DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27365#0030
18
w.s/dR/Cv4A coA^rE^rr
and Dvin^°. Evidently this was not simpiy a desire to invoive independent
arbiters. He aiso wanted to demonstrate the political ioyaity and civic equality of the
members of all the major religions and confessions living in the country. Here we
should note Rogers' study which attempts to show how important the Mkhargrdzelis
were in extending Muslim influence during the 13th century in Transcaucasian art and
culture^.
Ivane invariably placed political tasks above confessional sympathies in
international relations as well. During the 1220s he carried on active negotiations
with the Pope on behalf of the Kingdom of Georgia about a military and political
alliance, completely ignoring differences on religious questions. In a letter of 1224 to
Pope Honorius III about concerted action with the Crusaders to conquer Jerusalem,
Ivane calls the Pope "the head of all Christians" and himself "your humble and obedi-
ent son "5-. It is possible that this tolerance in religious matters was largely
determined by his belonging to Armenian-Chalcedonian circles. It is probably no
accident that this letter from the Kingdom of Georgia was taken to Rome not by a
Georgian churchman, but by an Armenian-Chalcedonian bishop^. Certain other
facts also suggest a favourable disposition towards the Church of Rome on the part of
the Armenian-Chalcedonians who, at a time of heightened tensions and the Latin
conquest of Constantinople, appear not to have noticed the difference between
Catholicism and Orthodoxy^. One can conclude that in the activities of Ivane
Mkhargrdzeli political and confessional tasks were organically combined, insofar as
both Zakharid Armenia and the Armenian-Chalcedonian Church could develop
successfully only given peaceful coexistence and the gradual coming together of the
different confessions.
The sober position of a statesman did not prevent Ivane Mkhargrdzeli from re-
maining a devout Christian, who not only had an excellent knowledge of Holy
Scripture but also regularly helped the Church. Ivane's profound religiosity finds
interesting reflection in a 14th-century Georgian chronicle. When describing how the
forces mustered in 1225 for a campaign against the Khwarazmians the historian says
of Ivane that he "was already old at this time, and he was a monk, not openly but
secretly"^. This secret taking of monastic vows, a somewhat unusual act, is directly
connected with a realisation of the vanity of earthly glory. A look at the final period of
Ivane's life will enable us to better understand this act.
50 /a A'oMn/e, p. 203.
5* * Rogers. "The Mxargrdzelis", pp. 257-272.
5- See M. Tamarati, fegilre georg/enne, Rome, 1910, p. 417.
55 Muradian, "Cultural Activities", p. 330.
*54 Roubrouc ieft an impressive testimony of his meeting, in the mid-13th century, with the
Chaicedonian Shahanshah, Ivane's nephew, who said to the Roman Cathoiic ambassador that "they
were children of the Roman Church and, with aid from the Pope, would bring all neighbouring countries
to its bosom". See Muradian, "On the Confessional Orientation", p. 56.
55 See A*ar<i;'.r 71sA7;oweb<?, p. 169.
w.s/dR/Cv4A coA^rE^rr
and Dvin^°. Evidently this was not simpiy a desire to invoive independent
arbiters. He aiso wanted to demonstrate the political ioyaity and civic equality of the
members of all the major religions and confessions living in the country. Here we
should note Rogers' study which attempts to show how important the Mkhargrdzelis
were in extending Muslim influence during the 13th century in Transcaucasian art and
culture^.
Ivane invariably placed political tasks above confessional sympathies in
international relations as well. During the 1220s he carried on active negotiations
with the Pope on behalf of the Kingdom of Georgia about a military and political
alliance, completely ignoring differences on religious questions. In a letter of 1224 to
Pope Honorius III about concerted action with the Crusaders to conquer Jerusalem,
Ivane calls the Pope "the head of all Christians" and himself "your humble and obedi-
ent son "5-. It is possible that this tolerance in religious matters was largely
determined by his belonging to Armenian-Chalcedonian circles. It is probably no
accident that this letter from the Kingdom of Georgia was taken to Rome not by a
Georgian churchman, but by an Armenian-Chalcedonian bishop^. Certain other
facts also suggest a favourable disposition towards the Church of Rome on the part of
the Armenian-Chalcedonians who, at a time of heightened tensions and the Latin
conquest of Constantinople, appear not to have noticed the difference between
Catholicism and Orthodoxy^. One can conclude that in the activities of Ivane
Mkhargrdzeli political and confessional tasks were organically combined, insofar as
both Zakharid Armenia and the Armenian-Chalcedonian Church could develop
successfully only given peaceful coexistence and the gradual coming together of the
different confessions.
The sober position of a statesman did not prevent Ivane Mkhargrdzeli from re-
maining a devout Christian, who not only had an excellent knowledge of Holy
Scripture but also regularly helped the Church. Ivane's profound religiosity finds
interesting reflection in a 14th-century Georgian chronicle. When describing how the
forces mustered in 1225 for a campaign against the Khwarazmians the historian says
of Ivane that he "was already old at this time, and he was a monk, not openly but
secretly"^. This secret taking of monastic vows, a somewhat unusual act, is directly
connected with a realisation of the vanity of earthly glory. A look at the final period of
Ivane's life will enable us to better understand this act.
50 /a A'oMn/e, p. 203.
5* * Rogers. "The Mxargrdzelis", pp. 257-272.
5- See M. Tamarati, fegilre georg/enne, Rome, 1910, p. 417.
55 Muradian, "Cultural Activities", p. 330.
*54 Roubrouc ieft an impressive testimony of his meeting, in the mid-13th century, with the
Chaicedonian Shahanshah, Ivane's nephew, who said to the Roman Cathoiic ambassador that "they
were children of the Roman Church and, with aid from the Pope, would bring all neighbouring countries
to its bosom". See Muradian, "On the Confessional Orientation", p. 56.
55 See A*ar<i;'.r 71sA7;oweb<?, p. 169.