Anna Orbeliani, Queen Consort of Imereti

Ana Orbeliani (; 17 July 1765 – 4 June 1832) was a Queen Consort of the western Georgian kingdom of Imereti as the wife of King David II (r. 1784–1789, 1790–1791). After David's deposition and death in exile in 1795, Ana tried to secure succession for her son Constantine during the reign of Solomon II, who had supplanted her husband. In her efforts, Ana relied on the Russian Empire, which eventually annexed Imereti in 1810. Ana spent the rest of her life in Russia, where she was known as tsaritsa Anna Matveyevna Imeretinskaya. Early life and marriage Ana was born into the Orbeliani, one of the leading princely houses (tavadi) of the Kingdom of Kartli and Kakheti (eastern Georgia). Her father was Prince Mamuka Orbeliani, a sisterly nephew of Heraclius II, king of Kartli and Kakheti. Her mother came of the house of Kvenipneveli, hereditary Dukes of the Ksani. After her father's death in 1770 Ana and her brothers were reared at the court of Heraclius in Tbilisi. Around 1781, Ana was married off to the Imeretian prince David, who had found shelter in Tbilisi after being part of a plot against his cousin, Solomon I of Imereti. Later, David returned to Imereti, bringing his wife with him. He seized the throne of Imereti in a power struggle in 1784, but was eventually toppled down by Solomon II, Heraclius II's grandson. David went in exile, giving Solomon his wife Ana and his heir Constantine as hostages. Misfortunes Following David's last futile attempt at coming back and his death in exile in 1795, Constantine was incarcerated by Solomon, while Ana was subjected to continuous harassment. She was still able to rebury her husband's remains from Akhaltsikhe to a familial burial ground at the Jruchi cathedral. Ana applied for protection to Heraclius, who granted her a hereditary estate in the Khepiniskhevi valley, at the border with Imereti, in 1798. After the death of Heraclius in 1798, Ana's vicissitudes continued. Prince Gogia Abashidze encroached on her lands, while Solomon II pressured her to move to Kutaisi. To this end, he sent troops to Ana's estate in March 1802. The queen's men resisted, giving her a means to escape, through forests, to Surami, where she was rescued by the Russian troops under Captain Bartyenyev. She repaired to St.