Cjss second Issue: cjss second Issue qxd

St Elijah from Vazelon Monastery in Matzuka gorge or the murals of the now
inexistent palace in Trebizond (A. Bryer and D. Winfield, 1985, pp. 292, 225c,
vol. II, p. 215, no 55). 
Considering the peculiarities of the evolution of the cult of St Eugenios
and the formation of the respective iconographic type, the images of St. Euge-
nios preserved in Georgian murals acquire particular relevance. Furthermore,
two of them are the earliest images among those that survive to the present
day. One of the images preserves at Timotesubani, which is located in the Bor-
jomi gorge. Represented to the right of the entrance door, towards the edge
of the west wall of the west arm of the cross-domed church, is a warrior saint
in grey armour and a red cape with a dagger in one hand and a long spear, in
another [ill.1]. The figure is accompanied with an inscription in asomravruli
(old Georgian majuscule) script, which reads as ‘Evgeni Trapizoneli’ (Euge-
nios of Trebizond) (E. Privalova, 1980, p. 100). The painting was thoroughly
studied in the 1970s by the prominent art historian, Ekaterine Privalova, who
believed that it was executed by a representative of the Toreli dynasty, possi-
bly the most powerful official at the royal court of Queen Tamar, minister of
interior Shalva Toreli of Akhaltsikhe between 1205 and 1215. Moreover, E.
Privalova shared a view expressed back in the 1930s by the researcher, Dim-
itri Gordeev, according to which the representation of the saint of Trebizond
points to the timeframe within which the painting was made. It was the pe-
riod when the relationship of Georgia and Trebizond reached its height. It has
been argued that brothers Shalva and Ivane of Akhaltsikhe were immediately
involved in the Trebizond military campaign, while the inclusion of the figure
of St Eugenios among warrior saints could have served to indicate the political
and military might of the Georgian state in Trebizond. However, it was also
noted Timotesubani was the only Georgian site where the image of St Euge-
nios could be found (E. Privalova, 1980, pp. 121-122). Yet, there is another
even more interesting example: the image of the holy martyr incorporated
into the donor composition of Giorgi III and Queen Tamar in the Church of
the Dormition at Vardzia, which carefully imitates the established icono-
graphic type of St Eugenios [ill.2]. 
The tall arched niches on the east and west portions of the composition-
ally most important north wall at Vardzia are taken up by donor composi-
tions. An arched niche in the wall to the east features the figures of the
representatives of the royal family turned to the east in a three-fourth posture
before the enthroned Virgin with Child and the only martyr below her. All of
them are shown against the background of the now faded blue sky studded
with stars and equally faded brownish-grey ground. Shown with a halo, Giorgi
III and his daughter Tamar are presented to the Virgin and the martyr stand-
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ing near her by an angel hovering above King Giorgi. The enthroned Virgin
with Child points with her hand to the scepter held by the angel, who seems
to be giving it as a token of divine authority to Giorgi III who has his hands
raised in supplication. Queen Tamar stands behind her father with a church
model in her hand. The inscriptions at the head of Giorgi III and Queen Tamar
read as follows: King of all East/King Giorgi son Demetre/King of Kings [K.
Melitauri, N. Shooshiashvili, S. Khantadze, G. Jamburia, 1955, pp. 66-67, fig.
19], Of all East/King of Kings/ son of Giorgi Tamar who is alive [K. Melitauri,
N. Shoshiashvili, S. Khantadze, G. Jamburia, 1955, pp. 66-67, fig. 20]. The
martyr whom ‘the kings of all East’ address together with the Virgin with
Child, is a middle-aged man with a characteristic hair style with his hair
reaching the neck and with a dark beard. He is clad in a red tunic richly
embroidered with edgings and a gown decorated with tablium, the wrinkled
left edge of which he holds with his left hand. In his right hand he holds a
cross erected on a tall handle [ill.3]. Almost fully lost Greek inscription was
reconstructed by T. Kaukhchishvili as St Eugenios of Trebizond (T.
Kaukhchishvili, 2004, p. 236), which is attested by the iconographic type of
the saint. The painting at Vardzia is securely dated to 1184-1185 according to
the image of young Queen Tamar who is painted before marriage (D.
Berdzenishvili, et al, 2000, p. 118). It appears that the local saint of Trebizond
was pleaded to be a guardian of the most important endavours, the fulfillment
of which would only be possible in 20 years! 
Having studied and compared Georgian and foreign written records
scholars in Georgia and abroad have agreed that the foundation of the Empire
of Trebizond in 1204 was made possible with the support of the Georgian
state (M. Gabashvili, 1998, p. 142, A. Eastmond, 2004, pp. 18-21). Medieval
Georgian and Greek sources confirm that thanks to the direct efforts, ‘dili-
gence and achievement’ of Queen Tamar, a descendant of Byzantine emperors,
Alexios Komnenos (1204-1222), who was also a relative of the Bagrationi
royal dynasty and had grown up at the Georgian royal court, ascended the
throne of Trebizond (Kartlis Tskhovreba, vol. II,, 1959, pp. 142-3, Michael
Paranetos, 1960, p. 16). Apart from the efforts of Georgian military units, the
support provided by the aboriginal Georgian tribes inhabiting the south Black
Sea coast, the promoted Laz and Chan population, played a vital role in ac-
complishing this. The Empire of Trebizond was formed as a vassal state of
Georgia, which was associated with the expansion of the influence of the
Georgian state over the south Black Sea littoral. Georgian historians hold a
view that this was an outcome of a long and careful contemplation of the for-
eign policy of the Georgian royal court (Sakartvelos istoriis narkvevebi, 1979,
p. 332), though, as an early 20
th
century emigrant researcher, Zurab Avaliani
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