Originally, the Dukes of Chikovani ruled the province of Lechkhumi in northwestern Georgia.
At the end of the 17th century, General Katso Chikovani rose to prominence in the adjacent Principality of Mingrelia, which allowed him to enthrone his son, who assumed the dynastic name of Dadiani.
From that point on, Chikovani ruled Mingrelia under the dynastic name of Dadiani until the principality was abolished in the late 19th century.
General Chikovani's increased power facilitated the ascent of his son George to the Mingrelian Throne.
The lineage lasted until the principality was abolished in late 1800s by the Russian Empire which took advantage of internal instability, Ottoman Invasions during the Crimean War, and a subsequent request for help from Ekaterine Dadiani, the Last Princess of Mingrelia.