Siege of Tbilisi (1795)
| Siege of Tbilisi | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Persian invasions of Georgia | |||||||||
Capture of Tiflis by Agha Mohammad Shah | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti | Qajar Iran | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Heraclius II (AWOL) Sohrab Khan Gorji (POW) | Agha Mohammad Shah | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 5,000 | 40,000-60,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Heavy | Unknown | ||||||||
| The city was looted, and between 15,000 to 50,000 captives (including women and children) were taken to Iran as slaves. Furthermore, priests were drowned and churches were set on fire.[1][2] | |||||||||
The Siege of Tbilisi (Georgian: თბილისის ალყა, romanized: tbilisis alq'a,Persian: محاصره و سقوط تفلیس) took place in 1795 during the fierce campaign led by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar against the Caucasus, specifically targeting the city of Tbilisi. This event occurred during the early stages of the rise of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar and the consolidation of his power.[3]
Background
In the late 18th century, Agha Mohammad Khan successfully unified Iran under his rule, establishing what became known as Qajar Iran. Once he ensured that internal rebellions were suppressed, he turned his attention toward the north, specifically the Caucasus. He viewed this region as an integral part of Iran, especially as it had been under Iranian sovereignty during the Safavid and Afsharid eras.[4]
However, while Agha Mohammad Khan was preoccupied with unifying the Iranian interior, Georgia, led by Heraclius II, began distancing itself from Iranian influence. Georgia sought a closer relationship with the Russian Empire, culminating in the Treaty of Georgievsk. Under this treaty, Georgia's allegiance shifted to the Russian Empire instead of Iran, and Russian troops were permitted to enter Georgian territory. With Russian backing, Heraclius II even annexed the Khanate of Ganja.[5]
When these developments reached Agha Mohammad Khan, he initially attempted a diplomatic approach. He sent an ultimatum to Heraclius II, offering to grant him control over several khanates, such as Karabakh, Shirvan, and Erivan, provided that he severed ties with Russia and restored Georgia’s tributary status with Iran. Confident in Russian support, Heraclius II rejected these overtures.[6]
Siege
After these events, Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar launched a massive army of cavalry, numbering between 40,000 and 60,000 fighters, toward Tbilisi in 1795. Upon reaching the city walls, the Georgian King Heraclius II, found himself alone; despite the Russian promises of military assistance, he was rebuffed by Saint Petersburg, and no aid arrived. Consequently, Heraclius II deployed only 5,000 soldiers to face the overwhelming force.[7][8]
A fierce Georgian resistance fought gallantly, managing to push the Qajar forces back three times. However, the Qajars ultimately triumphed due to their superior numbers and seized control of Tbilisi. Heraclius II fled to the mountains, while the city was subjected to a brutal sack. The Qajar troops burned churches, destroyed much of the city, and drowned priests in the Kura River. Finally, they captured between 15,000 and 50,000 prisoners (including children, youth, and women) taking them back to Iran as slaves.[9][10]
Aftermath
In May 1796, Empress Catherine II launched a full-scale ground and naval invasion. A force of approximately 50,000 men (with some estimates ranging between 30,000 and 40,000) was deployed under the command of Valerian Zubov. The campaign’s ultimate objective was to topple Agha Mohammad Shah and replace him with a pro-Russian half-brother. By mid-June, Russian forces had secured the submission of several key areas, including Ganja, Shirvan, Shaki, Karabakh, and Baku, though the khanates of Erivan and Nakhchivan remained unoccupied during this phase.[11]
See also
References
- ^ Egger, Vernon. "A History of the Muslim World since 1260: The Making of a Global Community".
- ^ Krzysztan, Bartłomiej. "Representations of Collective Memory in Georgia, Armenia, Abkhazia and Nagorno Karabakh: The Political, Memory and Power". p. 279.
- ^ Daryaee, Touraj (2011). "The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History". p. 320.
- ^ "OGM Iran At War 1500 1988". p. 173.
- ^ "ĀḠĀ MOḤAMMAD KHAN QĀJĀR, Encyclopaedia Iranica".
- ^ "History of Persia under Qājār Rule, translated from the Persian of Hasan-e Fasāi's Fārsnāma-ye Nāṣeri". pp. 66–67.
- ^ Krzysztan, Bartłomiej. "Representations of Collective Memory in Georgia, Armenia, Abkhazia and Nagorno Karabakh: The Political, Memory and Power". p. 279.
- ^ Egger, Vernon. "A History of the Muslim World since 1260: The Making of a Global Community".
- ^ "Urban Narratives: Exploring Identity, Heritage, and Sustainable Development in Cities". p. 102.
- ^ "The history of Persia : from the most early period to the present time". p. 191.
- ^ Cronin, Stephanie. "Iranian-Russian Encounters: Empires and Revolutions Since 1800". p. 51.