The Order of Queen Tamara- Historically the first Georgian military award

[922F]

Welcome Georgia on my Mind!  And Pat66 as well!

Have you seen threads, The World's Most BIZARRE Award-- A New Chapter!, GEORGIAN ORDER OF QUEEN TAMARA BREAST STAR 3RD CLASS, My First Tamara, Tamara Resurgent, and many others?  If not, just enter Tamara into GMIC's search engine.  Rick Research sent me a photocopy of a Tamara document issued in Paris by an exile committee hand written on a half-sheet of paper.  If you cannot find that image here in an existing thread, I could share a copy of the copy. 

Bryansk1959 beat me to the punch!  Pat66's image illustrates one of the complete fake Tamaras that first appeared within the past few years.  To my knowledge, these first showed up on German eBay and exist in two major varieties [depending on type of star rays and pins].  Cigarette cases bearing this type center have been making the rounds too.

Seems there are 2 more or less well known claimants to the Georgia throne, each with 3 Orders at their disposal.   Tamaras presented by Prince Davit, made by Cejalvo of Madrid, resemble Bryansk1959's images.  Prince Nugzar does not seem to presently use an Order of Tamara.  GMIC archives contain material on Prince Davit's awards, I don't know there’s information on  Prince Nugzar's here but you can Goggle each by name and get full details..  

Edited April 23, 2020 by 922F
spelchek

[bryansk1959]

H.R.H. Crown Prince Davit of Georgia

Dear 922F may I ask you to show photocopy of a Tamara document issued in Paris. Many thanks. Alexander.

[GEORGIA on my mind]

1 hour ago, bryansk1959 said:

I do not agree with you my friend.It's a fake copy. Georgian Royal Family in exile used other orders.

 

 

It's true that the Georgian Royal House use the Tamara Award version with the royal crown but as far as I have information and I know, initially Georgian Royal House used Tamara Award without royal crown and it was like this version, which was shown by user: Pat66:

2 hours ago, pat66 said:

 

 

Initially, in the 1950s, the head of the Georgian Royal Family, prince Irakli Bagration-Mukhraneli reorganized the order of St. Tamara exactly as this version, which was used by the Union of Georgian Traditionalists. The “royal crown” detail at the top of Tamara’s award was in the later Georgian Royal Family Tamara orders, that are still in use

46 minutes ago, 922F said:

Welcome Georgia on my Mind!  And Pat66 as well!

Have you seen threads, The World's Most BIZARRE Award-- A New Chapter!, GEORGIAN ORDER OF QUEEN TAMARA BREAST STAR 3RD CLASS, My First Tamara, Tamara Resurgent, and many others?  If not, just enter Tamara into GMIC's search engine.  Rick Research sent me a photocopy of a Tamara document issued in Paris by an exile committee hand written on a half-sheet of paper.  If you cannot find that image here in an existing thread, I could share a copy of the copy. 

 

 

Thank you  922F!  I am very glad to be a member of this incredible club! 

Can you send me a photocopy of a Tamara document which was issued in Paris by the exile Georgian committee? It will be very interesting! 

[922F]

Attached below find the document copy.  

As to Pat66‘s images, this type insignia did not appear on the market until 2014 at the earliest to my knowledge.  I have studied this Order since 1970 and never saw such pieces until they were offered on German eBay.  By 2016-7 they appeared on French and U.S. eBay.  Rick Research, the guru of this award here on GMIC and elsewhere [some material links below], tracked down the originator.  In one of his posts he exposes the chain of evidence.  Unfortunately I could not find his specific post on the point at this time.  Seem to recall that the pieces came out of Poland or Russia.

The Bagration-Mukhraneli Royal House of Georgia website http://www.royalhouseofgeorgia.ge/p/eng/451/order-queen-tamar-order-history reports the following the regarding the Order:   

This award was made official by the Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1918 and recognized as an order of merit. The Order was abolished by the Communists, but its national significance was such that H.R.H. Prince Irakly – at the petition of the Union of Traditionalist Georgians – restored it and proclaimed himself Grand Master, with the consent of his father H.R.H. Giorgi XIII who was Head of the Royal House in 1942.

Comment—Does this suggest a 1942 date for reactivating the Order?  Rick Research spent years trying to verify this information in general and the date in particuliar.  Efforts included discussions with various experts including Dr. Klietmann, contacting the Royal House and Georgian monarchist groups.   Nowhere did he find evidence of this claim.

 
It was then awarded to Georgians of the Diaspora and some members of the European royalty, among whom stand out the Head of the Imperial House of Russia HIH Grand Duke Wladimiro Kirilovich and the Head of the House of Borbón-Sevilla, Duke Francisco de Borbón y de Borbón, who was already an effective collaborator at the time.

Comment---Rick Research attempted to verify HIH Grand Duke Wladimiro Kirilovich and Duke Francisco de Borbón y de Borbón as Order recipients, again without success.  Efforts included contacts with both families and close scrutiny of 100s of images of these men. Rick could not find any information regarding awards to Georgians of the Diaspora, including among his Georgian monarchist informants.  He did find much information regarding awards of the Order of the Sacred Tunic of Our Lord during the period in question. 

Upon the death of H.R.H. Prince Irakly [October 1977], his son H.R.H. Giorgi XIII did not want to make any more concessions from this Order for reasons of discretion, and it remained inactive.  

Given these historical precedents, recently H.R.H. Davit Bagrationi has resolved to reincorporate her fully into the Equestrian Heritage of the Royal House of Georgia, awarding it a new Constitutional Letter and conceding some appointments.  

