Princess Tekle of Georgia facts for kids
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Princess Tekle (born 1776, died 1846) was a Georgian princess and a poet. She was the daughter of King Heraclius II, who was one of the last kings of Kartli and Kakheti in Georgia. Tekle was married to Prince Vakhtang Orbeliani. She was also the mother of two famous Georgian writers, Alexander and Vakhtang Orbeliani.
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Early Life and Character
Tekle was born in 1776. Her parents were King Heraclius II and his third wife, Darejan Dadiani. Tekle was one of her father's favorite daughters. King Heraclius even called her a "tomboy" because she had a very strong personality.
Life Under Russian Rule
In 1801, the Russian Empire took control of Georgia. Many members of the Georgian royal family were sent away from their home country. Luckily, Princess Tekle was not deported. She was even given an important award, the Russian Order of St. Catherine.
Life became complicated for Georgian noble families like Tekle's. Her husband, Prince Orbeliani, was a soldier. He was killed in 1812 while fighting for Russia against Georgian rebels in Kakheti.
A Poet's Voice
Princess Tekle was a talented poet. Like her sisters, Mariam and Ketevan, she wrote poems. Her poems often expressed sadness and sorrow for Georgia's lost independence. One of her poems that still exists today is called "In Response to Princess Ketevan." It shows her reaction to her sister's feelings of despair.
A Plan for Freedom
In 1832, Tekle's home in Tiflis became a secret meeting place. Georgian nobles and thinkers who were unhappy with Russian rule gathered there. They planned to bring back an independent Georgian monarchy. However, their plan was discovered. The police arrested the people involved in the plot.
Because of this, Princess Tekle was sent away from Georgia. She lived in Kaluga, Russia, from October 1834 to May 1835. After that, she was allowed to return to Tiflis. She passed away in 1846. Tekle was buried in the Cathedral of the Living Pillar in Mtskheta.
Family Life
Princess Tekle married Prince Vakhtang Orbeliani on September 7, 1800. He was a local governor (called a mouravi) in Sagarejo and a colonel in the Russian army. They had four sons:
- Alexander (born 1801, died 1869)
- Nikoloz (born 1803)
- Dimitri (born 1806, died 1882)
- Vakhtang (born 1812, died 1890)
