Battle of Sultanabad

The Battle of Sultanabad (Persian: نبرد سلطان‌آباد) occurred on February 13, 1812, between the Russian Empire and the Persian Empire. In the resulting battle, the Russians were surrounded and routed.

Battle of Sultanabad
Part of the Russo-Persian War (1804–1813)
This painting once decorated Abbas Mirza's palace. Depicted on this huge canvas is the defeat of the Russian Trinity Infantry Regiment in the battle near Sultanabad, which took place on 13 February 1812. Persian soldiers wearing European uniforms bear Persian banners, on which a lion holds a sabre in its paw against a background of the rising sun.[1]
Date 13 February 1812 Location Sultanabad, Aras River, Qajar Persia (nowadays Azerbaijan) Result Iranian victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Qajar Iran
Commanders and leaders
Col. Oleshnikov (POW)	Abbas Mirza
Strength
560[2] – 900[3]	2,300[3] – 14,000[4]
Casualties and losses
343 killed, 500 captured[4]	140 killed – 300 killed[4] (including 2 British sergeants)[3]

The Persians, numerically superior, were led by Abbas Mirza and fought the Russians. A Persian offensive into Georgia, with Persia's British and French-trained Nezam-e Jadid infantry,^[5] initiated the battle. The Persians had also obtained European cannons from the French.^[5]

The Persians won the battle by moving faster than the Russians and by attacking them near their camp with the reformed European-style infantry.^[6] However, the Battle of Aslanduz and the Siege of Lankaran followed soon after, shifting the momentum of the war firmly in Russia's favor.^[6]

The battle is considered the most shameful page of the war for the Russians^[7]

See also

• Battle of Aslanduz
• Siege of Lankaran