli, the author of “Amiran Darejani,” and Sargis Tmogveli, translator of the Persian story about Vis and Ramin. Finally, during her reign the poet Shota Rustaveli became famous, whose magnificent poem “The Knight in the Skin of a Tiger” is completely imbued with love for Queen Tamara. We find her features simultaneously in two beautiful heroines: princesses Tinatina and Nestan-Darejan, and the poet’s love for her is expressed simultaneously by both Tariel and Avtandil.

The legendary story that attributes the construction of all the wonderful temples and fortresses of Georgia to Tamara is not far from the truth: many monuments of art were created by her, and among them is the luxurious Vardzia Palace, which houses up to 360 chambers.

Christianity and citizenship spread among the Caucasian mountaineers thanks to the energy and care of Tamara. Her name is conveyed with equal reverence in the poetic tales of various nationalities of the Caucasus. The church canonized her as a saint. Georgian mountaineers turned Tamara into a goddess - a healer of all ailments. In Svaneti, Tamara from a warlike wife became an object of religious veneration and at the same time an ideal of magical beauty.

The people believe that Tamara is not dead, she is sleeping in a golden cradle: when the voice of human sorrow reaches her, she will wake up and reign again. This belief is supported by the lack of precise indications of the location of her grave.

From the book Elena Grushko, Yuri Medvedev. Dictionary of names. N. Novgorod: Russian merchant, Brothers of the Slavs, 1996. Pages 603 - 606.

Let me touch on one more point.

Many poetry lovers remember Lermontov's lines from school:

In the deep gorge of Daryal,
Where the Terek rummages in the darkness,
The ancient tower stood
Blackening on a black rock.

In that tower high and cramped
Queen Tamara lived:
Beautiful as a heavenly angel
Like a demon, insidious and evil.

So, “treacherous like a demon” Tamara, who killed her lovers and ordered the corpses to be thrown into the Terek, has nothing to do with the historical Queen Tamara!

In unknown times, a myth took root in Russia that Tamara had lovers, and she killed them and threw their bodies into the Terek. This myth created an aura of glory around the Daryal Gorge and the “Tamara Castle”. However, this is a myth, and a very late one. Where he came from is unclear. The first Georgian historical and mythological stories became known in Russia from the memoirs of Jacques Chardin (-1713), but Chardin does not know any of Tamara’s lovers. Pushkin does not mention this topic. Lermontov’s poem “Tamara and the Demon” clearly mentions another Tamara, and this other Tamara, according to Lermontov, lived not above the Terek, but in the Aragv Gorge. And only in the poem “Tamara” (1841) does Lermontov directly describe the story with Tamara and the lovers. Where he got this story from is unclear. There is an opinion that this is a modification of the story about Tamara of Imereti, who was the wife of the Kartlian king Luarsab I and was known for her bad character. Mayakovsky propagated this myth, directly referring to Lermontov. He mentions this plot twice in the poem “Vladikavkaz-Tiflis” and in the poem “Tamara and the Demon” (1924).

A selection of images of Queen Tamara:

1. On a fresco in the Vardzia monastery.

8. Monument to Queen Tamara.

10. Painting by Yesadze. 1913

11.

7. Copy of a fresco from the Hermitage (my photo).

10.

11. Painting by artist Alexey Vephadze.

(1184-1213), Georgian queen, was before George III from the beautiful Bur-du-khan. Under her mother, Christianity had already spread in different parts of Georgia. Ta-ma-ra left a good memory of herself in the na-ro-de. Some people in Georgia use Ta-ma-ru as a cure-all for ailments.

Georgian tales glorify her meekness, peace, love, wisdom, reli-gi-ness and beauty. It is also known that Saint Ta-ma-ra cared about the poor nation, about widows, orphans and co-operation wa-la for the spirit of the development of Georgia. In addition, she built a lot of temples, and so- the luxurious Vardzii Palace. The Church, for its kindness and generous gifts, has counted Ta-ma-ru among the saints.

Holy Ta-ma-ra convened a church council, which eliminated the turmoil in church life and swept away the inconsistencies. standing hierarchs. Its state activity was also successful, fortunately the Georgian kingdom increased and got stronger.

The Complete Life of Blessed Tamara, Queen of Georgia

Holy Ta-ma-ra pro-is-ho-di-la from the noble family of Bag-ra-ti-o-nov, according to legend, the rise-ho-div-she- mu to sa-mo-mu king Da-vi-du. Her father Georgiy in 1178 proclaimed his daughter tsar-ri-tsei. 7 years later he died. From this moment on, the saint's reign began.

