Gvantsa
Encyclopedia
Gvantsa (died c. 1263) was a Queen Consort
of Georgia
as the second wife of King David VII “Ulu” (r.
: 1245-1270).
She was the daughter of Kakhaber IV Kakhaberidze, Duke
of Racha
and Takveri, who married Gvantsa off to Prince Avag Mkhargrdzeli, Lord High Tutor and Lord High Constable
of Georgia with whom she begot a daughter Khvashak’. After Avag’s death in 1250, Gvantsa remarried the Georgian king David VII in 1251 or 1252 and gave birth to a son, the future king Demetre II of Georgia
, in 1259. In the meantime, Khvashak’ was reared by the king’s trustee Sumbat Orbeli or Sadun Mankaberdeli (here the medieval sources diverge) and later given in marriage to Shams ad-Din Juvayni
, an influential minister at the Mongol Il-Khan’s court.
Unlike David VII's first wife, the late Jigda-Khatun, Gvantsa was on extremely bad terms with the powerful royal favorite Jik'uri, the Master of Ceremonies
(mestumre) of Georgia. Jik'uri’s rivals exploited this enmity and accused him of treason before the king who had him executed by drowning in the Mtkvari River. When David staged a failed revolt from the Il-Khan hegemony in 1260, Gvantsa was captured by the Mongol punitive forces and killed on the orders of the Il-Khan Hulagu through the intrigues of rival Georgian nobles.
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Georgia
Kingdom of Georgia
The Kingdom of Georgia was a medieval monarchy established in AD 978 by Bagrat III.It flourished during the 11th and 12th centuries, the so-called "golden age" of the history of Georgia. It fell to the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, but managed to re-assert sovereignty by 1327...
as the second wife of King David VII “Ulu” (r.
Reign
A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation or of a people . In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office...
: 1245-1270).
She was the daughter of Kakhaber IV Kakhaberidze, Duke
Eristavi
Eristavi was a Georgian feudal office, roughly equivalent to the Byzantine strategos and normally translated into English as "duke". In the Georgian aristocratic hierarchy, it was the title of the third rank of prince and governor of a large province...
of Racha
Racha
Racha is a highland area in western Georgia, located in the upper Rioni river valley and hemmed in by the Greater Caucasus mountains...
and Takveri, who married Gvantsa off to Prince Avag Mkhargrdzeli, Lord High Tutor and Lord High Constable
Amirspasalar
Amirspasalar was the commander in chief of the medieval Georgian army and one of the highest officials of the Kingdom of Georgia, commonly rendered as Lord High Constable in English...
of Georgia with whom she begot a daughter Khvashak’. After Avag’s death in 1250, Gvantsa remarried the Georgian king David VII in 1251 or 1252 and gave birth to a son, the future king Demetre II of Georgia
Demetre II of Georgia
Saint King Demetrius II the Self-sacrificer , from the Bagrationi dynasty, was king of Georgia in 1270–1289.-Life:...
, in 1259. In the meantime, Khvashak’ was reared by the king’s trustee Sumbat Orbeli or Sadun Mankaberdeli (here the medieval sources diverge) and later given in marriage to Shams ad-Din Juvayni
Shams ad-Din Juvayni
Shams al-Din Juvayni or Shams al-Din Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Juwayni was a vizier and sahib-divan or Minister of Finance under three Mongol Ilkhans - Hulagu, Abaqa and Tekuder - from 1263 until his execution by Arghun Khan in 1285...
, an influential minister at the Mongol Il-Khan’s court.
Unlike David VII's first wife, the late Jigda-Khatun, Gvantsa was on extremely bad terms with the powerful royal favorite Jik'uri, the Master of Ceremonies
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
(mestumre) of Georgia. Jik'uri’s rivals exploited this enmity and accused him of treason before the king who had him executed by drowning in the Mtkvari River. When David staged a failed revolt from the Il-Khan hegemony in 1260, Gvantsa was captured by the Mongol punitive forces and killed on the orders of the Il-Khan Hulagu through the intrigues of rival Georgian nobles.