Nizharadze
Encyclopedia
The Nizharadze is a Georgian
family, formerly a noble one known from the late 13th century. They had a status of tavadi
(prince) in the western Georgian kingdom of Imereti
and were confirmed in the rank of knyaz
of the Russian Empire
, in 1850 and 1862, after the Russian annexation of Imereti.
, two of whom had moved to Imereti and Adjara
. In the kingdom of Imereti, they attained to a princely status and held the hereditary office of Great Pantiers of Imereti. By the mid-18th century, their fiefdom encompassed several villages west of the Imeretian capital of Kutaisi
. These were Maghlaki, Kveda Okoni, Zeda Okoni, Opshkviti, Sakulia, Chkvishi, Namashevi, Mitsatsiteli and part of Ternali. The Nizharadze played a prominent role in the regional politics under the last kings of Imereti. Prince Rostom Nizharadze was a son-in-law of King Solomon II of Imereti
and followed him into struggle for independence against the Russians in 1810 and ultimately in his Turkish
exile. He even petitioned to the Emperor of the French Napoleon I
, fruitlessly requesting aid for Solomon.
The Nizharadze were received among the princely nobility of Russia by the imperial decrees of 1850 and 1862. Many of these nobles served in the Imperial Russian military. Prince David Nizharadze (1853–1922) attained to a rank of general of the Russian army during World War I
.
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...
family, formerly a noble one known from the late 13th century. They had a status of tavadi
Tavadi
Tavadi , "prince", lit. "head/chief" [man], from tavi, "head", with the prefix of agent -di) was a feudal title in Georgia first applied in the Late Middle Ages usually translated in English as prince...
(prince) in the western Georgian kingdom of Imereti
Kingdom of Imereti
The Kingdom of Imereti was established in 1455 by a member of the house of Bagration when the Kingdom of Georgia was dissolved into rival kingdoms. Before that time, Imereti was considered a separate kingdom within the Kingdom of Georgia, to which a cadet branch of the Bagration royal family held...
and were confirmed in the rank of knyaz
Knyaz
Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....
of 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...
, in 1850 and 1862, after the Russian annexation of Imereti.
History
A family legend of the Nizharadze, written down in the genealogical work by Prince Ioann of Georgia early in the 19th century, traces the family’s origin to the Persian Nizhad who settled down in Imereti, his descendants being named Nizharadze, “the son of Nizhad”, after him. Popular memory has preserved another legend, according to which, the Nizharadze stem of the three brothers from the mountainous western Georgian province of SvanetiSvaneti
Svaneti is a historic province in Georgia, in the northwestern part of the country. It is inhabited by the Svans, a geographic subgroup of the Georgians.- Geography :...
, two of whom had moved to Imereti and Adjara
Adjara
Adjara , officially the Autonomous Republic of Adjara , is an autonomous republic of Georgia.Adjara is located in the southwestern corner of Georgia, bordered by Turkey to the south and the eastern end of the Black Sea...
. In the kingdom of Imereti, they attained to a princely status and held the hereditary office of Great Pantiers of Imereti. By the mid-18th century, their fiefdom encompassed several villages west of the Imeretian capital of Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
. These were Maghlaki, Kveda Okoni, Zeda Okoni, Opshkviti, Sakulia, Chkvishi, Namashevi, Mitsatsiteli and part of Ternali. The Nizharadze played a prominent role in the regional politics under the last kings of Imereti. Prince Rostom Nizharadze was a son-in-law of King Solomon II of Imereti
Solomon II of Imereti
Solomon II , of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was the last King of Imereti from 1789 to 1790 and from 1792 until his deposition by the Imperial Russian government in 1810....
and followed him into struggle for independence against the Russians in 1810 and ultimately in his Turkish
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
exile. He even petitioned to the Emperor of the French Napoleon I
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
, fruitlessly requesting aid for Solomon.
The Nizharadze were received among the princely nobility of Russia by the imperial decrees of 1850 and 1862. Many of these nobles served in the Imperial Russian military. Prince David Nizharadze (1853–1922) attained to a rank of general of the Russian army during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.