THE “PRINCES’ DOMAINS” IN ODISHI PRINCIPALITY

Abstract

There existed the special form of landownership in the Medieval Georgia. It was called the “Prince Domain” and it represented the signoria belonging to the successors to the royal or princely thrones. In Kartli and Kakheti kingdoms the “Prince Domain” was created from the lands of the Royal Domain and was given to the princes, who were ruling it. “Salipartiano” was the biggest “Prince Domain” in the Odishi (Megrelia) Principality, which belonged to the Dadianis, the ruling house of Odishi Principality. “Salipartiano” has to be created at the edge of the 14-15th cc. as a result of the battles conducted by the Odishi Princes against the “Trans-Likhi Kings” (Western Georgia). Its first owner was Liparit, son of Mamia II Dadiani (1396/97-1412). The domain was named after him and literally means the “property of Liparit”. The background of the creation of the “Prince Domain” in Odishi Principality was different from the one of the “Princes’ Domains” (“Savakhtango”, “Samukhranbatono”) in the Eastern Georgia. In Odishi Principality the “Prince Domain” is created from the lands taken from the other principalities or confiscated from the lords, and it is ruled by the brother or the uncle of the Prince. The same event is observed in the Kingdom of “Abkhazs” in the 8-9th cc. Therefore, such creation of the “Prince Domain” can be considered as characteristic only to the Western Georgia. Basing on the analysis of the sources, there were some other “Princes’ Domains” in Odishi Principality, and they also were created on the taken/confiscated territory. The first one was a “Prince Domain” created in “Sadjavakho”, which was ruled by Bathulia, the brother of Levan I Dadiani (1533-1572). We designated it as “Sabathulio” for the further reference. The second one was created on the lands confiscated from the Chiladzes and was ruled by Mamia IV Dadiani (1582-1590), when he was prince during the pricipality of his brother Giorgi Dadiani.