History of Trabzon

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 26. Chapters: Empire of Trebizond, Trabzon, Tamar of Georgia, Basilios Bessarion, Sümela Monastery, Gurieli, Anna of Trebizond, Queen of Georgia, Gregory Choniades, Eudokia of Trebizond, Hagia Sophia, Trabzon, Michael Panaretos, Kustul Monastery, Trebizond Gospel, Trebizond Campaign, Zilkale, Lazistan, Niketas Scholares, Eugenios of Trebizond, Siege of Trebizond, Perateia, Idmanocagi. 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 élite, 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 female ruler, has led to her idealization and romantization in Georgian arts and historical memory. She remains an important symbol in Georgian popular culture and has been canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church. Tamar was born, c. 1160, to George III, King of Georgia, and his consort Burdukhan, a daughter of the king of Alania. It is possible that Tamar had a younger sister, Rusudan; but she is only mentioned once in all contemporary accounts of Tamar's reign. The name Tamar is of Hebrew origin and, like other biblical names, was favored by the Georgian Bagrationi dynasty because of their claim to be descended from David, the second king of Israel. Tamar's youth coincided with a major upheaval in Georgia; in 1177, her father, George III, was confronted by a rebellious faction of nobles. The rebels intended to dethrone