Vamek's invasion of Jiketi

Invasion of Jiketi the remarkable event of Grand-duke of Odishi, Vamek I (c. 1384-1396), which resulted by devastation of Circassia, in 14th century.

History
According to Arabic and West European sources, throughout the 14th century Dukedom of Odishi (Megrelia) "stretched to Circassia" and Tskhumi (Sukhumi) was the capital of the Odishi-Megrelian rulers, as it was the city where Vamek I, the most influential of the Dadianis, minted his coins.

As a result of internal struggles in Kingdom of Georgia, the highlanders of the west Caucasus had not obey Georgian rulers any more and their raids and piracy on the Black Sea was renewed. Information about the campaign of Vamek I in Jiketi (Circassia) is found the lapidary inscription on the side-altar of the Khobi monastery:""Christ, by name of God Eristavt-eristavi (Grand-duke) and Mandaturt-ukhutsesi ("Lord High Steward") Vameq I Dadiani after the Father of their patron Eristavt-eristavi George I Dadiani invaded Jiketi for their being unfaithful and disloyal and defeated them and their fortresses strong and inaccessible (Gagari and Ugagni) became disgraced and useless; and he captured them due to his strength, devastated the places of the rulers of Jiketi, captured as many hostages as possible and put others to flight..."."

Vamek I Dadiani attacked Jiketi from the Sea and significantly shook the naval piracy of the Jiks, he must have devastated the whole Jiketi to the Azov Sea, destroying everything those being easily reached and those being famous for their inaccessibility. From the submissive Jiks he took hostages, while rebellious Jiks were mercilessly ravaged. To the end of the 14th century the Christianity of Jiketi was already weakened and most churches were left without the church service and perish. Thence Vamek removed a large collection of marble columns, capitals and fragments of the ambo. These pieces of stonemasonry, some of them of Byzantine origin and dating from the 5th century, were used to construct a chapel in the Khobi Cathedral.