Vardan I Dadiani ( ka, ვარდან I დადიანი) (died 1213) was a

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

noble and the forefather of the

Dadiani The House of Dadiani ( ka, დადიანი ), later known as the House of Dadiani- Chikovani, was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Mingrelia. The House of Dadiani Th ...

, the princely dynasty of

Samegrelo 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 ...

(Mingrelia), a region in western Georgia which Vardan ruled as ''

eristavi ''Eristavi'' (; literally, "head of the nation") was a Georgian feudal office, roughly equivalent to the Byzantine '' strategos'' and normally translated into English as "prince" or less commonly as "duke". In the Georgian aristocratic hierarch ...

'' ("duke") from 1183 to 1213. He was a prominent courtier of Queen

Tamar of Georgia Tamar the Great ( ka, თამარ მეფე, tr, lit. "King Tamar") ( 1160 – 18 January 1213) reigned as the Queen of Georgia from 1184 to 1213, presiding over the apex of the Georgian Golden Age. A member of the Bagrationi dyna ...

, but fell out of favor after leading an abortive rebellion in support of Tamar's disgraced former husband George the Rus' in 1191. Qauxčišvili, Simon (ed.; Vivian, Katharine, trans.; 1991), ''The Georgian chronicle: the Period of Giorgi Lasha'', pp. 118-119. Amsterdam: Adolf M. Hakkert. Beradze, T., "ვარდან დადიანი" ("Vardan Dadiani"), in: ''

Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia The ''Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia'' ( ka, ქართული საბჭოთა ენციკლოპედია, ქსე) is the first universal encyclopedia in the Georgian language, printed in Tbilisi from 1965, the editor in chi ...

'', vol. 3, p. 329. Tbilisi, 1978.

In royal service

A descendant of his namesake the ''

'' ("duke") of

Svaneti Svaneti or Svanetia (Suania in ancient sources; ka, სვანეთი ) is a historic province in the northwestern part of Georgia. It is inhabited by the Svans, an ethnic subgroup of Georgians. Geography Situated on the southern slop ...

, a contemporary of King

George II of Georgia :''There was also a Giorgi II, Catholicos of Kartli who ruled in 826–838.'' George II ( ka, გიორგი II, ''Giorgi II'') ( 1054 – 1112), of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a king of Georgia from 1072 to 1089. He was a son and successor ...

( r. 1072–1089), Vardan belonged to the Marushiani- Vardanisdze dynasty and is one of the earliest members of this family to be mentioned under the surname Dadiani, possibly after the familial castle of Dadi.

Toumanoff, Cyril Cyril Leo Toumanoff (russian: Кирилл Львович Туманов; 13 October 1913 – 4 February 1997) was a Russian-born Georgian historian and genealogist who mostly specialized in the history and genealogies of medieval Georgia, Armenia, ...

(1963). ''Studies in Christian Caucasian History'', p. 269. Georgetown University Press. Vardan was appointed ''msakhurt-ukhutsesi'' ("Lord High Chamberlain") of Georgia and granted

Odishi Odishi ( ka, ოდიში) was a historical district in western Georgia, the core fiefdom of the former Principality of Mingrelia, with which the name "Odishi" was frequently coterminous. Since the early 19th century, this toponym has been su ...

, that is,

, as a fief by Tamar in 1183. In 1186 or 1187 Vardan fought with distinction in the victorious campaign against the Eldiguzid state in Arran, masterminded by Asat Grigolisdze, lord of Gishi, during which the Georgians raided

Beylagan Beylagan District ( az, Beyləqan rayonu) is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the centre of the country and belongs to the Central Aran Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Fuzuli, Aghjabadi, Zardab, Imis ...

and the Araxes plain.

In rebellion

Vardan's downfall came with the abortive rebellion raised by the nobles of western and southern Georgia on behalf of the exiled ex-consort of Queen Tamar, George the Rus' (Yuri Andreyevich), in 1191. By that time, Vardan had been one of the most influential dignitaries in Georgia, being in possession of Orbeti and Kaeni in the eastern part of the kingdom in addition to the vast lands in the west, from the Likhi mountains to Nicopsia, that is, "the whole of

, Abkhazia, Saegro,

Guria Guria ( ka, გურია) is a region (''mkhare'') in Georgia, in the western part of the country, bordered by the eastern end of the Black Sea. The region has a population of 113,000 (2016), with Ozurgeti as the regional capital. Geography ...

, Samokalako,

Racha Racha (also Račha, , ''Račʼa'') is a highland area in western Georgia, located in the upper Rioni river valley and hemmed in by the Greater Caucasus mountains. Under Georgia's current subdivision, Racha is included in the Racha-Lechkhumi and ...

, Takveri and

Argveti Argveti (), also Margveti (), is a historic district in Imereti, western Georgia. Overview The area lay on the historic Iberian- Lazican frontier, i.e., between what are now eastern and western parts of Georgia. From the 3rd century BC to the ...

". He brought these lands as well as the Sanigi and "Keshigi" (

Circassians The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia ...

) over to the rebels' cause and crowned George as king of Georgia at the royal palace of Geguti near Kutaisi. Tamar's loyal ''

amirspasalar ''Amirspasalar'' or ''amirspasalari'' ( ka, ამირსპასალარი, from fa, امیر سپه سالار, ) was the commander-in-chief of the medieval Georgian army and one of the highest officials of the Kingdom of Georgia, comm ...

'' (constable) Gamrekeli Toreli defeated Vardan's army at the Niali plain in

Javakheti Javakheti ( ka, ჯავახეთი ) or Javakhk ( hy, Ջավախք, ''Javakhk'') is a historical province in southern Georgia, corresponding to the modern municipalities of Akhalkalaki, Aspindza (partly), Ninotsminda, and partly to the Turk ...

and forced the rest of the rebels, including George the Rus', into surrender. As a result, Vardan lost the office of Lord High Chamberlain and the fief of Kaeni, both of which were then conferred upon the queen's loyal noble

Ivane Mkhargrdzeli Ivane is a Georgian masculine given name. It is a cognate of the name John. Notable people with the name include: *Ivane Abazasdze (Georgian: იოანე აბაზასძე), 11th-century Georgian feudal lord, a duke of Kartli under Kin ...

. Thereafter, Vardan Dadiani played no significant role in the country’s political life and died around 1213. His descendants continued to flourish in western Georgia, eventually producing two important princely dynasties, those of

and

Gurieli The House of Gurieli () was a Georgian princely (''mtavari'') family and a ruling dynasty (dukes) of the southwestern Georgian province of Guria, which was autonomous and later, for a few centuries, independent. A few ducal rulers of the dynast ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dadiani, Vardan 1213 deaths

Vardan Vardan ( hy, Վարդան; Vartan in Western Armenian transliteration, pronounced in both Eastern and Western Armenian), Varden ( ka, ვარდენ) in Georgian, is an Armenian name of Middle Persian origin (from Mid. Pers. Wardā), popu ...

13th-century people from Georgia (country) 12th-century people from Georgia (country) Year of birth unknown