May 14 is a national Georgian holiday. Memorial Day of the Holy Blessed Queen Tamara — Tamaroba. Typically, the main events dedicated to this holiday take place in Tbilisi — in the church bearing her name, in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Mother of God and in Akhaltsikhe (Southern Georgia). Also, solemn prayer services are held on this day in almost all Orthodox churches in the country.
It has been celebrated as a national holiday since 1917 after the restoration of autocephaly in the Church of Georgia.
Reliable historical information is accompanied by legendary tales from the very day Queen Tamara ascended the throne. Tamara Bagrationi, who lived at the turn of the 12—13th centuries, was the first woman in the history of Georgia to ascend the throne in 1184 (after the death of Father George III) and become the sole ruler.
The queen immediately convened a council to eliminate troubles in church life and establish administrative order. Unworthy bishops were removed from the pulpit, rulers who abused their power were removed, churches were relieved of their duties, the fate of peasants was eased, and inner peace was established.
At Darbazi — Royal Council —, the issue of choosing a husband for Queen Tamara was resolved. According to the chronicler, at one of the meetings the contender for Tamara’s hand was named —, the son of Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky — Yuri.
In 1185, Yuri, nicknamed Georgiy Rusi by the Georgians, was brought to Georgia and married to Queen Tamara. Tamara herself believed that Yuri’s personality should have been well studied before, but she still had to give in to Darbazi’s decision. In 1187, the queen divorced, and George Rusi was expelled from Georgia.
A year later, Tamara remarried to David Soslan from the Bagrationi family, raised at the Georgian court by the aunt of Queen Tamara — Rusudan.
Meanwhile, Georgy Rusi, not accepting his fate, twice tried to return to Georgia. Some of the major feudal lords supported Yuri and in 1191 rebelled against Tamara. At such an extremely difficult moment, the queen managed to rally her supporters around her and with their help defeated the rebels. Yuri's like-minded people were removed from high positions and deprived of their estates. In 1193, George Rusi once again tried to return to Georgia, but, finding no support, he was finally defeated.
Having settled the internal political situation, the queen took up external affairs. In 1195, the Georgians defeated the ruler of Azerbaijan, Atabag Abu-Bekr, annexed the significant Armenian cities of — Dvin and Ani to their kingdom, and defeated the Sultan of Rum. In 1204, the Georgian army captured the important strategic fortress city of Kars.
Georgia strengthened its position. The weakening of the Byzantine Empire opened the way for Georgia to the southeastern shores of the Black Sea. The Georgian army occupied the seaside towns, forming the Trapizon Empire, which found itself in the sphere of influence of Georgia.
In 1206, David Soslan died. In the same year, Queen Tamara installed her son George-Lasha on the throne as co-ruler. In 1210, a successful campaign was made to Iran.
In 1213, Queen Tamara died. The Georgian Church canonized Tamara and established the day of her remembrance. The country's first monument to the great queen Tamara Bagrationi was unveiled in Akhaltsikhe (Southern Georgia).
According to the Tamara-era chronicler, she is buried in Gelati. There is also an opinion that her ashes were subsequently transported to the Jerusalem Cross Monastery.