Duchy of Tskhumi
| Duchy of Tskhumi ცხუმის სამთავრო |
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| Principality of the Kingdom of Georgia | |||||
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| Capital | Tskhumi | ||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||
| • | Established | 8th century | |||
| • | Disestablished | 14th century | |||
| Today part of |
 Georgia
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Coat of arms
The Duchy of Tskhumi (Georgian: ცხუმის სამთავრო), also referred as the Duchy of Abkhazia was a duchy (saeristavo) in a mediaeval Georgia. Ruled by a House of Shervashidze, the duchy existed from 8th to 14th century, in the north-western part of Georgia and comprised territories around modern Sukhumi, Abkhazia.
Duchy of Tskhumi was probablly formed as a separated feudal entinity during the reign of Leon II on the lands of ancient Apsiles. Forming one of the eight duchies of Kingdom of Abkhazia, it comprised territories above Lazica up to Anacopia and Alania.Bagrat's castle served as the seat of the Eristavi of Tskhumi.
In 1033, Bagrat IV's half-brother Demetre organized the plot with the aim of dethrone his brother. Although an attempt by some great nobles to exploit Demetre’s possible aspirations to the throne in their opposition to Bagrat’s rule failed. Now threatened by Bagrat, the dowager Queen Alda defected to the Byzantines and surrendered Anacopia to the emperor Romanos III who honored her son Demetre with the rank of magistros. According to the words of the chronicler of The Georgian Chronicles: King Bagrat defeated united army of his opponents and then besieged Anacopia, then he went back, leaving Eristav of Abkhazia - Otago Chachasdze and his army to take charge of the fortress. Owing to the active support of the Abkhazian Eristav, Bagrat IV managed to return the fortress of Anacopia to Georgia.
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