When Saint Ta-ma-ra ascended the throne, she said: “I am the father of orphans and the mother of widows.” This phrase defines all its rights.

The author of Ta-ma-ry’s bio-graphy left the following description of the young queen: “Regularly complex body, dark color eyes and pink color of white la-nits; behind-the-wall look,<…>a pleasant language, cheerful and alien with all sorts of discord, a speech pleasing to the ear, alien with all the badness talk".

Tsa-ri-tsa na-cha-la her right-le-nie from the personnel re-re-sta-no-vok. She swept away the evil-demanding rulers and chiefs of power, appointing others in their place . She liberated the Church from the taxation and eased the fate of the peasants.

In 1185, the pat-ri-arch proposed to the pra-vi-tel-ni-tse to marry. For this purpose, the right-of-salty came to Rus'. Soon it returned along with Ge-or-gi-em, the son of Prince Andrei Bo-go-lov-sky. Ta-ma-ra assured her surroundings that there would be no harm done with the wedding. After all, you still need to understand what kind of person he is. But the courtiers are on their own. Unfortunately, the wise king’s fears were justified. Ge-or-gy turned out to be unequally attuned to alcohol, doing “many in-personal things.” For two and a half years, Ta-ma-ra endured his rough treatment, trying in every possible way to figure out how- shake your husband Everything would have been in vain. She had to break up with her husband.

For a long time the saint thought of remaining a widow with her living husband, but for the sake of Marry a second time - to an Ossetian tsa-re-vi-cha Yes-vi-da. This marriage turned out to be happy, and soon Georgia saw its future right.

During the reign of the holy Ta-ma-ry, the country reached its glory and power. Tsar-ri-tsa was a fair judge. Her labor-do-love, state-government talent, Christian co-operation pre-determined the “Golden Epo” -hu" of Georgia.

She successfully stopped the invasion of Kha-li-fa Abu-Ba-k-ra, who, having gathered a huge army from India, -I wanted to live on the riches of Georgia. The same fate befell another grab-chi-ka - sul-ta-na Rukn-ad-Di-na.

Immediately after ascending to the throne, Ta-ma-ra paid close attention to the organization of one -go-serv-no-go mouth and church-no-go ka-no-na. She called upon all the God-speaking people, those who know the For-God, the bishops and the priests will come to the city of Kart-li. Here, a general council was soon held, at which there was the presence of va-la and the tsa-ri-tsa.

Before the death of Tsar-ri-tsa Ta-ma-ra managed to finish all the necessary government affairs and arrange -sya on the main churches and mo-na-styr-skim issues. Unexpectedly, an unknown illness overtook her. The doctors turned out to be powerless. The whole country is on you-ma-li-va-la its tsar-ri-tsu, one day on January 18, 1213, the great pra-vi-tel-ni-tsa world -but died.

About the exact location of the holy Ta-ma-ra there are still disputes among is-to-ri-kovs and arch-heo- logs

Note

Ta-ma-ra is a Russian pro-from-water name from the biblical “Fa-mar”. Translated as “fini-ko-vaya palm.”

Prayers

Troparion to Blessed Tamara, Queen of Georgia, tone 8

Desiring the highest beauty, / you drove away the lower sweets of the body far from yourself / and, staying in the royal palace, / you conveyed the angelic life, / to the blessed Queen Tamaro, / / pray to Christ Bo May our souls be saved.

Translation: Desiring heavenly sweetness, you drove away base pleasures far from yourself and, staying in the royal palace, led an angelic life, Queen Tamara, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Troparion to Blessed Tamara, Queen of Georgia, tone 4

In the saints, marvelous,/ Iberia was the luminary,/ faithful to Queen Tamaro,/ who erected temples on the high mountains,/ so that in them prayers are sent to the Lord,/ through your prayers the fortress bestowed by the howl of love for Christ the great people of the country of Iveron, / who, with their right hand, overthrew the Hagaryan hordes, / pray Christ God // our souls will be saved.

