Dadiani
Dadiani ( Georgian დადიანი) is a Georgian ruling and princely family . It ruled the province of Mingrelia between 1557 and 1857 .
The Dadiani house
The first documents about the Dadiani family date back to 1046. The Dadiani family is believed to have descended from a Dadi who was made an hereditary nobility eristavi , Duke of Odishi (Mingrelia), for his military services . The family rose to become the most powerful ruling house in western Georgia around 1280. At that time the family also ruled in Svaneti and Guria .
In 1557 Levan I Dadiani was raised to prince ( Mtavari ) of Mingrelia and established himself as an independent ruler. His successor Levan III. Dadiani had to abdicate as ruler Chikovani (Georgian ჩიქოვანი) in 1691 , but the descendants continued to carry the family name Dadiani and the title of Prince of Mingrelia.
In 1802, Russia forced the Dadiani dynasty to accept the Russian annexation of Georgia and swear an oath on the Imperial Russian crown. For this she was raised to the Russian nobility and retained extensive independence in Mingrelia. On January 4, 1857, Russia deposed Niko Dadiani as ruler of Mingrelia and dissolved the principality. In 1868 , Prince Nico Dadiani officially renounced the throne.
Dukes and princes of Mingrelia
- Vardan I. Dadiani (approx. 1180–1190)
- Schergil Dadiani (approx. 1220-1240)
- Wardan II Dadiani (approx. 1240-1250)
- Zotne Dadiani ( ca.1260 )
- Bedan Dadiani (approx. 1270 – approx. 1290)
- Giorgi I. Dadiani (approx. 1293-1323)
- Mamia I. Dadiani (1323-1345)
- Giorgi II. Dadiani (1345-1384)
- Wameq I. Dadiani (1384-1396)
- Mamia II. Dadiani (1396-1414)
- Liparit I. Dadiani (1414-1470)
- Shamandavle Dadiani (1470-1473)
- Wameq II. Dadiani (1474-1482)
- Liparit II. Dadiani (1482-1512)
- Mamia III. Dadiani (1512-1533)
- Lewan I. Dadiani (1533-1546)
- Giorgi III. Dadiani (1546-1573, 1574-1582)
- Mamia IV. Dadiani (1574, 1582-1590)
- Manuchar I. Dadiani (1590-1611)
- Lewan II. Dadiani (1611-1657)
- Liparit III. Dadiani (1657-1658)
- Wameq III. Dadiani (1658-1661)
- Levan III. Dadiani (1661-1681)
- Levan IV. Dadiani (1681-1691)
- Giorgi IV. Dadiani (Lipartiani) (1700–1704, 1710–1714)
- Kazia I. Dadiani (1704-1710)
- Beschan I. Dadiani (1714-1728)
- Otia I. Dadiani (1728-1758)
- Kazia II. Dadiani (1758–1788)
- Grigol I. Dadiani (1788-1791, 1794-1802, 1802-1804)
- Manuchar II. Dadiani (1791-1793)
- Tariel Dadiani (1793-1794, 1802)
- Lewan V. Dadiani (1804-1840)
- David I. Dadiani (1840-1853)
- Niko Dadiani (1853-1857)
Chiefs of the House of Mingrelia
- Niko Dadiani (1857-1903)
- Niko II. Dadiani (1903-1919)
- Shalva Dadiani (1919-1959)
- Archil Dadiani (1959-1976)
- Niko III. Dadiani (1976-present)
More family members
- Constantine Dadiani , poet and general in the Russian Army
- Andria Dadiani (1850–1910), Georgian chess player and Prince of Mingrelia
- Ekaterine Dadiani (1816–1882), Princess of Mingrelia
- Salome Dadiani , wife of Prince Achille Napoleon Murat
- Schalva Dadiani , writer and playwright
- Robert Dadiani , former professional boxer, oldest living descendant of the Dadiani dynasty
- Dudu Dadiani (1969-2002), Georgian athlete
- Maka Dadiani , Georgian concert pianist and painter
See also
Others
The construction of the Great Abkhazian Wall is attributed to Prince Levan II. Dadiani, it is one of the largest fortifications in the Caucasus and has an extension of about 160 kilometers.
