Niko Dadiani, Prince of Megrelia
Encyclopedia
Nikolas Dadiani (b. 4 January 1847, Zugdidi
― d. 23 January 1903, Saint-Petersburg) was the last ruling prince of the Western Georgian
Principality of Megrelia
in southeastern Europe
. After the formal abolition of his principality by Russia, he served as a general in the Imperial Russian Army
.
. He was seven years old when his father died and his mother assumed control of the principality as a regent. During the confrontation of Megrelia with the invading Turkish forces in the times of the Crimean War
, Niko enlisted in the army and stood by her mother who refused to surrender to the Ottomans. When his mother Princess Ekaterine
moved to Saint-Petersburg Niko accompanied her and later moved to Paris
where he received his education. He was married to Countess Maria Adlerberg, the daughter of a Russian aristocrat and a Minister of the Imperial Court
Count Alexander Adlerberg.
was abolished by the Russian Emperor but Niko retained the title of "His Serene Highness Prince of Megrelia." As a compensation for his losses, Prince Dadiani received one million roubles from the Russian Government, helping him to save the dynastic estates, including the Dadiani Mansion. Being relieved of the duties he previously had as a ruling prince, Niko found himself a successful career in the Imperial Army. He was awarded a golden sword for bravery during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878), being promoted to the status of a Major General
in 1878. Prince Niko died in 1903 and was buried in the medieval monastery of Martvili
along with his mother Ekaterine
.
Zugdidi
Zugdidi is a city in the Western Georgian historical province of Samegrelo . It is situated in the north-west of that province. The city is located 318 kilometres west of Tbilisi, 30 km. from Black sea coast and 30 km. from Egrisi range. 100-110 metres above sea level. As of 2007, it had a...
― d. 23 January 1903, Saint-Petersburg) was the last ruling prince of the Western Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
Principality of Megrelia
Samegrelo
Samegrelo/Samargalo or Megrelia, Mingrelia is a historic province in the western part of Georgia, formerly also known as Odishi.It is inhabited by the Megrelians, an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians.-Geography and Climate:...
in southeastern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. After the formal abolition of his principality by Russia, he served as a general in the Imperial Russian Army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
.
Family
Niko was born to Prince David of Megrelia and his wife EkaterineEkaterine Dadiani, Princess of Megrelia
Princess Ekateriné Dadiani was a prominent 19th century Georgian aristocrat and the last ruling princess of the Western Georgian Principality of Megrelia in southeastern Europe...
. He was seven years old when his father died and his mother assumed control of the principality as a regent. During the confrontation of Megrelia with the invading Turkish forces in the times of the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, Niko enlisted in the army and stood by her mother who refused to surrender to the Ottomans. When his mother Princess Ekaterine
Ekaterine Dadiani, Princess of Megrelia
Princess Ekateriné Dadiani was a prominent 19th century Georgian aristocrat and the last ruling princess of the Western Georgian Principality of Megrelia in southeastern Europe...
moved to Saint-Petersburg Niko accompanied her and later moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where he received his education. He was married to Countess Maria Adlerberg, the daughter of a Russian aristocrat and a Minister of the Imperial Court
Ministry of the Imperial Court
Ministry of the Imperial Court was established in Russia in 1826, and embraced in one institution all the former separate branches of the Court administration....
Count Alexander Adlerberg.
Abolition of the Principality
In 1866 the principality of MegreliaSamegrelo
Samegrelo/Samargalo or Megrelia, Mingrelia is a historic province in the western part of Georgia, formerly also known as Odishi.It is inhabited by the Megrelians, an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians.-Geography and Climate:...
was abolished by the Russian Emperor but Niko retained the title of "His Serene Highness Prince of Megrelia." As a compensation for his losses, Prince Dadiani received one million roubles from the Russian Government, helping him to save the dynastic estates, including the Dadiani Mansion. Being relieved of the duties he previously had as a ruling prince, Niko found himself a successful career in the Imperial Army. He was awarded a golden sword for bravery during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878), being promoted to the status of a Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in 1878. Prince Niko died in 1903 and was buried in the medieval monastery of Martvili
Martvili
Martvili is a small town in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti province of Western Georgia. Its monastery was Samegrelo's clerical centre in the Middle Ages...
along with his mother Ekaterine
Ekaterine Dadiani, Princess of Megrelia
Princess Ekateriné Dadiani was a prominent 19th century Georgian aristocrat and the last ruling princess of the Western Georgian Principality of Megrelia in southeastern Europe...
.
Trivia
- Prince Niko was known to be friends with Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsarevich of Russia.
- In 1886 the Russian Government nominated Niko to replace the deposed Alexander, Prince of BulgariaAlexander, Prince of BulgariaAlexander Joseph, Prince of Bulgaria GCB , known as Alexander of Battenberg, was the first prince of modern Bulgaria, reigning from 29 April 1879 to 7 September 1886.-Early life:...
. The bid, however, was unsuccessful as the Bulgarian regency rejected his candidacy and elected Ferdinand I of BulgariaFerdinand I of BulgariaFerdinand , born Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, was the ruler of Bulgaria from 1887 to 1918, first as knyaz and later as tsar...
instead. - He worked on spreading literacy in GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, donating a wealth of old books from his dynastic library. - He had a daughter Menik from an extramarital affair with Caesaria ChicovaniChikovaniThe House of Chikovani is an important noble house of Georgia in Southeastern Europe. Dukes of Chikovani ruled a historic province, Lečxumi in northwestern Georgia...