Draft:Mamia's invasion of Jiketi

Invasion of Jiketi the remarkable event of Grand-duke of Odishi, Mamia III Dadiani (c. 1512-1533), which resulted by defeat of allied forces, in 31 January 1533.

History
The Zygii tribe living on the right bank of the river Bzyp and their highlander allies continued to attack the west Georgia trying to invade the valley passing through Abkhazia.

Mamia III Dadiani, in conjunction with Mamia I Gurieli, duke of Guria, in their turn embark on a campaign against the piratical Circassian tribe of Zygii, whose vessels frequented the Black Sea littorals of Mingrelia and Guria. The Georgian army headed Jiketi on the military battle boats being constructed in Odishi. A combined navy landed the Mingrelian and Gurian forces on 30 January 1533. The time of attack was not occasional: In winter the navigation on the Black Sea, as a rule was suspended and the Jiks did not expect an attack from the Sea.

The first encounter with the fiercely defending Zygii was won by the allies, but, on the next day, the Georgian fleet having been landed the army and returned. The encouraged Jiks energetically attacked the Georgians, many battle-fatigued Mingrelian nobles defected their lord at the instigation of Tsandia Inal-Ipa, an Abkhaz.

In spite of their courage, the number of the enemy played the crucial part. The allies were routed; Mamia III Dadiani was killed in the battle; Mamia I Gurieli with his soldiers what was left from his army was captured. Malachia I Abashidze, Catholicos of Imereti and Abkhazia, went to the Zygii and ransomed the survivors and bodies of those who died. The defeat in Jiketi did not weaken the influence of Odishi.

Prince Vakhushti errs in dating Mamia's expedition and his death to 1532, thus diverging from one of his sources, the so-called Parisian Chronicle, which gives Friday, 31 January 1533 as the date of his death. Friday, indeed, fell on 31 January 1533 according to the Julian Calendar.