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.