Principality of Abkhazia
Principality of Abkhazia აფხაზეთის სამთავრო | |||||||||||||
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| 1463–1864 | |||||||||||||
18th-century coat of arms according to Prince Vakhushti of Kartli.
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The Principality of Abkhazia (Abassia) in the 1850s | |||||||||||||
| Capital | Zupu (Lykhny) 43°09′N 40°37′E / 43.150°N 40.617°E | ||||||||||||
| Official languages | Georgian (language of governance, literacy and culture) | ||||||||||||
| Other languages | Abkhaz, Mingrelian | ||||||||||||
| Religion | Eastern Orthodox Christianity (majority and dynastic 1463–1780; 1810–1864) Sunni Islam (significant minority and dynastic 1780–1810) | ||||||||||||
| Demonyms | Abkhazian, Abkhaz | ||||||||||||
| Government | Principality | ||||||||||||
| Prince; | |||||||||||||
• c.1451-1465 (first) | Rabia Sharvashidze | ||||||||||||
• 1823–1864 (last) | Mikhail Sharvashidze | ||||||||||||
| Historical era | Early Modern Period | ||||||||||||
• Established | 1463 | ||||||||||||
| 1817–64 | |||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1864 | ||||||||||||
Map of the territory of Great and Small Abasia (Abkhazia) in 1808 | |||||||||||||
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The Principality of Abkhazia (Georgian: აფხაზეთის სამთავრო, romanized: apkhazetis samtavro) emerged as a separate feudal entity in the 15th-16th centuries, amid the civil wars in the Kingdom of Georgia that concluded with the dissolution of the unified Georgian monarchy. The principality retained a degree of autonomy under Ottoman and then Russian rule, but was eventually absorbed into the Russian Empire in 1864, following the Caucasian War.