Comment---Philip Eagleton, CEO of the insignia manufacturing firm WORTH, came into contact with H.R.H. Davit Bagrationi regarding the Order in 2007-9.  A proposal to revive the Order occurred at that time.  Eagleton prepared preliminary insignia sketches and commissioned an in depth research effort.  In the end, WORTH lost the manufacturing agreement to Cejalvo.    See http://www.condecoracionescejalvo.es/noble-decorations.html  for images of their Tamara insignia, apparently based on Eagleton’s designs.

Ref:   
http://www.royalhouseofgeorgia.ge/p/eng/451/order-queen-tamar-order-history

http://www.omsa.org/files/jomsa_arch/Splits/1983/12099_JOMSA_Vol34_6_34.pdf

Addenda to "Georgian Order of Saint Tamara Award. Document" 

https://www.omsa.org/files/download.php?file=JOMSA_Vol28_10.pdf&stream=true&year=1977

Georgian Order of Saint Tamara Award. Document  

Dr. K.G. Klietmann  "Das ’Abzelchen’ und der ’Orden der Konigin Thamar’ in Georgien 1916 und 1918", Ordenskunde #23, 1964 

 

I would be remiss to omit mention of the Republic of Georgia’s state honor The Order of Queen Tamara (თამარ მეფის ორდენი).  A decree of the Parliament of Georgia № 1553 dated July 31, established the award.  The Order may be conferred ONLY on females for outstanding services to the people and the homeland.  The Order of Queen Tamara is awarded with a cash prize of 4,000 lari.
https://www.president.gov.ge/geo/saqartvelo/sakhelmcifo-jildoebi.aspx

I hope that this presentation proves useful.

If anyone has any information or images relating to alleged 1942-1977 Tamara Order usage or bestowals please share them.  I would welcome any evidence that the insignia type Pat66 illustrates dates before 2014.    That type has been seen with dark blue and light blue soft enamel color centers, two different sorts of star rays and two different type reverse pins.   
 

Edited April 24, 2020 by 922F
spelchek

[GEORGIA on my mind]

I want to share my opinion on the name of the award, why was it named the Order of Queen Tamara? Or why was the image of the Georgian queen Tamar Bagrationi (Tamar the Great of Georgia) in the center of the award?

Here are some points.

First of all, during the reign of Queen Tamar, Georgia was the most powerful empire in history. ( for more evidence, I attached a photo of Georgian kingdom during the reign of Queen Tamar of Georgia, from 1184 to 1213).
So, the image of Queen Tamara at the award symbolized Georgia in its independent and most powerful period.

Secondly, historically, the first diplomatic negotiations and relations between Georgians and Germans began at this time, when Frederick Barbarossa, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, wanted his son- Frederick V, Duke of Swabia to marry Princess Tamar and form a German-Georgian alliance.

Thus, the Queen Tamara image at the award also symbolized  historical German-Georgian relationship and German-Georgian military alliance.

 

Edited May 19, 2020 by GEORGIA on my mind

[GEORGIA on my mind]

Picture (drawing) of Friedrich Werner Schulenburg  with Queen Tamara order. The Flag of the Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921) on the background.

Edited June 14, 2020 by GEORGIA on my mind

[GEORGIA on my mind]

There is no doubt that in 1918, when Georgia declared its independence under the German protectorate, the flag of Georgia was too similar to the flag of Kaiser Germany.

For instance, for comparison look at these two flags.

 

 

 

The flag of the Democratic Republic of Georgia was also the flag of the "second" Republic of Georgia, when Georgia regained independence in 1991. 

 

(comparison of German and Georgian flags)

 

 

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

I would like to give my contribution to this interesting thread, posting a little group found some years ago, including the Order of Queen Tamara with its award document, the personal papers and a few correspondence from Georgia, of the man who received it, a German Gefreiter from the "Funkstation" in Tiflis (Tbilisi).

The star is still in its "uncleaned" condition, as it was found; the pin, is struck with a tiny "x".

All the best,

Enzo (E.L.)

Edited November 2, 2020 by Elmar Lang

[GEORGIA on my mind]

On 02/11/2020 at 22:27, Elmar Lang said:

Hello,

I would like to give my contribution to this interesting thread, posting a little group found some years ago, including the Order of Queen Tamara with its award document, the personal papers and a few correspondence from Georgia, of the man who received it, a German Gefreiter from the "Funkstation" in Tiflis (Tbilisi).

The star is still in its "uncleaned" condition, as it was found; the pin, is struck with a tiny "x".

All the best,

Enzo (E.L.)

 

Dear Enzo, very nice collection! I wish, one day I also had Tamara award document in my collection. 

 

[bryansk1959]

Excellent Order. Marking "Snowflake", applied to specimens made of non-ferrous alloy.

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

many thanks for the comments.

Since I'm more into the Imperial Austrian orders and decorations, I'd be glad to know which state/authority adopted the "cross" or "snowflake" mark, struck to the pin of my Tamara Order.

The star looks like being made of silver and the centre medallion still shows an excellent gilding.

All the best,

Enzo (E.L.)

[bryansk1959]

Dear Enzo. I still think that your order is made of an alloy of non-ferrous metals and is subsequently silver plated. All four oders from my collection are very similar, but only one has the technological stamp "silver". Your order is very similar to one of the orders given in the book of K. Nikolaev. Produced in Germany. The manufacturer is not known.