Chikovani
Encyclopedia
| Coat of Arms of Chikovani-Dadiani of Mingrelia |
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| Nikolas, the last ruling prince from the Chikovani branch of the House of Dadiani Dadiani Dadiani was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Samegrelo.- The House of Dadiani :... |
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| Capitals | Zurgdid Zugdidi Zugdidi is a city in the Western Georgian historical province of Samegrelo . It is situated in the north-west of that province. The city is located 318 kilometres west of Tbilisi, 30 km. from Black sea coast and 30 km. from Egrisi range. 100-110 metres above sea level. As of 2007, it had a... , Mingrelia Samegrelo Samegrelo/Samargalo or Megrelia, Mingrelia is a historic province in the western part of Georgia, formerly also known as Odishi.It is inhabited by the Megrelians, an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians.-Geography and Climate:... |
| Preceding states | The Kingdom of Colchis Colchis In ancient geography, Colchis or Kolkhis was an ancient Georgian state kingdom and region in Western Georgia, which played an important role in the ethnic and cultural formation of the Georgian nation.The Kingdom of Colchis contributed significantly to the development of medieval Georgian... , Kingdom of Georgia Kingdom of Georgia The Kingdom of Georgia was a medieval monarchy established in AD 978 by Bagrat III.It flourished during the 11th and 12th centuries, the so-called "golden age" of the history of Georgia. It fell to the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, but managed to re-assert sovereignty by 1327... |
| Succeeding state | Russian Empire Russian Empire The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union... |
The House of Chikovani (also spelled Chicovani or Chiqovani) is an important noble house of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
in Southeastern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Dukes of Chikovani ruled a historic province, Lečxumi in northwestern Georgia. By the 18th century, General Katzo Chikovani became a Prince of Mingrelia
Samegrelo
Samegrelo/Samargalo or Megrelia, Mingrelia is a historic province in the western part of Georgia, formerly also known as Odishi.It is inhabited by the Megrelians, an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians.-Geography and Climate:...
, a western Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
principality and assumed the dynastic name of Dadiani
Dadiani
Dadiani was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Samegrelo.- The House of Dadiani :...
.
History
The House of Chikovani first came to prominence after General Prince Katzo Chikovani (d. 1682) was promoted to the post of the Chief Minister at the court of Levan III of Mingrelia. As he strengthened his position among the nobles of western Georgia, General Chikovani eliminated members of many prominent houses, including those of the ruling DadianiDadiani
Dadiani was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Samegrelo.- The House of Dadiani :...
House. When Levan III died in 1692 without leaving a male heir, General Chikovani took over the leadership of the Principality of Mingrelia
Principality of Mingrelia
The Principality of Mingrelia was a historical state in Georgia ruled by the Dadiani dynasty. Established as an independent Principality in 1557 by Levan I Dadiani as a hereditary mtavari , it remained independent until it became subject to Imperial Russia in 1803...
. General Chikovani's increased power facilitated the ascent of his son George to the Mingrelian Throne. George became a ruler of the principality and after adopting the title of Dadiani
Dadiani
Dadiani was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Samegrelo.- The House of Dadiani :...
became known as George IV Dadiani of Mingrelia.
Beginning with George IV till Nikolas Dadiani, Prince of Mingrelia, all members of the ruling Dadiani
Dadiani
Dadiani was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Samegrelo.- The House of Dadiani :...
family were by blood members of the House of Chikovani. The lineage lasted until the principality was abolished in late 1800s by the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
which took advantage of internal instability, Ottoman Invasions during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, and a subsequent request for help from Ekaterine Dadiani, the Last Princess of Mingrelia.The Chikovani branch that remained without the ruling title of Dadiani
Dadiani
Dadiani was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Samegrelo.- The House of Dadiani :...
traces its origins to General Chikovani's second son Jesse who did not assume the dynastic title.