The House of Chichua (Georgian: ჩიჩუა hichua was a Georgian family of nobles, commanders, and princes in Samegrelo (Mingrelia) or Odishi. Historians have different view points about who were the ancestors of Chichua. Some sources state that the family is descended from the

House of Chikovani The House of Chikovani ( ka, ჩიქოვანი; sometimes spelled as Chicovani) was a Georgian princely (''mtavari'') house. Dukes of Chikovani ruled a historic province, Lechkhumi in northwestern Georgia. At the end of the 17th century, Ge ...

, some state that the family is descended from a man named Chija and hence the surname Chichua, and more precise and factual sources say that they are descended from House of Kakhaberidze, while sharing the same roots as the House of Chijavadze.

Possessions

The House of Chichua was a prominent noble house in the

Mingrelian Mingrelian may refer to: *the Mingrelians *the Mingrelian language Mingrelian or Megrelian (, ) is a Kartvelian language spoken in Western Georgia (regions of Mingrelia and Abkhazia), primarily by the Mingrelians. The language was also called ...

nobility. Historical sources about the early ancestors of this family first appear in the first half of the 17th century. During the rule of prince

Levan II Dadiani Levan II Dadiani (also Leon; ka, ლევან ��ეონII დადიანი; 1597-1657) was a member of the House of Dadiani and ruler of the Principality of Mingrelia in western Georgia. Levan grew up in Kakheti under his grandfather ...

(1611-1657) the first member of House of Chichua appeared by the name of Ramaz Chichua and during this time he was the head of his house.

Princedom A principality (or sometimes princedom) can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a regnant-monarch with the title of prince and/or princess, or by a monarch with another title considered to fall under ...

of House of Chichua appears from the beginning of the 17th century. Their princedom, Sachichuo which occupied the present Municipality of Khobi and included towns: Zubi, Japshakari, Zeni, Sajijao, Kheta, etc. Chanistskali river

Their princedom's borders to the east ended at the town of Zana, to the south - at the town of Khorshi, to the north - at the town of Khibula and the western border was made up by the river of Chanistskali. Other than the above listed towns, the House of Chichua also possessed the towns of

Narazeni Narazeni (Georgian and xmf, ნარაზენი) is a village in the Zugdidi Municipality of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region of western Georgia. Situated 17 km east of the city Zugdidi. History The village was on the transit route in the ...

, Bia, Sakharbedio, Teklati, Kvaloni and Mukhuri. Their residence was located in Zeni, where they had a keep, a church and a hereditary castle. Their hereditary chamber was located in a church in the town of Zeni and in the monastery of Khobi. They also had another hereditary castle located in Zubi. The

Aznauri ''Aznauri'' ( ka, აზნაური, ; pl. ''aznaurni'', აზნაურნი, or ''aznaurebi'', აზნაურები) was a class of Georgian nobility. The word derives from Middle Persian ''āznāvar'', which, in turn, corresponds ...

(or lesser nobles) of the House of Chichua were: Gvatua, Jorjikia,

Lolua Lolua is the administrative headquarters and capital of the Nanumea Atoll in the Pacific island country of Tuvalu. The village has 215 inhabitants (as of 2010)Khocholava, and their peasants were: Beraia, Gvalia, Gvasalia, Gersamia, Jruburia, Kuchava, Nadaraia, Papaskiri, Sigua, Chanturia, Chilaia, Chikhvaria and others. The House of Chichua had their place in the administrative apparatus. From the late documents, it is revealed that the

Castellan A castellan is the title used in Medieval Europe for an appointed official, a governor of a castle and its surrounding territory referred to as the castellany. The title of ''governor'' is retained in the English prison system, as a remnant o ...

and

Mouravi Mouravi ( ka, მოურავი) was an administrative and military officer in early modern Georgia, translated into English as seneschal, bailiff, or constable. A mouravi was an appointed royal official who had a jurisdiction over particular t ...

of the castles of House of Chichua were the

Gvatua and masters of the castles were peasants Gvasalia.

Influence

Prince Pepuna Chichua held a massive influence in

nobility. Because of this King Alexander V of Imereti (1720-1752) wanted his house, the House of Bagrationi, to intermarry with House of Chichua. Pepuna Chichua had inherited the title of Grand Master of the Court (sakhlt-ukhutsesi), which was the highest ranking title after the Dadiani in Mingrelia since 18th century. Therefore, Pepuna could have made the relationships tense between the King of Imereti and Prince of Mingrelia. Pepuna Chichua was engaged with the daughter of Eristavi (duke) of Ksani, but the King of Imereti canceled their marriage and instead married off her sister to Pepuna Chichua, but the king's original plan - which was to strengthen his authority in

Mingrelia Mingrelia ( ka, სამეგრელო, tr; xmf, სამარგალო, samargalo; ab, Агырны, Agirni) is a historic province in the western part of Georgia, formerly known as Odishi. It is primarily inhabited by the Mingrelian ...

