Alda (Georgian: ალდა) or Alde (ალდე) was an 11th-century Alan princess and the second wife of King George I of Georgia (r. 1014–1027). The couple had a son, Demetre, who played a notable role in the civil unrest of Georgia during the reign of his half-brother Bagrat IV.[1]
Alda and her son, Demetre shown at far left, meeting Byzantine emperor. Skylitzes Chronicle.
The "second wife" of George I is mentioned by the medieval Georgian chronicles in a passage relating a futile attempt by a noble party to promote her son, who lived in Anakopia on the shores of Abkhazia, to the throne of Georgia after George's death. Subsequently, Demetre defected to the Byzantines and surrendered Anakopia to the emperorRomanos III Argyros (c. 1033). In the same passage, she is referred to as a "daughter of the king of the Ossetes", "Ossetes" being a Georgian designation of the Alans.[2] Her name Alda (Greek: Ἀλδή) is known from the contemporaneous Byzantine sources. John Skylitzes, corroborating with the Georgian annals, reports that Alda, "wife of George... of the Alan race" surrendered "the very strong fort of Anakopia" to the emperor who honored her son Demetre with the rank of magistros.[3][4]
As no direct reference to George's repudiation of his first wife Mariam is found in the Georgian chronicles, Alda is thought by some historians, such as Marie-Félicité Brosset,[5] to have been a concubine, but the legitimacy of George's marriage to Alda does not appear to be questioned in the contemporary sources.[6] After Mariam's return to prominence following George's death and her accession to the regency for her underage son Bagrat IV, Alda and her son Demetre fled to the Byzantine empire. Demetre spent nearly two decades in attempts to seize the Georgian crown, supported in his struggle by the powerful duke Liparit of Kldekari and the Byzantines. He died c. 1053. After this, according to the 18th-century Georgian historian Prince Vakhushti, Demetre's son David was taken by his grandmother (i.e., Alda, not mentioned by her name) to Alania, where his descendants flourished, producing a local "royal" line, of which came David Soslan, the second husband of Queen Tamar of Georgia (r. 1184–1213).[1][7]
Alemany, Agusti (2000). Sources of the Alans: A Critical Compilation. Brill Publishers, ISBN90-04-11442-4.
(in French)Brosset, Marie-Félicité (1849). Histoire de la Géorgie depuis l'antiquité jusqu'au XIXe siècle. St.-Pétersbourg: Imprimerie de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences.
Seibt, Werner (2012), "The Byzantine Thema of Soteroupolis-Anakopia in the 11th Century"[permanent dead link]. Bulletin of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, vol. 6, no. 2: 174–178.
(in French)Toumanoff Cyrille (1976). Manuel de généalogie et de chronologie pour le Caucase chrétien (Arménie, Géorgie, Albanie). Rome: Édition Aquila.
alda, alania, alda, georgian, ალდა, alde, ალდე, 11th, century, alan, princess, second, wife, king, george, georgia, 1014, 1027, couple, demetre, played, notable, role, civil, unrest, georgia, during, reign, half, brother, bagrat, alda, demetre, shown, left, me. Alda Georgian ალდა or Alde ალდე was an 11th century Alan princess and the second wife of King George I of Georgia r 1014 1027 The couple had a son Demetre who played a notable role in the civil unrest of Georgia during the reign of his half brother Bagrat IV 1 Alda and her son Demetre shown at far left meeting Byzantine emperor Skylitzes Chronicle The second wife of George I is mentioned by the medieval Georgian chronicles in a passage relating a futile attempt by a noble party to promote her son who lived in Anakopia on the shores of Abkhazia to the throne of Georgia after George s death Subsequently Demetre defected to the Byzantines and surrendered Anakopia to the emperor Romanos III Argyros c 1033 In the same passage she is referred to as a daughter of the king of the Ossetes Ossetes being a Georgian designation of the Alans 2 Her name Alda Greek Ἀldh is known from the contemporaneous Byzantine sources John Skylitzes corroborating with the Georgian annals reports that Alda wife of George of the Alan race surrendered the very strong fort of Anakopia to the emperor who honored her son Demetre with the rank of magistros 3 4 As no direct reference to George s repudiation of his first wife Mariam is found in the Georgian chronicles Alda is thought by some historians such as Marie Felicite Brosset 5 to have been a concubine but the legitimacy of George s marriage to Alda does not appear to be questioned in the contemporary sources 6 After Mariam s return to prominence following George s death and her accession to the regency for her underage son Bagrat IV Alda and her son Demetre fled to the Byzantine empire Demetre spent nearly two decades in attempts to seize the Georgian crown supported in his struggle by the powerful duke Liparit of Kldekari and the Byzantines He died c 1053 After this according to the 18th century Georgian historian Prince Vakhushti Demetre s son David was taken by his grandmother i e Alda not mentioned by her name to Alania where his descendants flourished producing a local royal line of which came David Soslan the second husband of Queen Tamar of Georgia r 1184 1213 1 7 Notes edit a b Toumanoff 1976 pp 121 amp 545 Thomson 1996 p 288 Alemany 2000 p 222 Seibt 2012 pp 174 178 Brosset 1849 p 315 n 4 Garland Lynda amp Rapp Stephen 2006 Mary of Alania Woman and Empress Between Two Worlds p 120 In Garland 2006 Alemany 2000 p 321 References editAlemany Agusti 2000 Sources of the Alans A Critical Compilation Brill Publishers ISBN 90 04 11442 4 in French Brosset Marie Felicite 1849 Histoire de la Georgie depuis l antiquite jusqu au XIXe siecle St Petersbourg Imprimerie de l Academie Imperiale des Sciences Garland Lynda ed 2006 Byzantine Women Varieties of Experience 800 1200 Ashgate Publishing ISBN 0 7546 5737 X Seibt Werner 2012 The Byzantine Thema of Soteroupolis Anakopia in the 11th Century permanent dead link Bulletin of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences vol 6 no 2 174 178 Thomson Robert W 1996 Rewriting Caucasian History Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 826373 2 in French Toumanoff Cyrille 1976 Manuel de genealogie et de chronologie pour le Caucase chretien Armenie Georgie Albanie Rome Edition Aquila External links editAlde wife of Giorgi I of Abchasia Georgia Archived 2011 07 22 at the Wayback Machine Prosopography of the Byzantine World Accessed May 29 2011 Royal titlesPreceded byMariam of Vaspurakan Queen consort of Georgiac 1018 1027 Succeeded byHelena Argyre Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alda of Alania amp oldid 1183186032, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
