St. Tamar the Great of Georgia

Tamar was the first woman to rule Georgia in her own right, crowned king rather than queen. Under her the kingdom reached its height, from the Black Sea to the Caspian. She built churches and monasteries, founded schools, and supported the poet Rustaveli. She was known for her prayer and mercy, often going barefoot to the cave monastery of Vardzia. Her burial place is unknown, as she wished.

• Feast: May 1 (New Calendar)
• Lived: c. 1160–1213
• Place: Tbilisi