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451 ST. KETEVAN 451 with St. Fullan, brother of SS. Fursey and Ultan, mentioned in the history of Gertrude of Nitelle. Both FiUan and Fallan are spelt in several ways, and their dates and localities are obscure. Fillan, the son of Kentigema, is said to have studied in a dark cell where he wrote with his right hand by the light of his left. Colgan, Acts of St. Foelan, Jan. 9. Forb^ Butler. Adam King, Ane Catechtfm. Smith and Wace, " Fillan." St. Kfere, probably Cera. St. Kerstin or Kestni, Christina. St Ketevan, Sept. 13 (Kethevan, Ketheon ; in Persia, Mariana), M. Of the illustrious race of Bagratis Mnkhran, she was married to David, son of Alex- ander n., king of Cachetia. David re- belled against his father and usurped his throne. Alexander solemnly cursed bis son, who soon afterwards died miser- ably. Eetevan was detained in the house of her father-in-law King Alexander, aud her son Theimuraz, still a child, was sent as hostage to Abbas II., king of Persia, to whom Cachetia and Earthlia, otherwise Eastalenia, were at that time tributary. In 1 605 Constantino, another son of Alexander, assassinated his father and his second brother George at a banquet. Eetevan went to her father's house, where she remained until the Cachetians, hating the tyranny of Con- stantino, invited her to return. A battle was fought near the river Alazan ; her imrty was victorious and Constantino was killed. She was proclaimod Queen of Cachetia, and the same year her son Thoimuraz was restored to her. With the consent of Shah Abbas of Persia, she placed him on the throne of Cachetia, and soon afterwards married him to Anna, the daughter of Mamia, king of Gouri. Anna died in 1600. He then married Ehorasana, the beautiful sister of Luarzab, king of Earthlia. Their father George IX. had been poisoned by order of Abbas, in 1605, and as it did not suit his views to have Christian kings ruling in his two tributary kingdoms, he declared war against Luarzab, and Thei- muraz had to send his sons Leo and Alexander, and his mother Eetevan as hostages to the tyrant who detained her for ten years at Shiraz. During her captivity Abbas devastated Earthlia and Cachetia with fire and sword, the first victims being 6000 monks who were murdered at Garedji, on Easter Day. When the two kings fled to Imerotia to beg help from Eing George II., Abbas determined to gain by fraud what he had hitherto failed to obtain by force. He sent flattering messages to Eing Luarzab, who, deceived by them, came to the court of his enemy. There he had a bitter foe among the courtiers, in the person of his brother-in-law Murav, whom he had condemned to death for repudiating his wife, Luarzab's sister. Encouraged by this man, Abbas had him strangled in 1 61 5,and not long afterwards the two sons of Theimuraz were put to death, whereupon their father determined to make another effort to deliver himself and his people, and raising an army, opposed the Persians with some success. In revenge. Abbas gave orders to the governor of the fortress that Eetevan should be put to death by torture that very day, unless she abjured the Christian faith and become a Mohammedan. Her treatment had varied very much during her ten years' captivity — treated now as a sister sovereign and honoured guest, now as a prisoner of a hated and despisod religion. To induce her to renounce Christianity and become a Mussulman, flattery and fair promises had been freely used: prospects of a brilliant second marriage had been held out to her. Al- ternating with these were threats of vio- lence, with dark hints of the evil that might come upon her family and country in case of her persistence in her faith. She was not allowed free intercourse with her grandsons, who were her fellow- prisoners and hostages. She had long felt that her death might come any day, and carried about with her the consecrated bread that she might not die without receiving the Body of the Lord. Notwithstanding the fierce disputes then raging between the Greek and Eoman Churches, some Latin Missionary Friars of the Order of St. Augustine, when they heard the sentence, went to the governor with a strong remonstrance, and besides all other arguments, offered