Ioane Shavteli

A reference to Shavteli and his work is made in a postscript of Shota Rustaveli’s The Knight in the Panther's Skin (ვეფხისტყაოსანი), which is the source of the poem's incongruous title.

Shavteli's ode is, in fact, a eulogy to the two greatest monarchs of medieval Georgia, David "the Builder" (r. 1089-1125) and the poet's contemporary Queen Tamar (r. 1184-1213).

Shavteli's style includes a strong patristic discourse and his language is to a considerable extent artificial and archaically bookish.

Possibly a cleric, he is reported by the medieval chronicles to have been a famous poet and philosopher and to have accompanied Tamar in several of her travels and military campaigns.

David can be recognized by allusions to his biblical namesake (from whom the Georgian dynasty of Bagrationi claimed descent) as well as by interweaving words and phrases from the king's own religious lyrics, the Hymns of Penitence (გალობანი სინანულისანი).