The siege of Samshvilde was a siege of the city of

Samshvilde Samshvilde ( ka, სამშვილდე, ) is a ruined fortified city and archaeological site in Georgia, in the country's south, near the homonymous modern-day village in the Tetritsqaro Municipality, Kvemo Kartli region. The ruins of the ...

by the Bishop

George of Chqondidi George of Chqondidi ( ka, გიორგი ჭყონდიდელი, ''Giorgi Chqondideli'') (died c. 1118) was a Georgia (country), Georgian churchman and court minister best known as a tutor and the closest adviser of King David IV (r. 1 ...

who captured the city on behalf of King

David IV David IV, also known as David IV the Builder ( ka, დავით IV აღმაშენებელი, tr; 1073 – 24 January 1125), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the 5th List of monarchs of Georgia, king (''mepe'') of the Kingdom of Ge ...

. This induced the

Seljuks The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; , ''Saljuqian'',) alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that gradually became Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persian culture. The founder of th ...

to hastily evacuate most of surrounding districts.

Background

was the capital of the

Kingdom of Tashir-Dzoraget The Kingdom of Tashir-Dzoraget ( ''Tashir-Dzorageti t'agavorut'yun''), alternatively known as the Kingdom of Lori or Kiurikian Kingdom by later historians, was a medieval Armenian kingdom formed in the year 979 by the Kiurikian dynasty, a branc ...

until,

Kiurike II Kiurike II (alternatively spelled Gorige, Korike or Gurgen) was the third king of the Kingdom of Lori. He was succeeded by his son David II. References Kiurikian dynasty Kings of Tashir-Dzoraget Year of birth unknown 1089 deaths ...

, was made captive by King

Bagrat IV of Georgia Bagrat IV ( ka, ბაგრატ IV; 101824 November 1072), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the king ('' mepe'') of the Kingdom of Georgia from 1027 to 1072. During his long and eventful reign, Bagrat sought to repress the great nobility and to ...

and had to ransom himself by surrendering Samshvilde to the Georgians in 1064. King George II, conceded control of the city to his powerful vassal Ivane I of Kldekari, thereby buying his loyalty, in 1073. Within a year or so, Samshvilde was conquered by the

under

Malik-Shah I Malik-Shah I (, ) was the third sultan of the Seljuk Empire from 1072 to 1092, under whom the sultanate reached the zenith of its power and influence. During his youth, he spent his time participating in the campaigns of his father Alp Arslan, ...

Siege

In 1110 the

Georgians Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and Peoples of the Caucasus, Caucasian ethnic group native to present-day Georgia (country), Georgia and surrounding areas historically associated with the Ge ...

led by

, his nephew Theodore, governor of Trialeti, Abuleti and Ivane I Orbeli, retaliated against the

Seljuk Seljuk (, ''Selcuk'') or Saljuq (, ''Saljūq'') may refer to: * Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia * Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities * S ...

settlement and recaptured the town of

, which was added to the royal domains, without a major battle. Following this capture, the Seljuks left a large part of their occupied territories, allowing Georgian troops to capture .

Aftermath

Responding to this double defeat, Sultan

Muhammad I Tapar Muhammad I Tapar (, ; 20 January 1082 – 18 April 1118), was the sultan of the Seljuk Empire from 1105 to 1118. He was a son of Malik-Shah I () and Taj al-Din Khatun Safariya. Reign Muhammad was born in 20 January 1082. He succeeded his nephew, ...

in 1110, sent a large army of 200,000 or 100,000 (or only 10,000 according to the Armenian version of the Georgian Chronicles) soldiers with the aim of invading Georgia. Knowing of the approach of Turkish troops, David IV left his home at Nacharmagevi with a personal guard of only 1,500 men and set out to meet the invaders during the night. The two armies, clearly unequal, clashed the next day at the Battle of Trialeti in a hard fight which ended in a decisive victory for Georgia. The Georgian Chronicles relate that, not believing in such a simple victory, the king remained there until the next day, waiting for a new Seljuk response, and only then realized the Seljuk defeat.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * {{coord missing, Georgia (country) Military history of Georgia (country) Conflicts in 1110 Battles of the Georgian–Seljuk wars