ONE EPISODE FROM HISTORY OF ODISHI AND TSKHUMI SAERISTAVOS (DUKEDOMS)
Akaki Chikobava
Scholar at Faculty of Humanities, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Abstract
The Odishi Principality was formed on the territory of Odishi and Tskhumi saeristavos (dukedoms). Initially those two administrative units existed separately. The Odishi eristavi (duke) annexed the Tskhumi saeristavo in the 14th c. It was confirmed by Giorgi V (1314-1346). The sources show that his decision was based on the fact that the Dadianis had had owned Tskhumi previously and they had been deprived of it later. Supposedly, the Dadianis got Tskhumi during the reign of Tamar (1184-1210) and lost it during the reign of Rusudan (1223-1245). The specific administrative change has to have some connection with the monetary reform conducted by Rusudan. Since 1226, when Tbilisi was occupied by Jalal ad-Din, Rusudan is in the Western Georgia, where she issued the silver coin in 1230. There exists a viewpoint that the terms “Botinaturi tetri” and “Tskhumuri tetri” are the synonyms, and they mean the 1230 coinage of Rusudan. Therefore, the deprivation of Tskhumi saeristavo from the Dadianis is to be connected with the issue of this coins in Tskhumi (i.e. adminisrative activity of queen in Tskhumi), and it happened in 1230.
