Saints of Georgia

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 38. Chapters: Tamar of Georgia, David IV of Georgia, Ilia Chavchavadze, Vakhtang I of Iberia, Saint Nino, Ambrosius of Georgia, Mirian III of Iberia, George the Hagiorite, Ketevan of Mukhrani, Grigol Peradze, Peter the Iberian, Ashot I of Iberia, Kyrion II, Anthim the Iberian, Ekvtime Takaishvili, Archil of Kakheti, Abo of Tiflis, Thirteen Syrian Fathers, Tornikios, Luarsab II of Kartli, Eustathius of Mtskheta, Tsotne Dadiani, Nana of Iberia, Arsen Iqaltoeli, George of Chqondidi, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, Euthymius of Athos, Ephrem Mtsire, Gregory of Khandzta, John the Iberian, Rajden the First-Martyr, Tbeli Abuserisdze, Abiathar and Sidonia, Joseph Abibos, Abibus of Nekressi. Excerpt: Tamar (Georgian: , also transliterated as T'amar or Thamar) (c. 1160 - 18 January 1213), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was Queen Regnant of Georgia from 1184 to 1213. Tamar presided over the "Golden age" of the medieval Georgian monarchy. Her unique position as the first woman to rule Georgia in her own right was emphasized by the title mep'e ("king"), commonly afforded to Tamar in the medieval Georgian sources. Tamar was proclaimed heir apparent and co-ruler by her reigning father George III in 1178, but she faced significant opposition from the aristocracy upon her ascension to full ruling powers after George's death. Nevertheless, Tamar was successful in neutralizing this opposition and embarked on an energetic foreign policy aided by the downfall of the rival powers of the Seljuqids and the Byzantine Empire. Supported by a powerful military elite, Tamar was able to build on the successes of her predecessors to consolidate an empire which dominated the Caucasus until its collapse under the Mongol attacks within two decades after Tamar's death. Tamar's association with the period of political success and cultural revival, combined with her role as a fe...