DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43337#0345
342 | THE WALL PAINTINGS OF AKHTALA MONASTERY
In the liberated Armenian territories which Queen Tamar pre-
sented to Zakare and Ivane Mkhargrdzeli several principalities
arose, ruled exclusively by members of the Zakharid dynasty and
closely linked to one another. Zakharid Armenia, while forming
part of the Kingdom of Georgia, possessed a considerable amount
of autonomy which was expressed in the hereditary succession of
its rulers and in its juridical and fiscal immunity71. As one of the
inscriptions shows, Zakare and Ivane called these lands «the per-
sonal heritage of our forefathers»72. Another inscription in Zakare’s
church in the town of Ani, which was reconquered in 1199 and re-
gained the status of the capital of Armenia, calls the brothers «kings
of Armenia»73. The Mkhargrdzelis had their own vassals, who no-
tably included the feudal families of the Prochians, Vachutians and
Orbelians: they were rewarded with lands for their service and were
directly subordinate to their suzerains. In general the administrative
structure of Zakharid Armenia was a replica on a smaller scale of
the Kingdom of Georgia74.
Zakare and Ivane attached great importance to the strengthening
of the Christian Church to which a considerable portion of their vast
military booty was devoted. According to a mediaeval historian «they
rebuilt many monasteries which had long since been destroyed by the
Ismail pillagers, and the estate of the clergy began to prosper; new mon-
asteries and churches were also built where there had been no monas-
teries of old»75. Yet while Zakare supported the Armenian Monophysite
Church Ivane became a convert to Chalcedonianism.
Ivane’s conversion, which took place at the very end of the 12th or
beginning of the 13th century, is assessed differently by Georgian and
Armenian historians [of the time]. «Ivane had an excellent knowledge
of the Holy Scriptures,» wrote the historian of Queen Tamar, «by vir-
tue of which he realised the falsity of the faith of the Armenians, was
rebaptised and became a true Christian»76. Kuirakos took a different
attitude77:
kind the rights of the Georgians increased even more, for Ivane fell
prey to the Chalcedonian heresy, to which the Georgians were subject, for,
fascinated by the Queen who was called 'Tamar, daughter of (jeorge, he
did love the glory of men more than that of Qod; but Zakare remained
true to Orthodoxy, which the ^Armenians confess.
In the liberated Armenian territories which Queen Tamar pre-
sented to Zakare and Ivane Mkhargrdzeli several principalities
arose, ruled exclusively by members of the Zakharid dynasty and
closely linked to one another. Zakharid Armenia, while forming
part of the Kingdom of Georgia, possessed a considerable amount
of autonomy which was expressed in the hereditary succession of
its rulers and in its juridical and fiscal immunity71. As one of the
inscriptions shows, Zakare and Ivane called these lands «the per-
sonal heritage of our forefathers»72. Another inscription in Zakare’s
church in the town of Ani, which was reconquered in 1199 and re-
gained the status of the capital of Armenia, calls the brothers «kings
of Armenia»73. The Mkhargrdzelis had their own vassals, who no-
tably included the feudal families of the Prochians, Vachutians and
Orbelians: they were rewarded with lands for their service and were
directly subordinate to their suzerains. In general the administrative
structure of Zakharid Armenia was a replica on a smaller scale of
the Kingdom of Georgia74.
Zakare and Ivane attached great importance to the strengthening
of the Christian Church to which a considerable portion of their vast
military booty was devoted. According to a mediaeval historian «they
rebuilt many monasteries which had long since been destroyed by the
Ismail pillagers, and the estate of the clergy began to prosper; new mon-
asteries and churches were also built where there had been no monas-
teries of old»75. Yet while Zakare supported the Armenian Monophysite
Church Ivane became a convert to Chalcedonianism.
Ivane’s conversion, which took place at the very end of the 12th or
beginning of the 13th century, is assessed differently by Georgian and
Armenian historians [of the time]. «Ivane had an excellent knowledge
of the Holy Scriptures,» wrote the historian of Queen Tamar, «by vir-
tue of which he realised the falsity of the faith of the Armenians, was
rebaptised and became a true Christian»76. Kuirakos took a different
attitude77:
kind the rights of the Georgians increased even more, for Ivane fell
prey to the Chalcedonian heresy, to which the Georgians were subject, for,
fascinated by the Queen who was called 'Tamar, daughter of (jeorge, he
did love the glory of men more than that of Qod; but Zakare remained
true to Orthodoxy, which the ^Armenians confess.