Kingdom of Georgia

History

The Kingdom of Georgia was a powerful and prosperous medieval kingdom that flourished in the Caucasus region from the 11th to the 13th century. Surrounded by deep valleys and rugged mountains, it possessed a strong natural defense.

Under the reign of Tamar the Great, the kingdom reached its golden age of cultural and military strength. Many fascinating legends are preserved in Georgia.

According to the founding legend of its capital, Tbilisi, King Vakhtang was hunting when his falcon fell into a warm hot spring while chasing a pheasant. Impressed by the hot springs, the king founded a city there and named it 'Tbilisi,' which means 'warm place.' Furthermore, Queen Tamar was so deeply revered that folk legends claimed she rode a mythical winged horse at night to defeat her enemies.

However, in 1221, the kingdom faced a severe crisis when the Mongol generals Jebe and Subutai arrived. Although the brave Georgian knights fought fiercely, they were defeated by the Mongols' deceptive tactics, marking the beginning of the kingdom's gradual decline.