Ioane Shavteli
Encyclopedia
Ioane Shavteli was a Georgian
poet of the late 12th and early 13th centuries credited to have written the encomiastic poem traditionally, and unsuitably, known as Abdulmesia (აბდულმესია), i.e., "Slave of the Messiah
" (from Arabic عبد المسيح, Abdul Masīh).
A reference to Shavteli and his work is made in a postscript of Shota Rustaveli
’s The Knight in the Panther's Skin
(ვეფხისტყაოსანი), which is the source of the poem's incongruous title. Shavteli's ode is, in fact, a eulogy to the two greatest monarchs of medieval Georgia, David "the Builder"
(r. 1089-1125) and the poet's contemporary Queen Tamar
(r. 1184-1213). Little is known about the author’s biography himself. "Shavteli" seems to be a territorial epithet, meaning "of/from Shavsheti" (modern Şavşat
, Turkey
). Shavteli's style includes a strong patristic discourse and his language is to a considerable extent artificial and archaically bookish. Possibly a cleric, he is reported by the medieval chronicles to have been a famous poet and philosopher and to have accompanied Tamar in several of her travels and military campaigns.
Shavteli's panegyric focuses on praising the Christian virtues of David and Tamar, without naming either however. The references to Tamar are coded by praise of her beauty, her love of "doing good by stealth", also praised in similar phrases by the queen's chronicler as well as by the two contemporary poets - Rustaveli and Chakhrukhadze
. David can be recognized by allusions to his biblical
namesake
(from whom the Georgian dynasty of Bagrationi claimed descent) as well as by interweaving words and phrases from the king’s own religious lyrics, the Hymns of Penitence (გალობანი სინანულისანი).
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
poet of the late 12th and early 13th centuries credited to have written the encomiastic poem traditionally, and unsuitably, known as Abdulmesia (აბდულმესია), i.e., "Slave of the Messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
" (from Arabic عبد المسيح, Abdul Masīh).
A reference to Shavteli and his work is made in a postscript of Shota Rustaveli
Shota Rustaveli
Shota Rustaveli was a Georgian poet of the 12th century, and one of the greatest contributors to Georgian literature. He is author of "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" , the Georgian national epic poem....
’s The Knight in the Panther's Skin
The Knight in the Panther's Skin
The Knight in the Panther's Skin is an epic poem, consisting of over 1600 shairi quatrains, was written in the 12th century by the Georgian epic-poet Shota Rustaveli, who was a Prince and Treasurer at the royal court of Queen Tamar of Georgia. The Knight in the Panther's Skin is often seen as...
(ვეფხისტყაოსანი), which is the source of the poem's incongruous title. Shavteli's ode is, in fact, a eulogy to the two greatest monarchs of medieval Georgia, David "the Builder"
David IV of Georgia
David IV "the Builder", also known as David II , of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Georgia from 1089 until his death in 1125....
(r. 1089-1125) and the poet's contemporary Queen Tamar
Tamar of Georgia
Tamar , of the Bagrationi dynasty, was Queen Regnant of Georgia from 1184 to 1213. Tamar presided over the "Golden age" of the medieval Georgian monarchy...
(r. 1184-1213). Little is known about the author’s biography himself. "Shavteli" seems to be a territorial epithet, meaning "of/from Shavsheti" (modern Şavşat
Savsat
Şavşat is a town and district of Artvin Province in the Black Sea region, between the cities of Artvin and Kars on the border with Georgia at the far eastern end of Turkey.- Geography :...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
). Shavteli's style includes a strong patristic discourse and his language is to a considerable extent artificial and archaically bookish. Possibly a cleric, he is reported by the medieval chronicles to have been a famous poet and philosopher and to have accompanied Tamar in several of her travels and military campaigns.
Shavteli's panegyric focuses on praising the Christian virtues of David and Tamar, without naming either however. The references to Tamar are coded by praise of her beauty, her love of "doing good by stealth", also praised in similar phrases by the queen's chronicler as well as by the two contemporary poets - Rustaveli and Chakhrukhadze
Chakhrukhadze
Chakhrukhadze is a Georgian poet of the late 12th/early 13th century traditionally credited to have written Tamariani , a collection of twenty two odes and one elegy praising, often deifying Queen Tamar of Georgia...
. David can be recognized by allusions to his biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
namesake
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
(from whom the Georgian dynasty of Bagrationi claimed descent) as well as by interweaving words and phrases from the king’s own religious lyrics, the Hymns of Penitence (გალობანი სინანულისანი).