Translation: Amazing among the saints, the luminary of Georgia, the orthodox Queen Tamara, who erected temples on the high mountains so that prayers were sent to the Lord in them, with your prayers she bestowed strength on the Christ-loving warriors of the Georgian country, with her right hand she overthrew the Muslim hordes, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Prayer to Blessed Tamara, Queen of Georgia

Oh, holy, great and faithful Queen Tamaro! We, sinners (name) and humility, as we diligently resort to a warm protector and ambulance, asking for help and intercession in the abyss of troubles of those who are plunging, and every day and hour we are befallen by wicked people , and those who are overcome by various diseases, and through your intercession, since you have great boldness towards God, pray for us in our sorrows, needs and misfortunes, and intercede for us from all enemies visible and invisible, especially from demonic wiles and tricks, arrogant attacks and flattering approaches, yes We will not be a reproach or a mockery to them, and with your strong help we will not Drive us away, just as Iverstey drove us away from the country, and establish true love for God in our hearts and make it worthy.
When our departure from this temporary life and migration to eternity has arrived, come to our aid soon, and free us from the violence of the enemy, for you have eternal life, and bring our hearts ours to true repentance, so that we too may present ourselves to the Most Holy Trinity with undefiled lips and a clear conscience , glorifying and singing Yu, with all the saints for endless ages. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Akathist to the Holy Blessed Queen Tamara

Kontakion 1

Chosen from the ancient dynasty of the Bagratid kings, a wonderful decoration of the Georgian country and the conqueror of Islam, and the widespread dissemination of the Christian faith, planter of temples, fortresses and monasteries, and the preacher of the Word of God,
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Ikos 1

All the red people of the world neglected their grandfather King David III, the follower of the Christian faith and its renewer throughout the Georgian country, the great holy Tamara, remembering such a strong and strong faith of yours, we bring you this song:
Rejoice, you who have despised all the good things on earth and the red things of the world. Rejoice, having loved Christ from youth with all your heart and with all your soul. Rejoice, King David III, follower of the Christian faith. Rejoice, and with Father George III, co-emperor. Rejoice, you who enlightened many people of the Svaneti region in Christianity. Rejoice, you who also built the temples of the Lord in Svaneti.

Kontakion 2

Seeing the Almighty God about your zeal for the faith of Christians, sending help to you to defeat the Muslim faith of the Roman Sultanate of Ruqi-ed-Din, we are amazed, grateful to God, who arranged this, and sing: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Reason is acceptable to God, Saint Tamara, the all-praised one, it is beneficial to you and others to gain zeal, day and night, from the merciful God, you diligently asked for victory over the Islamic faith, and the philanthropic God heeded your prayer, giving victory, for the sake of which we cry out to you like this:
Rejoice, blessed Tamara, who, according to your desire and God's will, successfully achieved victory. Rejoice, thou who hast acquired many spiritual good and beneficial treasures from God. Rejoice, you who built many temples in the country of Iverstei. Rejoice, having strengthened many Christians with your wisdom. Rejoice, expander of the country's borders. Rejoice, builder of the construction of canals, roads, networks, and water pipelines. Rejoice, great builder of monastic monasteries. Rejoice, and planter of monuments of architecture, painting, literature and science.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 3

The power of the Most High has settled in your pure heart, beloved Queen Tamara, kindle your love, and win in the historical battle near Basiani. And in our country, for your wise rule, having won the love of all the people, and seeing your zeal as such, we sing to the Almighty God: Alleluia

Ikos 3

Having a great desire to renew the Christian faith throughout Iberia, the holy queen asked for strength from the Lord God and strengthen us who fall to you with our faith, who wish to diligently sing and glorify your name:
Rejoice, having been heard by the Almighty in your prayer. Rejoice, you who have received strength from the Lord. Rejoice, service to God and the Mother of God, who most of all loved you with all your soul. Rejoice, you who presented the image of humility to all old and young. Rejoice, praised and honored by all the virtues of your peers. Rejoice, you who called the time of your reign the golden age. Rejoice, you who have had glory throughout the whole world, are sung and glorified. Rejoice, and you who counted your reign as nothing. Rejoice, adorned with bright vestments from God. Rejoice, you who have the gifts of miracles.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 4

You are invincible from godless unrest, blessed Tamara, desiring to unceasingly work for the Lord, extending your labors to great lengths, leaving the royal throne, and spent time in the cave monastery of Vardzil, chanting to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing, blessed Tamara, about our fleeting life, she placed the monastic image on herself, and we, thinking about it, thus appeal to you:
Rejoice, having attributed your reign to the salvation of souls. Rejoice, and follower of the monastic life. Rejoice, you who built a church for yourself in the cave monastery of Vardzil. Rejoice, cell that had a window with the temple. Rejoice, who offered prayers from the window into the temple during Divine services. Rejoice, you who transform worldly storms, unrest and rebellion into silence. Rejoice, kindly guiding everyone into a saving haven. Rejoice, fierce and pacifying wisdom of the enemies of vacillation. Rejoice, you who receive under your protection and motherly protection.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 5

