Gurandukht or Guarandukht (Georgian: გურანდუხტი, გუარანდუხტი, fl. 960–999) was a queen of Kartli by marriage to Gurgen of Kartli, and regent during the minority of her son from 975. She was a daughter of King George II of Abkhazia and wife of the Bagratid royal Gurgen of Kartli.
She was the last known member of the royal house of Abkhazia, a fact that provided an opportunity to her son, Bagrat, to claim the crown of Abkhazia. By virtue of being also heir to the Georgian Bagratid principalities, Bagrat went on to become the first king of unified Kingdom of Georgia. Gurandukht stood by her son in his political and cultural enterprises. Gurandukht is known from The Georgian Chronicles and several inscriptions.
Gurandukht was a daughter of George II of Abkhazia (r. 916–960) and, thus, sister to the three succeeding monarchs—Leon III, Demetrius III, and Theodosius III. Gurandukht is depicted in relief on the northern squinch over eastern arch of the Kumurdo Cathedral in Javakheti, with an accompanying inscription in the medieval Georgian asomtavruli script ႢႰႣႲ, "G[u]R[an]D[ukh]T". The southern relief shows her brother Leon III, who is unnamed, but mentioned in a dedicatory inscription on the south door of the church, dated to 964.[1]
Gurandukht was married to Gurgen, a member of the Georgian Bagratid family and a son of Bagrat II "the Simple", the titular king of Kartli, which was de facto under the Kingdom of Abkhazia. As none of Gurandukht's brothers produced a male heir, her son with Gurgen, Bagrat, was the potential heir to the crowns of both Abkhazia and Kartli. In addition, Bagrat was adopted by his powerful cousin, David III of Tao, through the advice of Iovane Marushisdze, eristavi of Kartli.
Regency
David installed the boy-prince Bagrat as a ruler in Kartli in 975, with Gurgen and Gurandukht as regents. The family had to deal with strong aristocratic opposition, but enjoyed the support and protection of David of Tao. In 978, again through Marushidze's efforts, Gurandukht's weak reigning brother Theodosius III was deposed and Bagrat, now of age, proclaimed King of Abkhazia.[2][3] On this occasion, Bagrat and Gurandukht sponsored the construction of the Bedia Cathedral, completed in 999, and donated a gilded chalice to it. For a time, during Bagrat's absence in Abkhazia, Gurandukht administered the key fortified, rock-hewn town of Uplistsikhe and part of Kartli.[4][5]
Gurandukht's husband Gurgen succeeded on his father's death as king of Kartli in 994. When he died in 1008, Bagrat, for the first time in history, united the western kingdom of Abkhazia with the eastern realm of Kartli to give rise to the unified Georgian monarchy.[3]
The date of Gurandukht's death is not known, but she is mentioned as dead in two inscriptions of Bagrat III, an undated one from Akhalsopeli in Kvemo Kartli[6] and the other, dated to 1002, from the Tsvimoeti church in Shida Kartli.[7]
^Eastmond, Antony (1998). Royal Imagery in Medieval Georgia. Penn State Press. pp. 34–35, 231–232. ISBN0271016280.
^Thomson, Robert W (1996). Rewriting Caucasian history: the medieval Armenian adaptation of the Georgian chronicles; the original Georgian texts and the Armenian adaptation. Clarendon Press. pp. 274–276. ISBN0198263732.
^ abRapp, Stephen H. (2003). Studies in Medieval Georgian Historiography: Early Texts and Eurasian Contexts. Peeters Publishers. p. 415. ISBN9042913185.
^Garland, Lynda; Rapp, Stephen (2006). "Mary 'of Alania': Woman and Empress Between Two Worlds". In Garland, Lynda (ed.). Byzantine Women: Varieties of Experience, 800-1200. Ashgate Publishing. pp. 118–119. ISBN0-7546-5737-X.
^Fähnrich, Heinz (2013). Die ältesten georgischen Inschriften [The oldest Georgian inscriptions] (in German). Bril. p. 159. ISBN9004251081.
^Toumanoff, Cyril (1961). "The Bagratids of Iberia from the Eighth to the Eleventh Century". Le Muséon. 74 (1–2): 40.
