Cat's Historical Doodles

Tamar (Georgian: თამარი, Tamari) was born circa 1160 to George III, King of Georgia, and his wife, Burdukhan of Alania. The name Tamar is of Hebrew origin and, like other biblical names, was favoured 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 was confronted by a rebellious faction of nobles. The intention was to dethrone George III in favour of the King's nephew, Demna, who was considered by many to be a legitimate royal heir of his murdered father, David V. Demna's cause was just a pretext for the nobles to, led by the pretender's father-in-law Ivane Orbeli, to weaken the crown. George III managed to crush the revolt and embarked on a repression campaign on the defiant aristocratic clans. Ivane Orbeli was put to death and the surviving family was driven out of Georgia. Demna was castrated and blinded on his uncle'...

Darejan Dadiani, also known as Darya, was born on 20 July 1738. She was a daughter of Katsia-Giorgi Dadiani, a younger son of Bezhan Dadiani, Prince of Mingrelia (Western Georgia). When she was 12 years old, Heraclius (then reigning in Kakheti) chose her as his third wife, one year after the death of his second wife. The wedding was lavishly celebrated at the court of the groom's father, Teimuraz II, King of Kartli, in Tbilisi. In 1762, Heraclius of Kakheti succeeded his father as King of Kartli, thus uniting both eastern Georgian kingdoms in one state. Between 1753 and 1782, Darejan had 23 children! She desired to secure the right of succession for her offspring against her husband's eldest living son of his second marriage, George, so she became involved in Georgian politics. During the last years of Heraclius' life, she became more involved and influential. In 1791, Darejan persuaded her husband to overturn the principle of primogeniture in favour of fraternal ...