Tamaroba in Georgia
Description:
It has been celebrated as a national holiday since 1917 after the restoration of the autocephaly of the Church of Georgia.
Reliable historical information is accompanied by legendary tales from the very day of her accession to the throne. Tamara Bagrationi, who lived at the junction of the XII - XIII centuries, was the first woman in the history of Georgia, who entered the throne from 1184, after the death of her father George III, and became the sole ruler. The Queen immediately convened a council to eliminate the disturbances in church life and establish administrative order. Unworthy hierarchs were removed from the pulpit, rulers who abused their power were removed, churches were released from duties, the fate of the peasants was alleviated, inner peace was established.
At Darbazi, the Royal Council, the question of choosing a husband for Queen Tamara was decided. According to the chronicler, at one of the meetings was named the contender for the hand of Tamara - the son of Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky - Yuri.
In 1185, Yuri, nicknamed George of Russia by Georgians, was brought to Georgia and married Queen Tamara. Tamara herself believed that Yuri’s personality should have been studied well before, but she still had to yield to Darbazi’s decision. In 1187, the queen divorced, and George Rusi was expelled from Georgia.
A year later, Tamara married David Soslan from the Bagration family, raised at the Georgian court by the aunt of Queen Tamara - Rusudan.
Meanwhile, George Rusi, not resigned to his fate, twice tried to return to Georgia. Some of the major feudal lords supported Yuri, and in 1191 rebelled against Tamara. At such an extremely difficult moment, the queen managed to rally around her supporters and with their help defeated the rebels. Yuri’s like-minded people were removed from high posts and deprived of estates. In 1193, George Rusi once again tried to return to Georgia, but, finding no support, suffered a final defeat.
Having settled the domestic political situation, the Queen took up foreign affairs. In 1195, the Georgians defeated the ruler of Azerbaijan attabagh Abu-Bekr, annexed significant Armenian cities - Dvin and Ani to their kingdom, defeated the Rum Sultan. In 1204, the Georgian army captured the strategic fortress city of Kars.
Georgia has strengthened its position. The weakening of the Byzantine Empire opened the way for Georgia to the southeastern shores of the Black Sea. The Georgian army occupied the coastal cities, forming the Trapizon Empire, which was in the sphere of influence of Georgia.
In 1206 David Soslan died. In the same year, Queen Tamara put her son George-Lasha on the throne as co-ruler. In 1210 he made a successful campaign to Iran.
In 1213 Queen Tamara died. The Georgian Church listed Tamara as a saint and established the day of her commemoration. In Akhaltsikhe (South Georgia) opened the first monument in the country to the great Queen Tamar Bagrationi.
According to the chronicler of the Tamara era, she is buried in Gelati. It is also believed that her ashes were later transported to the Jerusalem Cross Monastery.