12th century Georgian poet and thinker Shota Rustaveli, author of the Georgian national epic poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin", is considered by different literary critics and scholars throughout the world as one of the most significant poets in the history of medieval literature. Literary academia abides with various interpretations and readings of "The Knight in the Panther's Skin", revealing the complex and unorthodox nature of Rustaveli's epic poem which often brings Greek thought to the reader's mind (for instance, the works of Homer, Plato and Aristotle). Some scholars argue that, to a certain extent, Rustaveli anticipates European Renaissance. Georgia, the homeland of Rustaveli, being located on the crossroads of Europe and Asia, has historically been "the melting pot" of Eastern and Western cultures. On one hand, "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" is replete with Eastern "ornaments", while on the other hand, the poem is famous for its Western thought. This year, Georgia will celebrate 850th birthday of Shota Rustaveli and in this respect UNESCO has announced 2016 as Shota Rustaveli year. The publishing of this book is an important part of the celebrations. The book will be designated for scientific academia and literary experts as well as the wider audience of readers. The aim of this book is to study the history of Rustvelologian thought development in the context of world literature, as the name of Rustaveli and the importance of his poem transcend the borders of the fields of Georgianology. At the same time, the study of Rustaveli and its impact on 19th and 20th Georgian literature, the investigation of which had been fragmentary up to date, is of no less importance. The topicality of the book lies in the fact that the poem of Shota Rustaveli and his ideals are eternal. Rustaveli's poem is important not only for scholars, but for everybody who shares Rustaveli's humanistic ideas and tries to bring up the new generation according to these principles. This is evidence that "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" will always be of contemporary relevance. As for scholarly research, Rustaveli has always attracted attention. The novelty of this book is found in the designation of stages in Rustvelology and representation of Rustvelologian thought in synchronic and diachronic aspects according to methodological principles, the purpose of which is to evaluate the preceding researches and setting perspectives for future studies concerning Rustaveli
