Eristavi

a ruler of an area known as an eristavstvo in ancient and medieval Georgia. The leading eristavi were appointed to the king’s advisory council and even became independent rulers. The rights and duties of eristavi were defined in the Dzeglis Dadeba, a law code compiled under King Georgi V (1314–46). In eastern Georgia eristavstvos were replaced by mouravstvos in the 16th century.