Tsikhistavi was a military-administrative official, the governor of castle

Castle

A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...

s (military administrative building) or small fortified city

City

A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...

 and it’s suburbs in feudal Georgia

History of Georgia (country)

The nation of Georgia was first unified as a kingdom under the Bagrationi dynasty in the 9th to 10th century, arising from a number of predecessor states of ancient Colchis and Iberia...

Tsikhistavi in Mtskheta-Mtianeti

Mtskheta-Mtianeti

Mtskheta-Mtianeti is a region in eastern Georgia comprising the town of Mtskheta, which serves as a regional capital, together with its district and the adjoining mountainous areas.- External links :...

 were governing since 6th century, On the abutment of 6th and 7th centuries there were two Tsikhistavs of Ateni

Ateni (Georgia)

Ateni was a medieval city in Georgia, in the valley of the Tana river, on both banks of the river. Ateni was built in the 11th century by the Georgian king Bagrat IV. The city was secured with three fortresses located near Ateni: Ateni fortress, Vere fortress and Dektsikhe...

 and Mukhrani

Mukhrani

Mukhrani is a historical lowland district in eastern Georgia, currently within the borders of Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, north of the town of Mtskheta...

 in Tbilisi

Tbilisi

Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...

. At the same time there were two Tsikhistavis in the village of Khada (Mtiuleti

Mtiuleti

Mtiuleti is a historical province in eastern Georgia, on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. It primarily comprises the White Aragvi Valley, and is bordered by Gudamakari on the east, Khando on the south, Tskhrazma on the west, and Khevi on the north. Mtiuleti occupies parts of...

).

In the document: "List of donations of King Bagrat III of Imereti

Bagrat III of Imereti

Bagrat III , of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a king of Imereti from April 1, 1510, to 1565. He succeeded upon the death of his father, Alexander II, and faced repeated assaults from the Ottoman Turks as well as the conflicts with his ostensible vassal princes of Mingrelia, Guria, and Abkhazia who...

 to the Gelati Monastery

Gelati Monastery

The Monastery of Gelati is a monastic complex near Kutaisi, Imereti, western Georgia. It contains the Church of the Virgin founded by the King of Georgia David the Builder in 1106, and the 13th-century churches of St George and St Nicholas....

" (dated by 1545) Tsikhistavt-tsikhistavni 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:...

 and Tsikhistavis of Likht-ameri and Likht-imeri are mentioned.

Tsikhistavis ruled cities and their garrison . For the small towns Thsikhistavi had the same function as Amirta-amira  in the bigger ones.

Tsikhistavi’s and his family rights were determined by Giorgi Brtskinvales

George V of Georgia

George V, the "Brilliant" was King of Georgia from 1299 to 1302 and again from 1314 until his death. A flexible and far-sighted politician, he recovered Georgia from a century-long Mongol domination, restoring the country’s previous strength and Christian culture.-Reign:George was born to King...

 codex (14th century). For killing a Tsikhistavi the convicted was penalized by 3500 tetri (tetri was Georgian currency of that period), expatriation for three years and confiscation of manor.

Tsikhistavi’s income sometimes was collected in the form of a special tax (Satsikhistavo

Satsikhistavo

The term Satsikhistavo was used in feudal Georgia to designate military-administrative unit which was ruled by Tsikhistavi . Later the feudal families were granted the right to inherit Satsikhhistavos, which made them parts of Satavado.Satsikhistavo sometimes required a special tax, established...

). Tsikhistavis subordinated to the Eristavt-eristavi, Eristavi

Eristavi

Eristavi was a Georgian feudal office, roughly equivalent to the Byzantine strategos and normally translated into English as "duke". In the Georgian aristocratic hierarchy, it was the title of the third rank of prince and governor of a large province...

 and Mouravi

Mouravi

Mouravi was an administrative and military officer in early modern Georgia, normally translated into English as seneschal, bailiff, or sometimes as constable. Mouravi was an appointed royal official who had a jurisdiction over particular town or district. In towns, mouravi was assisted by a police...

of a city.

In 17th and 18th centuries Tsikhistavs sometimes are named as a Minibashi .