Gurji Khatun

A 13th-Century Description

This passage is from Bar Hebraeus, a Christian writing in Syriac in the thirteenth century.

A 13th-Century Description

This passage is from Ibn al-Athir, a Muslim chronicler who wrote in Arabic. He’s talking about the rulers of Erzurum (modern Turkey), who were Turkish Muslims.

Source, p. 131.

A 14th-Century Description

This passage is from the Georgian Royal Annals, which is a compilation of several texts. This section is from the Chronicle of A Hundred Years, written in the fourteenth century.

At this time Queen Rusudan had the son of Ort’ul brought to her as a hostage. Well-built, he was of a mature age, perfect of body, fearless and very strong. Taking a fancy to him, Queen Rusudan decided to marry him, which desire she then fulfilled. She made Ort’ul’s son her husband and gave birth to a girl of sublime beauty. She gave her the name of her blessed mother Tamar. They begot a son and named him David. In addition, she were bringing up her nephew David – the son of Lasha-Giorgi.
When her daughter Tamar was grown up, the Sultan of Greece, Q’iasdin, son of Nukhradin learned of her fine appearance and sending many presents implored Queen Rusudan to give him in marriage the virgin Tamar, swearing not to force her to renounce the faith of Christ. Heeding his request, Queen Rusudan married her daughter (Tamar) to him, an indecent thing for a Christian, and with great honors gave her Ats’q’uri as a dowry.

Source, pp. 324-5.