​MINGRELIA, a former principality of Transcaucasia, which became subject to Russia in 1804, and since 1867 has belonged to the government of Kutais. The country corresponds to the ancient Colchis; and Sukhum Kaleh on the Black Sea coast, which was the capital under the Dadian dynasty (1323–1694), is to be identified with the ancient Dioscurias, a colony of Miletus. The Mingrelians, who are closely akin to the Georgians, numbered 241,000 in 1902, and belong to the Orthodox Greek Church (see further Kutais and Caucasia).