Princess Ekateriné Dadiani (Georgian: ეკატერინე დადიანი; née Chavchavadze; March 19, 1816 – August 13, 1882) was a prominent 19th-century Georgian and the last ruling princess of the Western Georgian Principality of Mingrelia. She played an important role in resisting Ottoman influence in her principality and was at the center of Georgian high society, both inside the country and abroad.

Ekateriné was born to a distinguished noble family from Eastern Georgia. Her father was Prince Alexander Chavchavadze, a noted Georgian general and godson of Catherine the Great of Russia. Her mother was Princess Salomé Orbeliani, a great-granddaughter of Erekle II (Heraclius II) of Eastern Georgia. Her younger sister Princess Nino married the famous Russian playwright, composer and diplomat Aleksandr Griboyedov, and her older sister Sophie was married to Count Alexandr Nikolai, the minister of education of Imperial Russia.

On December 19, 1838 Ekateriné married the Hereditary Prince of Mingrelia, David Dadiani, who in two years became monarch of the principality after the retirement of his father, Levan V of Mingrelia. In 1853 David died and Ekateriné quickly assumed the responsibilities of her late husband, rising from relative obscurity. Recognizing her as regent of Mingrelia on behalf of her son Prince Niko,Nicholas I of Russia assigned her a regency council which included the brothers of her late husband, Prince Gregory and Prince Constantine.

...
Wikipedia