The almost royal power and splendour of the
Orbelians at this time is on record:
"They held the office of Sbasalar
or Generalissimo of all Georgia. All the officers of the King's Palace
were under their authority. Besides that they had 12 standards of their
own, and under each standard 1000 warriors mustered. As the custom was for
the King's flag to be white and the pennon over it red, it was ruled that
the Orpelian flag should be red and the pennon white.... At banquets they
alone had the right to couches whilst other princes had cushions only.
Their food was served on silver; and to them it belonged to crown the
kings."[9] Orpel Ivane, i.e. John Orbelian, Grand Sbasalar, was for
years the pride of Georgia and the hammer of the Turks. In 1123-1124 he
wrested from them Tiflis and the whole country up to the Araxes, including
Ani, as we have said. His King David, the Restorer, bestowed on him
large additional domains from the new conquests; and the like brilliant
service and career of conquest was continued under David's sons and
successors, Demetrius and George; his later achievements, however, and
some of the most brilliant, occurring after the date of the Bishop of
Gabala's visit to Rome. But still we hear of no actual conflict with the
chief princes of the Seljukian house, and of no event in his history so
important as to account for his being made to play the part of Presbyter
Johannes in the story of the Bishop of Gabala. Professor Bruun's most
forcible observation in reference to this rather serious difficulty is
that the historians have transmitted to us extremely little detail
concerning the reign of Demetrius II., and do not even agree as to its
duration. Carebat vate sacro: "It was," says Brosset, "long and glorious,
but it lacked a commemorator." If new facts can be alleged, the identity
may still be proved. But meantime the conquests of the Gur-Khan and his
defeat of Sanjar, just at a time which suits the story, are indubitable,
and this great advantage Oppert's thesis retains. As regards the claim to
the title of Presbyter nothing worth mentioning is alleged on either
side.
When the Mongol Conquests threw Asia open to Frank travellers in the
middle of the 13th century, their minds were full of Prester John; they
sought in vain for an adequate representative, but it was not in the
nature of things but they should find some representative. In fact they
found several. Apparently no real tradition existed among the Eastern
Christians of any such personage, but the persistent demand produced a
supply, and the honour of identification with Prester John, after hovering
over one head and another, settled finally upon that of the King of the
Keraits, whom we find to play the part in our text.
Thus in Plano Carpini's single mention of Prester John as the King of the
Christians of India the Greater, who defeats the Tartars by an elaborate
stratagem, Oppert recognizes Sultan Jalaluddin of Khwarizm and his
temporary success over the Mongols in Afghanistan.
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