Rusudan of Georgia, Empress of Trebizond

Rusudan of Georgia, Empress of Trebizond was the second Empress consort of Manuel I of Trebizond.

Family

Rusudan was a member of the Bagrationi dynasty, but there are at least two theories concerning the identities of her parents. [ [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2004-03/1080611845 David Hughes, "possible Seljuk connection"] ]

According to the first theory, Rusudan was a daughter of David VI of Georgia and his first wife Theodora. [ [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2004-03/1080611845 David Hughes, "possible Seljuk connection"] ] George Pachymeres calls this Theodora an illegitimate niece of Michael VIII Palaiologos, by one of his brothers. The identity of her father was not mentioned. The "Georgian Chronicle", a 13th century complilation drawing from earlier sources, considers her a daughter of Michael VIII himself. The "Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten" (1978) by Detlev Schwennicke considers her parents to be John Doukas Palaiologos by his second wife,Tornikaina. Theodora may have been an illegitimate daughter of Tornikaina by an affair previous to her marriage. Either brother of the Palaiologos family may have been her father. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BYZANTINE%20NOBILITY.htm#PalaiologinaMDavitVIGeorgia Profile of "Theodora" in "Medieval Lands by Charles Cawley] ] Tornikaina was a daughter of Constantine Tornikes. According to George Acropolites, Constantine was granted the title of great primicerius by John III Doukas Vatatzes. He fell out of favor and removed from position by Theodore II Laskaris. The identity of Tornikaina's mother is unknown. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BYZANTINE%20NOBILITY.htm#TornikaineMIoannesKPalaiologos Profile of Tornikaina in "Medieval Lands by Charles Cawley] ]

According to the second theory, Rusudan was a daughter of David VII Ulu. [ [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2004-03/1080611845 David Hughes, "possible Seljuk connection"] ] He was married at the same time to Jigda Khanum and Gvantsa to about 1252, so either woman could be her mother. However the Georgian chronicle considers Jigda childless [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/GEORGIA.htm#_Toc177973608 Profile of David VII in "Medieval Lands by Charles Cawley] ] Jigda Khanum was reportedly a daughter of Kaykhusraw II. [ [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2004-03/1080611845 David Hughes, "possible Seljuk connection"] ] The known wives of Kaykhusraw II include "the daughter of a Greek priest", "a Turkish woman from Konya" and Gürcü Hatun. All three women could be possible mothers of Jigda. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/TURKS.htm#KayKhusrawIIRumdied1246 Profile of Kaykhusraw II in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ] However, David Hughes suggests her mother was "Ghazia Khatun", a member of the Ayyubid dynasty from Aleppo. This Ghazia Khatun is theorised to be a daughter of An-Nasir Yusuf, ruler of Syria. [ [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2004-04/1081119395 David Hughes, "possible Seljuk connection"] ]

Empress

Rusudan is mentioned briefly in the chronicle of Michael Panaretos. "Lady Theodora Komnene, the first daughter of lord Manuel the Grand Komnenos by Russadan from Iberia." [ [http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Post/972250 "The Chronicle of Michael Panaretos Part One", transcribed by Basileos Nestor] ] Which indicates that she was the mother of Theodora of Trebizond. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/TREBIZOND.htm#AlexiosITrebizondB Listing of Alexios I and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ]

Manuel had at least two daughters whose mother is not mentioned. They could be children by Rusudan or another of his wives. One of the daughters married Demetre II of Georgia, the other married one of his Didebul. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/TREBIZOND.htm#AlexiosITrebizondB Listing of Alexios I and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ] Though mentioned in modern genealogies as a name, "Didebul" was actually a title. According to "The Bagrationi (Bagration) Dynasty" by Christopher Buyers, the Didebul were "non-hereditary noblemen of high rank, senior to aznaur, usually enjoyed by one in state service". [ [http://4dw.net/royalark/Georgia/glossary.htm Christopher Buyers, "The Bagrationi (Bagration) Dynasty", Glossary section] ]

Rusudan is estimated to have married married Manuel in the 1240s and to have died during the 1250s or early 1260s. Manuel is next reported married to Irene Syrikaina. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/TREBIZOND.htm#AlexiosITrebizondB Listing of Alexios I and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ]

References