Gurieli

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gurieli (Georgian: გურიელი) was an extinct Georgian noble family and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Guria.

Initially a hereditary title of governors of Guria, Gurieli was adopted as a dynastic name by the Vardanisdze family, a purported branch of the Dadiani clan, in the 12th century. They were titled as Dukes (eristavi) and later as Princes (mtavari) of Guria. The Gurieli were active in the politics of the neighbouring Empire of Trebizond, whose last emperor, David of Trebizond (reigned from 1459 to 1461), married his daughter to Mamia Gurieli. If the couple had issue, the latter-day Gurieli should have descended from dozens Byzantine and Trapezuntine emperors.

Following the disintegration of the Kingdom of Georgia, the Gurieli established themselves as virtually independent rulers in 1491 and retained a degree of autonomy under the Ottoman yoke throughout the following centuries, nominally recognizing also the authority of the kings of Imereti.

Having accepted Imperial Russian sovereignty in 1810, the dynasty continued to enjoy some autonomy in their home affairs until 1829, when the Russian authorities deposed the last Gurieli and abolished the Principality of Guria. Members of the family were officially elevated to the dignity of Princes (knyaz) of the Russian Empire in 1850. They survived in Georgia until the end of the 20th century.