Saint Demetrius II King of Georgia was the great-grandson of the holy Queen Tamar. God sent Saint Demetrius II a lot of sorrows in his childhood, thus encouraging him in faith from an early age. Demeter was still a baby when the Mongols killed his mother, the pious queen Gwantsu. His father, King David V (1258-1269), died when Demetrius II was only ten years old.
When he reached the age of twelve, the royal court sent him to the Mongolian horde (the military camp and the headquarters of the Mongols, this camp of the Ilkhanid Mongols lay in the Azerbaijani city of Mugan), the ruler of Abak Khan (1265-1242) (ruler of the Ilkhanid Mongols (descendants of his brother Kulilai-khan Hoolegu).
Since the Georgians were under the rule of the Mongols, they asked Abak Khan to proclaim the king of Demeter, and their request was fulfilled.
Filled with virtue, King Demeter ruled the nation with wisdom and kindness. At night he went out in search of the poor, sick and orphaned, to distribute his wealth to them. The King used comparatively peaceful periods for the construction and restoration of churches and monasteries and the strengthening of fortifications.
However, many of King Demetrius II lofty goals were never realized, because the khan constantly urged Georgian soldiers to arms. A huge number of the best Georgian soldiers fought and died in the battles of the khan. Soon Georgia was exhausted from the battle and sacrificed the blood of its sons in the wars of foreign nations.
Internal riots began to tear up the Georgian people, and in desperation they began to plunder the lands and villages belonging to their own Church.
In this difficult time, Demetrius II succumbed to the temptation. Although he had already married for political reasons, he kidnapped Natela, daughter of the ruler of southern Georgia, Beka Jakeli. She gave birth to Demetrius`s II son, who was named Giorgi. Later, he would have been awarded the title of Giorgi V "Brilliant" (1314-1346).
After the death of Abak Khan, his brother Ahmad Tehjuder (1282-1284) was proclaimed khan. In the second year of his reign, Ahmad's brother, Kungurdam, plotted to overthrow him, but failed. After a while, the son of Abak Khan, Argun (1284-1291), rose against his uncle and captured the throne. Finally, Buga Chingsang, Prime Minister Khan, organized a conspiracy against Argun. January 17, 1289 Buga Chingsang was executed together with his fellow conspirators.
Demetrius II, who was friends with the khan, was summoned to the Khan's horde as a conspiracy suspect.
The reason for this appeal is King Demetre: "Khan is very angry and called me to him," he told his court. "I'm sure he intends to do evil to me, but my kingdom will be defenseless before him if I do not go. How many Christians will die or become his slaves? How many churches will be wasted? Truly, my life can not be so valuable that I could live and bear this sin, while many Christian souls survived. I want to go to the khan. God's will will be fulfilled: if they kill me, I will be sure that my country is saved! "
The Royal Court tried its best to convince Demetrius II that it was foolish to go, meet with a certain death and leave the country without a ruler. Catholicos Abraham alone supported King Demetrius II and the king was very happy and began to prepare for the journey to the Mongolian horde. He took with him the Catholicos of Abraham, a certain priest Moses, the son of David and several members of his court. In the horde the Mongols could not find fault with the young Georgian king, but nevertheless he was imprisoned. Then a group of Georgian believers broke into the prison to see it, and offered to help him escape. The king was deeply touched by their compassion, but, nevertheless, he told them: "I knew from the very beginning that I would suffer, and I offered my life for this people. If I leave now, the people will be destroyed. For what is the use of man if he gains the whole world and loses his life? (Mark 8:36). "
Khan ordered him to be executed. Fully prepared for death, King Demetrius II prayed fervently, received the Holy Gifts and gave his soul to the Lord. Those present witnessed a divine miracle: the sun was darkening, and the whole city was enveloped in an ominous darkness.
The holy relics of the royal martyr Demetrius II were guarded until the Catholicos and priest Mos secretly found the body and, with the help of a group of Tbilisi fishermen, returned the king to his house
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