Apakidze (noble family)

According to a family legend, the Aphakidze descend from Arp’a-Khan, "a Tatar of Genghis Khan’s times", who embraced Christianity and settled down in Abkhazia whence his descendants moved to Mingrelia where their princely title was confirmed.^[1]

The Aphakidze had been vassals to the Dadiani princes of Mingrelia, and then were confirmed as princes (knyaz) of the Russian Empire in 1867 and 1903.^[2]