Rusudan of Georgia, Empress of Trebizond (Georgian: რუსუდანია) was the second Empress consort of Manuel I of Trebizond.
Rusudan was a member of the Bagrationi dynasty, but there are at least two theories concerning the identities of her parents.[1]
According to the first theory, Rusudan was a daughter of David VI of Georgia and his first wife Theodora.[1] George Pachymeres calls this Theodora an illegitimate niece of Michael VIII Palaiologos, by one of his brothers. The identity of her father was not mentioned. The Georgian Chronicle, a 13th century compilation drawing from earlier sources, considers her a daughter of Michael VIII himself. The Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten (1978) by Detlev Schwennicke considers her parents to be John Doukas Palaiologos by his second wife, a member of the Tornikes family. Theodora may have been an illegitimate daughter of this Tornikaina by an affair previous to her marriage. Either brother of the Palaiologos family may have been her father.[2] Her mother was a daughter of Constantine Tornikes. According to George Acropolites, Constantine was granted the title of megas primikerios by John III Doukas Vatatzes. He fell out of favor and removed from position by Theodore II Laskaris. The identity of this Tornikaina's mother is unknown.[3]
According to the second theory, Rusudan was a daughter of David VII Ulu.[1] He was married at the same time to Jigda Khanum and Gvantsa to about 1252, so either woman could be her mother. However the Georgian chronicle considers Jigda childless[4] Jigda Khanum was reportedly a daughter of Kaykhusraw II.[1] The known wives of Kaykhusraw II include "the daughter of a Greek priest", "a Turkish woman from Konya" and Gürcü Hatun. All three women could be possible mothers of Jigda.[5] However, David Hughes suggests her mother was "Ghazia Khatun", a member of the Ayyubid dynasty from Aleppo. This Ghazia Khatun is theorised to be a daughter of An-Nasir Yusuf, ruler of Syria.[6]
Rusudan is mentioned briefly in the chronicle of Michael Panaretos. "Lady Theodora Komnene, the first daughter of lord Manuel the Grand Komnenos by Russadan from Iberia." [7] Which indicates that she was the mother of Theodora of Trebizond.[8]
Manuel had at least two daughters whose mother is not mentioned. They could be children by Rusudan or another of his wives. One of the daughters married Demetre II of Georgia, the other married one of his Didebul.[8] Though mentioned in modern genealogies as a name, "Didebul" was actually a title. According to "The Bagrationi (Bagration) Dynasty" by Christopher Buyers, the Didebul were "non-hereditary noblemen of high rank, senior to aznaur, usually enjoyed by one in state service".[9]
Rusudan is estimated to have married Manuel in the 1240s and to have died during the 1250s or early 1260s. Manuel is next reported married to Irene Syrikaina.[8]
| Royal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Anna Xylaloe |
Empress consort of Trebizond c. 1240s – 1250s |
Succeeded by Irene Syrikaina |