Principality of Mingrelia

{{Infobox country

| conventional_long_name = Principality of Mingrelia

| native_name = სამეგრელოს სამთავრო

| common_name = Mingrelia

| status = Vassal

| empire = Russian Empire

| status_text = Vassal of the Russian Empire (1803–1867)

| year_start = 1557

| date_start =

| event_start =

| year_end = 1867

| date_end = January 4,

| event_end = Annexation by Imperial Russia

| title_leader = Prince (Mtavari)

| leader1 = Levan I Dadiani

| year_leader1 = 1533–1572 (first)

| leader2 = Niko I Dadiani

| year_leader2 = 1853–1867 (last)

| p1 = Kingdom of Imereti

| s1 = Russian Empire

| image_flag = Flag of The Principality of Mingrelia (Portolan 1560).svg

| flag_type = Flag (1560s according to Diogo Homem) and 18th century flag according to Vakhushti

| image_flag2 = Flag of the Principality of Mingrelia.svg

| image_coat = Coat of arms of the Principality of Mingrelia.svg

| symbol_type = 18th century coat of arms according to Vakhushti

| image_map = Kingdom_of_Georgia_after_dissolution_as_a_unified_state,_1490_AD.svg

| image_map_caption = Principality of Mingrelia after the dissolution of Georgia

| image_map2 = Samegrelo_15-18_cc_GSE_map.svg

| coordinates = {{coord|42|34|30|N|41|40|40|E|scale:100000_source:frwiki|display=inline,title}}

| government_type = Principality

| common_languages = Mingrelian, Georgian

| religion = Georgian Orthodox

| legislature =

| stat_year =

| capital = Zugdidi

}}

The Principality of Mingrelia ({{lang-ka|სამეგრელოს სამთავრო|tr}}), also known as Odishi and as Samegrelo, was a historical state in Georgia ruled by the Dadiani dynasty.

Category:States and territories disestablished in 1867

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.{{cite book|title=Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia |last=Rayfield |first=Donald |date=2013 |publisher=Reaktion Books |isbn=9781780230306 |location=London |pages=162}} 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 in 1803.{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Mingreli.html |encyclopedia=The Columbia Encyclopedia |edition=Sixth |title=Mingrelia}} This came after it signed a patronage treaty with the Russian Empire,{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups around the World, 2nd Edition: Ethnic and National Groups around the World |last=Minahan |first=James B. |date=2016 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9781610699532 |location=Santa Barbara, CA |pages=272}} which was concluded in return for Russian protection against the harassment of Mingrelia's more powerful neighbors, Imeretia and Abkhazia.{{cite book|title=From Conflict to Autonomy in the Caucasus: The Soviet Union and the Making of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh |last=Saparov |first=Arsène |date=27 August 2014 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9780415658027 |location=Oxon |pages=18}} The principality ultimately came to an end when Prince Niko I Dadiani 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.

Demographics

class="wikitable" \|+The population of the principality of Mingrelia in 1865{{Cite web \|title=Wayback Machine \|url=https://dspace.spbu.ru/bitstream/11701/15204/1/02-Cherkasov.pdf \|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20220617082941/https://dspace.spbu.ru/bitstream/11701/15204/1/02-Cherkasov.pdf \|archive-date=2022-06-17 \|access-date=2025-02-05 \|website=dspace.spbu.ru}} ! rowspan="2" \|Districts ! colspan="2" \|Population ! rowspan="2" \|Total
Male !Female
Lechkhumi \|14,236 \|10,916 \|25,152
Senaki \|47,143 \|37,698 \|84,841
Zugdidi \|38,735 \|32,064 \|70,799
Total \|100,114 \|80,678 \|180,792

class="wikitable"

|+The population of the principality of Mingrelia in 1865{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://dspace.spbu.ru/bitstream/11701/15204/1/02-Cherkasov.pdf |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20220617082941/https://dspace.spbu.ru/bitstream/11701/15204/1/02-Cherkasov.pdf |archive-date=2022-06-17 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=dspace.spbu.ru}}

! rowspan="2" |Districts

! colspan="2" |Population

! rowspan="2" |Total

Male

!Female

Lechkhumi

|14,236

|10,916

|25,152

Senaki

|47,143

|37,698

|84,841

Zugdidi

|38,735

|32,064

|70,799

Total

|100,114

|80,678

|180,792

Principality of Mingrelia

History

Demographics

See also

References

Further reading