View source for Eristavi

{{for|the surname|Eristavi (family name)}}
[[File:Stephanoz I of Georgia 6th century.jpg|thumb|Silver coin minted by ''erismtavari'' [[Stephen I of Iberia|Stephanoz I]], 7th century.]]
[[File:Krikhi fresco.jpg|thumb|An 11th-century fresco from [[Racha]] depicting the ''eristavi'' Kvariani.]]
[[File:Rati Kakhaberidze (detail).jpg|thumb|Rati, ''eristavi'' of [[Duchy of Racha|Racha]] of the [[Kakhaberidze]] family, founder of the [[Mghvimevi monastery]], 13th century.]]
'''''Eristavi''''' ({{Lang-ka|ერისთავი}}; literally, "head of the nation") was a [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]] [[feudal]] office, roughly equivalent to the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] ''[[strategos]]'' and normally translated into [[English language|English]] as "[[prince]]" or less commonly as "[[duke]]". In the Georgian aristocratic hierarchy, it was the title of the third rank of prince and governor of a large province. Holders of the title were [[ex-officio]] commanders of a military '[[Sadrosho|banner]]', wore a distinctive dress, ring, belt and spear and rode a particular breed of horse.

Some high-ranking eristavis were also titled as eristavt-eristavi ({{Lang-ka|ერისთავთ-ერისთავი}}), i.e. "duke of dukes" or archduke but it is improbable that the holder of the title had any subordinate eristavis. Erismtavari ({{Lang-ka|ერისმთავარი}}; literally, "chief of the people" or grand duke) was a similar title chiefly endowed upon the pre-[[Bagrationi|Bagratid]] [[Principate of Iberia|rulers]] of [[Caucasian Iberia|Iberia]] (Eastern Georgia) and later used interchangeably with the ''eristavi''.   

The title gave origin to the surname of four Georgian noble houses—[[House of Sidamoni|Eristavi of Aragvi]], [[Kvenipneveli dynasty|Eristavi of Ksani]], [[Eristavi of Racha]], and [[Eristavi of Guria]]—confirmed in their princely ranks under the [[Georgia within the Russian Empire|Russian rule]] in the 19th century. These families were often known simply as Princes Eristov in Russia but they did not have the same origin.

==See also==
*[[List of Georgian dukes (eristavs)]]
*[[Eristoff]], Vodka
*[[House of Sidamoni]]

==References==
{{Commonscat|Eristavi}}
* {{in lang|ka}} Djavakhishvili, I. (1928) History of Georian law. Book 2. volume 1. Tbilisi.
* {{in lang|ka}} [[Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia|GSE]], (1979) volume 4, page 192, Tbilisi.
{{italic title}}
[[Category:Noble titles of Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Georgian-language surnames]]
{{Georgia-noble-stub}}
[[Category:Georgian words and phrases]]
[[Category:Military history of the Kingdom of Georgia]]