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Who were Queen Tamar, Shota Rustaveli and other heroes of Georgian history?

The key historical figures whose names you see everywhere.

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Short answer

Queen Tamar ruled Georgia in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, the country's golden age, and the poet Shota Rustaveli lived at her court and wrote 'The Knight in the Panther's Skin'. David IV the Builder united the country and founded Gelati Monastery, Vakhtang Gorgasali is said to have founded Tbilisi, and Erekle II signed the Treaty of Georgievsk with Russia in the 18th century. St Nino brought Christianity to Georgia in the 4th century.

Queen Tamar of Georgia: Life, Reign and the Golden Age faq-cover-facts-about-georgia.png

Why

  1. In Georgia Tamar is called king, mepe, rather than queen, stressing her status as ruler.
  2. Tbilisi's main avenue and national theatre are named after Rustaveli.
  3. Streets, squares, universities and airports across the country bear these heroes' names.

Details

Monuments to David the Builder, Tamar and Gorgasali stand in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and elsewhere. Learn more about them at the Georgian National Museum.

Tip

Read Rustaveli's 'The Knight in the Panther's Skin', even in summary, before your trip; it's constantly referenced in Georgia.

What may differ

Common misconception

Georgians call Tamar a queen.

What actually happens

In Georgian Tamar is called mepe, 'king', stressing that she ruled in her own right.

People also ask

  • Who was Queen Tamar of Georgia?

Sources

Historical dates follow commonly accepted historians' versions.

Queen Tamar of Georgia: Life, Reign and the Golden Age

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