March 03, 2023
gurandukht, abkhazia, gurandukht, guarandukht, georgian, გურანდუხტი, გუარანდუხტი, queen, kartli, marriage, gurgen, kartli, regent, during, minority, from, daughter, king, george, abkhazia, wife, bagratid, royal, gurgen, kartli, queen, gurandukht, relief, from,. Gurandukht or Guarandukht Georgian გურანდუხტი გუარანდუხტი fl 960 999 was a queen of Kartli by marriage to Gurgen of Kartli and regent during the minority of her son from 975 She was a daughter of King George II of Abkhazia and wife of the Bagratid royal Gurgen of Kartli Queen Gurandukht s relief from the squinch over arch from the Kumurdo Cathedral c 964 She was the last known member of the royal house of Abkhazia a fact that provided an opportunity to her son Bagrat to claim the crown of Abkhazia By virtue of being also heir to the Georgian Bagratid principalities Bagrat went on to become the first king of unified Kingdom of Georgia Gurandukht stood by her son in his political and cultural enterprises Gurandukht is known from The Georgian Chronicles and several inscriptions Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Regency 2 Genealogy 3 ReferencesBiography EditGurandukht was a daughter of George II of Abkhazia r 916 960 and thus sister to the three succeeding monarchs Leon III Demetrius III and Theodosius III Gurandukht is depicted in relief on the northern squinch over eastern arch of the Kumurdo Cathedral in Javakheti with an accompanying inscription in the medieval Georgian asomtavruli script ႢႰႣႲ G u R an D ukh T The southern relief shows her brother Leon III who is unnamed but mentioned in a dedicatory inscription on the south door of the church dated to 964 1 Gurandukht was married to Gurgen a member of the Georgian Bagratid family and a son of Bagrat II the Simple the titular king of Kartli which was de facto under the Kingdom of Abkhazia As none of Gurandukht s brothers produced a male heir her son with Gurgen Bagrat was the potential heir to the crowns of both Abkhazia and Kartli In addition Bagrat was adopted by his powerful cousin David III of Tao through the advice of Iovane Marushisdze eristavi of Kartli Regency Edit David installed the boy prince Bagrat as a ruler in Kartli in 975 with Gurgen and Gurandukht as regents The family had to deal with strong aristocratic opposition but enjoyed the support and protection of David of Tao In 978 again through Marushidze s efforts Gurandukht s weak reigning brother Theodosius III was deposed and Bagrat now of age proclaimed King of Abkhazia 2 3 On this occasion Bagrat and Gurandukht sponsored the construction of the Bedia Cathedral completed in 999 and donated a gilded chalice to it For a time during Bagrat s absence in Abkhazia Gurandukht administered the key fortified rock hewn town of Uplistsikhe and part of Kartli 4 5 Gurandukht s husband Gurgen succeeded on his father s death as king of Kartli in 994 When he died in 1008 Bagrat for the first time in history united the western kingdom of Abkhazia with the eastern realm of Kartli to give rise to the unified Georgian monarchy 3 The date of Gurandukht s death is not known but she is mentioned as dead in two inscriptions of Bagrat III an undated one from Akhalsopeli in Kvemo Kartli 6 and the other dated to 1002 from the Tsvimoeti church in Shida Kartli 7 Genealogy EditvteGenealogy of the Kings of AbkhaziaTheodorArchon of Abasgiar 710 s 730Constantine II Archon of Abasgiar 730 745Leon IArchon of Abasgiar 745 767Leon IIArchon of Abasgiar 767 780King of Abkhaziar 780 828Theodosius IIKing of Abkhaziar 811 837Demetrius IIKing of Abkhaziar 837 872George IKing of Abkhaziar 872 878Tinen of ChikhaBagrat IKing of Abkhaziar 887 898Constantine III King of Abkhaziar 898 916Anonymous daughtermarried to Ashot of KlarjetiGeorge IIKing of Abkhaziar 916 960fr Bagrat AnchabadzeKing of Abkhaziar 923 930ConstantineDuke of Kartlir 923 926Leon IIIDuke of Kartlir 926 957King of Abkhaziar 960 969Demetrius IIIKing of Abkhaziar 969 976Theodosius III King of Abkhaziar 976 978BagratAnonymous daughtermarried to Shourta of KakhetiGurandukhtmarried to Gurgen of IberiaAnonymous daughtermarried to Abas I of ArmeniaBagrat IIKing of Abkhaziar 978 1014References Edit Eastmond Antony 1998 Royal Imagery in Medieval Georgia Penn State Press pp 34 35 231 232 ISBN 0271016280 Thomson Robert W 1996 Rewriting Caucasian history the medieval Armenian adaptation of the Georgian chronicles the original Georgian texts and the Armenian adaptation Clarendon Press pp 274 276 ISBN 0198263732 a b Rapp Stephen H 2003 Studies in Medieval Georgian Historiography Early Texts and Eurasian Contexts Peeters Publishers p 415 ISBN 9042913185 Garland Lynda Rapp Stephen 2006 Mary of Alania Woman and Empress Between Two Worlds In Garland Lynda ed Byzantine Women Varieties of Experience 800 1200 Ashgate Publishing pp 118 119 ISBN 0 7546 5737 X Rayfield Donald 2012 Edge of Empires A History of Georgia London Reaktion Books pp 69 70 ISBN 1780230303 Fahnrich Heinz 2013 Die altesten georgischen Inschriften The oldest Georgian inscriptions in German Bril p 159 ISBN 9004251081 Toumanoff Cyril 1961 The Bagratids of Iberia from the Eighth to the Eleventh Century Le Museon 74 1 2 40 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gurandukht of Abkhazia amp oldid 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