Princess Mariam of Georgia facts for kids
Mariam (Georgian: მარიამი) was a Georgian princess, born in 1755. She was the daughter of King Heraclius II, who was one of the last kings of the Kingdom of Kartli and Kakheti. Like her sisters, Ketevan and Tekle, Mariam was a talented poet. Her poems showed an early style of Romanticism, a movement focused on strong emotions and nature.
Mariam's Family Life
Mariam was the twelfth child of King Heraclius II. She was the second daughter from his third marriage to Queen Darejan Dadiani. In 1777, Mariam married Prince David Tsitsishvili. He was born in 1749 and passed away in 1792. Prince David came from a very old family and was the governor of Tbilisi, the capital city.
Mariam and Prince David had seven children:
- Prince Alexander Tsitsishvili (who died before 1801)
- Prince Evstati Tsitsishvili (1778–1828), who worked for the government. He was also a close friend of his uncle, Catholicos Anton II of Georgia. Prince Evstati was married and had children.
- Prince Nikoloz Tsitsishvili (born 1779), who married Princess Ekaterine Tusishvili and had children.
- Prince Ioane Tsitsishvili (1784–around 1835), who married Princess Elisabed Pavlenishvili and had children.
- Prince Dimitri Tsitsishvili (born 1790), who married Princess Avalishvili but had no children.
- Princess Anastasia Tsitsishvili (born 1782)
- Princess Natalia Tsitsishvili (born 1786)
Life After the Kingdom Changed
In 1801, the Georgian kingdom became part of the Russian Empire. After this big change, Princess Mariam, who was a widow by then, lived a quiet life. She was one of the few members of the Georgian royal family who was not sent away to Russia. Instead, she moved to her country home in Kareli. This estate was part of the property she received when she married.
In 1803, Russian officials thought about giving her a village called Didi Shulaveri to own forever. However, this plan did not work out. Instead, Mariam's son, Evstati Tsitsishvili, was given money for life from the income of that village. Princess Mariam passed away in Kareli in 1828 after being ill for a long time. She was buried in the Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi.
Mariam's Poetic Talent
Princess Mariam was known for her writing talent, just like other members of her family. Her sisters, Ketevan and Tekle, were also writers. Her friend, Princess Barbare Kobulashvili, remembered that people admired Mariam for her poetry and her love for music.
Her poems, like her most famous one, "Alas, that the sweetness of time should turn bitter," were written in an early Romantic style. These poems were often inspired by the sadness of losing her home kingdom and her family.