The epiphany star in the country of Iverste, enlightening many with the rays of its shrine, and instructing many on the path of knowledge of God, seeing this God's will for good, we sing with gratitude to the All-Merciful God: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Having seen many, your God-pleasing life, they break their hearts, remembering: “He who comes to Me I will not cast out,” we crown you with the same hymn:
Rejoice, queen, distinguished by her high piety. Rejoice, thou who art the continuator of all the undertakings of King George. Rejoice, promoting the wide spread of faith, art and spiritual culture throughout the country. Rejoice, you who successfully led the Iverskian troops to victory. Rejoice, conqueror of the seven Muslim faiths. Rejoice, you who encourage all Christians with your victories. Rejoice, strengthening all your followers through deeds and fervent prayer to God. Rejoice, you who affirm those who are overcome by resistance by sudden relief. Rejoice, watching over all Christians with a cheerful eye.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 6

We preach and everywhere praise your name, holy and faithful queen, at the end of your earthly life, uncovetous in a closed cave, continued, marveling at your patience, the mortification of your body, giving praise to God with the song: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Vozsia in the Iveron church region, blessed great Tamara, having enclosed herself in a cave, having also illuminated and enlightened the surrounding countries, and having created the hearts of many for good deeds, for this blessing of God, we bring you our singing:
Rejoice, you who still have wise rule over the country as a queen. Rejoice, and in the cell there is grace from God. Rejoice, thou who understandest in the vanity of those who live. Rejoice, stewardship of the good life of beginners. Rejoice, strengthening of those who are weary and shaken by despondency. Rejoice, affirmation of hard work for all. Rejoice, great organizer of Iberia. Rejoice, vigilant guardian of pure and immaculate life. Rejoice, all who want to live a pious and godly life, wise teacher.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 7

Although the all-evil enemy of your good undertaking created an obstacle, sending in 1204 the ruler of the Roman Sultanate to demand that Iberia renounce Christianity and accept Islam, you, good Queen Tamara, rejected this demand, and in the battle near Bassiani, having defeated the cunning and deceit of the enemy, about which you rejoiced, We sing gratefully to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

Saint Tamara, the blessed Tamara, took on new work and a new feat in the life of the cave; in the Vardzil prayer temple you built, the most zealous service to Christ God and we, looking with intelligent eyes, constantly cry out to you:
Rejoice, conqueror of the insidious enemy of the Christian. Rejoice, you who have achieved the monastic sojourn in the cave. Rejoice, guardian of monastic abodes. Rejoice, you who built 365 caves and the Vardzil temple. Rejoice, you who have won many legends about your eternal life. Rejoice, faithful performer of God's commandments. Rejoice, unconstrained ascetic in monastic labors. Rejoice, warm prayer book for us.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 8

A strange and sorrowful life, working only for God, for this sake we also sing to God, who taught you and taught you: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

All your care, faithful Queen Tamara, resisting the all-evil Christian enemy, and trampling on his proud head, glorifying the common Creator. In the same way, the Glory of God rose from your cell and illuminated all the ends of the earth, so for the sake of such praise we sing to you:
Rejoice, working for the One God. Rejoice, powerfully subduing the enemy of pride. Rejoice, adorned with deep humility and meekness. Rejoice, gifted with wisdom from God. Rejoice, you who spent the last years of your life in unceasing prayer. Rejoice, and peacefully ended your earthly life. Rejoice, numbered among the holy ranks of the faithful.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 9

Every human mind, looking at your wretched and humble life, leaving the royal throne and all earthly honors, is a great reward, thanksgiving to the Almighty God, glorifying His goodness, and leading many from the soul-destroying path and instructing them on the path of salvation, teaching them to sing to the Creator and Provider: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

You have trampled everything in this world, and having come to hate this useless humility, you have taught our souls this, holy and faithful Tamara, for such your goodness accept our everlasting veneration:
Rejoice, O valiant despiser of the world and all its sweets, beauties and charms. Rejoice, stewards of meekness and abstinence. Rejoice, you who save yourself by silence and by eliminating yourself from the world. Rejoice, you who do not put soft and light robes on yourself. Rejoice, you who, instead of choosing food, have risen by fasting for many days and by mortification of the body. Rejoice, instead of the royal sweet drink, you have drunk yourself with heartfelt tears.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 10

