The Principality of
Mingrelia
Mingrelia ( ka, სამეგრელო, tr; xmf, სამარგალო, samargalo; ab, Агырны, Agirni) is a historic province in the western part of Georgia (country), Georgia, formerly known as Odishi. It is primarily inhabited ...
( ka, სამეგრელოს სამთავრო, tr), also known as
Odishi and as Samegrelo, was a historical state in
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
ruled by the
Dadiani dynasty.
History
The principality emerged out of a non-aggression pact and an ensuing treaty signed by Konstantine II of Kartli, Alexandre of Kakhetia, and Qvarqvare II, ''
atabag'' of Samtshke, which divided Georgia into three kingdoms and a number of principalities. Mingrelia was established as an independent Principality in 1557 with
Levan I Dadiani serving as a hereditary ''
mtavari'' (Prince). It remained independent until it became a subject to
Imperial Russia
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. The ...
in 1803. This came after it signed a patronage treaty with the Russian Empire,
which was concluded in return for Russian protection against the harassment of Mingrelia's more powerful neighbors, Imeretia and Abkhazia.
The principality ultimately came to an end when Prince
Niko Dadiani
Nikoloz "Niko" Dadiani ( ka, ნიკოლოზ "ნიკო" დადიანი), or Nikolay Davidovich Dadian-Mingrelsky (russian: Николай Давидович Дадиан-Мингрельский; 4 January 1847 – 23 January 190 ...
was deposed, and the principality abolished, by Russia in 1867. Prince Niko officially renounced his rights to the throne in 1868 and the state became a Russian district until 1917.
See also
*
Samegrelo
*
Odishi
*
Salipartiano
*
Bediani
*
List of Princes of Mingrelia
References
Former countries in Europe
Former principalities of Georgia (country)
Russian Empire
States and territories established in 1557
1557 establishments in Asia
Tributary states of the Ottoman Empire
{{Georgia-hist-stub