- failed, because

Otia Dadiani Otia Dadiani ( ka, ოტია დადიანი; died 1757), of the House of Dadiani, was Prince of Mingrelia from 1728 until his death. Like his predecessors, Otia Dadiani was embroiled in a series of civil wars that plagued western Georgia. ...

helped Giorgi who was exiled in

because of his earlier attempt to take the Throne of Imereti in 1741.

of Chichua expended even more during the rule of Otia Dadiani who granted Papuna Chichua large estates, castles and peasants from the Episcopal (Saepiskoposo) of Caishi. After the death of Pepuna, the head of the house became his son Giorgi, whose wife was the sister of the head (

Mtavari ''Mtavari'' ( ka, მთავარი) was a feudal title in Georgia usually translated into English as Prince or Duke. The earliest instances of the use of ''mtavari'' are in the early Georgian hagiographic texts dated to the 5th century. From ...

) of

Abkhazia Abkhazia, ka, აფხაზეთი, tr, , xmf, აბჟუა, abzhua, or ( or ), officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which vi ...

by the name of Keleshbeia Shervashidze. From the second half of the 18th century grandchildren of Pepuna Chichua are revealed - Khakhu and Kacia. From the beginning of the rule of Pepuna, House of Chichua excelled on the court of Minrgelia. But soon in the fight for supremacy the

got involved. In 1768, Prince of Mingrelia -

Katsia II Dadiani Katsia II Dadiani ( ka, კაცია II დადიანი; died 1788), of the House of Dadiani, was Prince of Mingrelia from 1758 to 1788. His rule was dominated by complicated relations with the Kingdom of Imereti, which claimed suzerainty ...

returned the estates of Episcopal of Caishi back to the church and in 1777, Kacia II named Giorgi Chikovani the Metropolitan of Caishi. In return for the Episcopal of Caishi, Kacia gave House of Chichua other estates. During the Russian-Turkish war in 1768–1774, prince Khakhu Chichua helped the Turkish garrison camped in the fortress of Poti by providing firepower and food. Because of this help, Turks expelled General Sukhotina's Russian-Georgian army and defended the fortress. By the command of General Sukhotina, Khakhu Chichua was arrested and exiled from Georgia and was sent to Russia. But on the road, near

Mozdok Mozdok (russian: Моздо́к; os, Мæздæг, ''Mæzdæg''; Kabardian: Мэздэгу) is a town and the administrative center of Mozdoksky District of North Ossetia – Alania, Russia, located on the left shore of the Terek River, no ...

, in 1772 he died. In 1777, Kacia II Dadiani, took away the title of Grand Master of the Court from House of Chichua and gave it to House of Chikovani. In the beginning of the 18th century House of Chichua again gained a dominant influence in Mingrelia.

could not do their duties as Grand Masters of the Court and had to abdicate and in 1810 the Grand Master of the Court became Giorgi Chichua, being the head of his house and son of Khakhu Chichua. Relative of Giorgi Chichua, Prince Levan Chichua appears in the highest nobility of Grigoria Dadiani's (1788-1804) widow Nino, who was the daughter of King Giorgi XII of

Kartli-Kakheti The Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti ( ka, ქართლ-კახეთის სამეფო, tr) (1762–1801 ) was created in 1762 by the unification of two eastern Georgian kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti. From the early 16th century, accord ...

(1798-1800). Nino at that time, in 1811 visited Petersburg. Other relative of Giorgi Chichua, Khakhu Chichua, after the death of Giorgi, took the hereditary title of Grand Master of the Court, became the head of Chichua and at the same time held the title of the Commander (მთავარსარდალი) of the Mingrelian army, reaching the peak of power for House of Chichua. After accumulating both of these titles, Khakhu Chichua became the most influential noble in the court of Mingrelia. He preserved his both positions until his death in 1825. After him his titles were inherited by Prince Levan Chichua.

Decline

In 1838, Prince Levan V Dadiani ultimately took away, from House of Chichua the title of Grand Master of the Court and gave it to House of Chikovani. At this House of Chichua went into rebellion with 3000 armed soldiers, but their objective was not reached. The House of Chichua with all the other nobles in Mingrelia became part of the Russian Nobility with the final incorporation in the Russian Empire of Mingrelia and Kingdom of

Imereti Imereti ( Georgian: იმერეთი) is a region of Georgia situated in the central-western part of the republic along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni River. Imereti is the most populous region in Georgia. It consists of 11 munic ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chichua, House of Georgian-language surnames Noble families of Georgia (country) Families of Georgia (country)