Although you mercifully expect to save many, all conversion and salvation, the Most Merciful God will show you to the country of Iveron, as a champion of orthodoxy, stirring us with a pure heart to sing to you and to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

The wall is solid and a strong fence has appeared, holy blessed Tamara, giving a helping hand to all who zealously come to you, and for such your benevolence we reward you with singing:
Rejoice, ambulance to the needy. Rejoice, O merciful nurse of the hungry. Rejoice, clothing and shelter for those deprived of clothing and shelter. Rejoice, wise healer of those aggravated by illnesses. Rejoice, speedy banisher of all misfortunes and sorrows. Rejoice, warm protector who flows to you with faith.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 11

We bring you singing, holy great blessed Tamara, to glorify your deeds and labors, but we, seeing God’s will, bring you this small prayer of ours from all sins and defilements with your prayers, and every day and hour with a pure heart we sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

Filled with God's grace and glorified from the country of Iveron, the great holy, blessed queen, pray to God for us sinners who truly glorify you with love:
Rejoice, performer of all virtues. Rejoice, beautiful and wonderful dwelling of the Holy Spirit. Rejoice, you are a fertilized receptacle for all Godly deeds. Rejoice, you who have pleased the Creator and God well in your temporary life. Rejoice, you who had national glory during your lifetime. Rejoice, and to the end of this temporary and difficult life of yours, having prepared yourself perfectly. Rejoice, you who have entered into the heavenly dwelling and are numbered among the saints.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 12

The All-Bountiful God has given grace to you from His treasures, for your valiant diligence and deeds, as you have been pleasing and kind to God, and have received endless reward for yourself in the heavenly villages, constantly singing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing your victory over the Muslim coalition and the silent care of everyday life, we praise your painful labors and exploits, we honor all-night vigils and prayers, chanting:
Rejoice, you who have become like an Angel in heavenly glory. Rejoice, numbered among the faithful. Rejoice, having gained participation and inheritance with all the saints who have pleased God well. Rejoice, you who are filled with the sweet and blessed things of the Most Holy Trinity. Rejoice, thou who hast righteously merited the ineffable blessings prepared for the righteous from time immemorial.
Rejoice, holy great blessed Tamara, warrior of the Christian faith.

Kontakion 13

Oh, holy great blessed Tamara! Accept this prayer of ours, offered by us, unworthy, out of love. Keep us safe from all enemy slander and attacks and in the long life of us who flow to you with faith and love, deliver us from all troubles, sorrows and misfortunes, so that we may sing gratefully about you to our God and Savior: Alleluia.

(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1st, kontakion 1st.)

First prayer

Oh, holy, great and faithful Queen Tamara! We are sinners (name) and humble, as if we diligently resort to a warm protector and an ambulance, asking for help and intercession in the abyss of troubles plunged into the abyss of those who befall us every day and hour from wicked people, and those possessed by various illnesses, and through your intercession, since it is great If you have boldness towards God, pray for us in our sorrows, needs and misfortunes, and protect us from all enemies visible and invisible, especially from demonic intrigues and tricks, arrogant attacks and flattering approaches, so that we will not be their reproach and ridicule, and With your strong help, drive them away from us, just as you drove them away from the country of Iveron, and establish true love for God in our hearts and make it worthy.
When our departure from this temporary life and resettlement to eternity is ripe, soon appear to help us, and free us from the violence of the enemy, as if we have eternal life, and lead our hearts to true repentance, so that we too may present ourselves with clean lips and a clear conscience to the Most Holy Trinity , glorifying and singing Yu, with all the saints for endless centuries. Amen.

Second prayer

Oh, holy Queen Tamara!
Do not forget us, but remember in Your holy prayers the servant of God (name), pray for us, holy queen. Do not give up on us in spirit, save us from the arrows of the enemy, from the charms of demons and the snares of the devil. Ask us time to repent and pass without restraint from earth to heaven through the ordeal of bitter demons, so that through your intercession we will be delivered from eternal torment and be worthy to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven along with all the righteous from all eternity who have pleased Christ our Lord. To Him is due all glory, honor and worship, now and to the endless ages of ages. Amen.