Battle of Trialeti

The Battle of Trialeti, fought in 1110, was a conflict between the Kingdom of Georgia and the Seljuk Empire. Following the Georgian capture of Samshvilde and Dzerna in the same year, the Sultan of the Seljuk Empire dispatched an army of 100,000 troops to Georgia. However, this force was defeated by a Georgian army of 1,500 men, led by King David IV, in the Battle of Trialeti.

Battle of Trialeti
Part of Georgian–Seljuk wars
Date 1110 Location Near Trialeti, Kingdom of Georgia Result Georgian victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Georgia	Seljuk Empire
Commanders and leaders
David IV	Muhammad I Tapar
Strength
1,500	100,000

Background and battle

In 1110, the Kingdom of Georgia, led by George of Chqondidi's nephew Theodore and Kakhetian nobleman Abuleti, launched a retaliation against the Seljuk occupation. They successfully recaptured the heavily fortified town of Samshvilde, followed by the liberation of the Kura valley.^[1] In the wake of this victory, the Seljuks abandoned much of their previously captured territories, enabling Georgian forces to seize the town of Dzerna [ka].^[2]

In response to these defeats, in 1110 Sultan Muhammad I Tapar unexpected invaded Georgia with an army of 100,000 men.^[a][3][4] David IV, responded to the invasion by sending 1,500 men from his personal household. He organized a forced night march and successfully ambushed the Seljuk advance before they reached the Trialeti Mountains, preventing them from reaching the Kartli Plain.^[3][4] The Seljuks, fatigued from their long march, were forced to fight from a disadvantageous position and despite their numerical superiority, the Seljuks could not overcome David's well-positioned forces and ultimately retreated.^[2][5] According to the Georgian Chronicles, David did not initially believing the victory was achieved so easily and remained on the battlefield until the following day, anticipating another Seljuk attack. It was only then that he realized the Seljuks had been defeated.^[6]

Had David IV chosen to avoid an immediate confrontation and instead gathered a more substantial army, he may not have been able to assemble a force in time before the Seljuks withdrew, leading to the collapse of the kingdom.^[4]

Aftermath

With the Seljuk Empire defeated in Georgia and distracted by the Crusades, David was able to focus his energies on relationships with the Kipchaks.^[3] He resettled a Kipchak tribe of 40,000 families from the Northern Caucasus in Georgia in 1118–1120. Every Georgian and Kipchak family was obliged to provide one soldier with a horse and weapons. Kipchaks were settled in different regions of Georgia. Some were settled in Inner Kartli province, others were given lands along the border. They were Christianized and quickly assimilated into Georgian society.^[7]

Notes

1. "The Seljuk sultan responded by amassing an army of 100,000..." ^[3]