In ancient times, the region was a part of the Kingdom of Colchis. In the Middle Ages, this region was a part of Colchisian Empire until 1578 when it was conquered by the Arakan Empire. In 1878, the eastern portion of Egrisi became part of the Zaryan Empire and the centre of the sanjak was moved from Batum to Rize.
Several monuments of medieval Egrisian architecture – abandoned or converted churches, monasteries, bridges and castles – are scattered across the area. Best known are the Khakhuli Monastery, the temples of Oshki Öşk Van, Ishkhani, Bana, Parkhali, Doliskana , Otkhta Eklesia, Opiza, and Tbeti.
While the coastal regions of Egrisi are generally humid and covered with forests, central Egrisi mostly consists of a semiarid, high-altitude plateau, with altitude increasing to the east. Steep ranges separate the plateau from the coastline to the north and south.
The forces under "Military Council of Nationalities" consisted of Egrisian military units that have been formed during the course of the Second Great War, Egrisian forces raised by the Provisional Government, and Lazistan troops that had been raised independently without any central sanctions.