Tsotne Dadiani

Tsotne Dadiani ( _ka. ცოტნე დადიანი) (died c. 1260) was a Georgian nobleman of whom the medieval Georgian chronicles relate a story of how Tsotne’s self-sacrificing move saved his associates from the Mongol captivity and imminent death, and which made him into one of the most popular historical figures in Georgia and a saint of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Tsotne was the son of Shergil, the great noble of western Georgia and the duke of Mingrelia of the First House of Dadiani. The young Tsotne, together with his parents, is depicted on a mural from the contemporary church at Khobi. In the period of de facto interregnum, c. 1245-1250, he was a regent for the western half of the Kingdom of Georgia, a position he shared with the duke of Racha. He was also a Lord High Steward ("Mandaturt-Ukhutsesi") of Georgia, and later, upon the death of his brother Vardan III, the duke of Mingrelia. [Christopher Buyers (2003), [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Georgia/mingrelia.htm Dadiani Dynasty - Mingrelia] . "RoyalArk". Accessed on February 14, 2008.]

Around 1245, Tsotne was among those nobles of Georgia who attended the conspiracy meeting at Kokhtastavi in Javakheti and decided to join their forces to overthrow the Mongol hegemony. What then happened is recorded in details in the anonymous 14th-century chronicle conventionally known in Georgian historiography as Ĵamt'a-ağmc'ereli (ჟამთააღმწერელი; "the Chronicler"). Tsotne is reported to have left the meeting earlier to rally his subjects in his duchy. In the meantime, the Mongols discovered the remaining conspirators and brought them in chains to the headquarters at Ani. But the Georgian nobles vehemently denied the plot charges and insisted that they had gathered only to discuss the collection of tribute which was to be paid to the Mongols. The interrogators had the arrestees stripped bare, bound their hands and feet, smeared them with honey, and left suffering under the scorching sun and biting insects. Tsotne, upon hearing what had happened, arrived at Ani and voluntarily joined his associates to share their fate. According to the chronicle, the Mongol commanders were so impressed by Tostne’s valor that they pardoned and released all prisoners. [ge icon Melikishvili, Giorgi "et al". (1970), საქართველოს ისტორიის ნარკვევები ("Studies in the History of Georgia"), [http://www.nplg.gov.ge/ic/DGL/work/SIN/sin%203+/nawili%202/9/2.htm Vol. 2.] Tbilisi: Sabch’ota Sakartvelo.]

On October 26, 1999, Tsotne was canonized by the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church which marks his feast day on July 30. [Machitadze, Archpriest Zakaria (2007), [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/enarticles/070813181000 Saint Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor (13th century)] . "The Lives of the Georgian Saints". Retrieved from "Pravoslavie.Ru" on February 14, 2008.]

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