Shota Rustaveli

Shota Rustaveli was a Georgian poet in the 12th century, considered by many to be one of the greatest representatives of the literature of the medieval world. He is author of the literary work The Knight in the Panther's Skin ("Vepkhistkaosani" in Georgian), the Georgian national epic poem.

Rustaveli was a Georgian Prince, the treasurer ("Mechurchletukhutsesi") of Queen of Georgia Tamar and also painted frescoes in the Georgian monastery of the St. Cross in Jerusalem. One of the pillars of this monastery bears a portrait which is believed to be the portrait of the poet. Few facts are known about Rustaveli's life; in particular dates of his birth and death are unknown.

The meaning of the surname Rustaveli is landlord of Rustavi or a man from Rustavi. Rustavi was a city in Meskheti, South Georgia.

"The Knight in the Panther's Skin" has been translated into many languages. It was first printed in 1712, in Tbilisi (capital of Georgia).

Among the illustrated secular works produced in Georgia, the manuscripts of "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" occupy an important place.

Republic of Georgia in the fields of Art and Literature is the Shota Rustaveli State Prize. The main road in Tbilisi is the Rustaveli Road. Also existing in Tbilisi are the Shota Rustaveli State Academic Theatre, the Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, the Zviad Gamsakhurdia. "Tropology of "The Knight in the Panther's skin"" (a monograph), Tbilisi, 1991, 352 pp (in Georgian, English summary)