Turkoman invasions of Georgia

The Turkoman invasions of Georgia, also called the Georgian–Turcoman wars, were a series of attacks by Muslim Turkoman tribes on the land of the Kingdom of Georgia during the 15th century. These invasions happened over many years and brought a lot of trouble to the people living in Georgia.

At this time, Georgia was a strong and rich kingdom, but it faced many challenges from its neighbors. The Turkoman tribes, coming from areas to the southeast, wanted control of Georgia’s lands and resources. Their attacks created chaos and made life very hard for the people there.

These wars were important because they changed the history of Georgia. They weakened the kingdom and opened the door for other powers to try taking over Georgia later on. Understanding these events helps us see how Georgia’s past shaped the country we know today.

Background

After big attacks by Timur, the Kingdom of Georgia became weaker. When Timur died in 1405, his empire began to fall apart. One group, the Qara Qoyunlu, was among the first to stand up against Timur's rule. Their leader, Qara Yusuf, won battles and took control of important places, becoming a strong power in the middle east.

Qara Yusuf's invasions of Georgia

During the 1400s, groups of Turkoman tribes took advantage of a weaker Georgia and attacked the country. As early as 1407, their leader Qara Yusuf captured 15,000 people and defeated the Georgian king George VII. Later, Constantine I of Georgia tried to stop them by teaming up with a nearby ruler, but he was captured in the Battle of Chalagan. Alexander I, who followed, worked hard to make his kingdom stronger, but faced many attacks from these tribes. In 1416, they attacked and damaged the important city of Akhaltsikhe.

Alexander's reconquests

Alexander took back Lori from the Turkomans in 1431, which helped protect Georgia's borders. Around 1434 or 1435, Alexander asked an Armenian prince named Beshken II Orbelian to fight against some groups in Syunik. After he won, Alexander let Beshken rule Lori, but Beshken had to agree to follow Alexander's orders.

Jahan Shah's first invasion of Georgia

In 1440, Alexander of Georgia chose not to pay taxes to Jahan Shah, a leader from the Qara Qoyunlu group. In March of that year, Jahan Shah led 20,000 soldiers into Georgia. He destroyed the city of Samshvilde and attacked the capital, Tbilisi. Many people were taken away, and a large fine was placed on Georgia before Jahan Shah went back to Tabriz.

Jahan Shah's second invasion of Georgia

In 1444, a leader named Jahan Shah tried to invade the country of Georgia again. The king of Georgia, Vakhtang IV, faced him in a town called Akhaltsikhe. The Georgians and Turkomans fought a tough battle, but neither side won clearly. Later that night, Jahan Shah and his soldiers left and went back to a place called Tabriz, ending their attack on Georgia.

Uzun Hasan's invasions of Georgia

After 1466, the unified Kingdom of Georgia broke apart into smaller groups. During this time, the Aq Qoyunlu Turkomans took advantage of Georgia's weakness. Georgia was attacked by Uzun Hasan, a leader of the Aq Qoyunlu, at least twice—in 1466 and 1472, and possibly again around 1476-1477. Bagrat VI of Georgia, who ruled most of Georgia then, had to make peace with the attackers by giving up the city of Tbilisi.

Yaqub's invasions of Georgia

In 1486, the cities of Dmanisi and Kveshi in Georgia were attacked by soldiers led by a leader named Yaqub. The defenders, led by a brave soldier named Sulkhan Baratashvili, fought hard and won. Later, King Constantine used this moment to remove the invaders from the area.

In 1488, Yaqub sent his general Sufi Khalil Beg Mawsilu to build forts in Georgia. King Constantine sent his troops, led by Sulkhan Baratashvili, who defeated the general’s soldiers. When a large army came to attack Tbilisi, King Constantine gathered his forces. They fought a big battle near Chandari and won, forcing the attackers to leave Tbilisi. After this, more battles happened, and the Georgians continued to defend their land successfully.

Georgian–Safavid Alliance

In 1502, Ismail I, the founder of the Safavid dynasty, made an agreement with Georgia. Together, they fought and won against the Aq Qoyunlu, ending their attacks and removing them from power.