The Battle of Sasireti ( ka, სასირეთის ბრძოლა) took place in 1042 at the village of Sasireti in the present day

Shida Kartli Shida Kartli ( ka, შიდა ქართლი, , ; "Inner Kartli") is a landlocked administrative region (''Mkhare'') in eastern Georgia. It comprises a central part of the historical-geographic province of Shida Kartli. With an area of , S ...

region, not far from the town of

Kaspi Kaspi ( ka, კასპი) is a town in central Georgia on the Mtkvari River. It is a center of Kaspi district, one of the four districts in Shida Kartli region. Founded in the early Middle Ages, the town turned into possession of the Amilak ...

, during the civil war in the

Kingdom of Georgia The Kingdom of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამეფო, tr), also known as the Georgian Empire, was a medieval Eurasian monarchy that was founded in circa 1008 AD. It reached its Golden Age of political and economic ...

. It resulted in a decisive defeat of the army of King Bagrat IV by the rebel feudal lord

Liparit IV, Duke of Kldekari Liparit IV, sometimes known as Liparit III ( ka, ლიპარიტ IV II}), was an 11th-century Georgian general and political figure who was at times the most valuable support of King Bagrat IV of Georgia (1027–1072) and his most dange ...

History

A feud between Bagrat IV and his former general, Liparit Baghvashi, a powerful duke of Kldekari, erupted during their campaign against the Georgian city of

Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million pe ...

(1037–1040), which at the time was ruled by Arab emirs. The king, advised by Liparit's opponents, made peace with Emir Ali ibn-Jafar, a sworn enemy of the duke, in 1040. In retaliation, Liparit revolted and endeavoured to put Demetre, Bagrat's half-brother, on the Georgian throne. However, he had no success and ended hostilities with Bagrat, receiving the title of Grand Duke of

Kartli Kartli ( ka, ქართლი ) is a historical region in central-to-eastern Georgia traversed by the river Mtkvari (Kura), on which Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, is situated. Known to the Classical authors as Iberia, Kartli played a crucial rol ...

, but giving up his son, Ioane, as a hostage of the king. Soon Liparit rose again in rebellion, requesting

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

aid. Supported by a Byzantine force and an army of

Kakheti Kakheti ( ka, კახეთი ''K’akheti''; ) is a region ( mkhare) formed in the 1990s in eastern Georgia from the historical province of Kakheti and the small, mountainous province of Tusheti. Telavi is its capital. The region comprises ...

(a kingdom in eastern Georgia), he released his son and again invited the pretender prince Demetre to be crowned king. The latter died at the very beginning of the war, but Liparit continued to fight the king's forces. The royal army commanded by King Bagrat was joined by a

Varangian The Varangians (; non, Væringjar; gkm, Βάραγγοι, ''Várangoi'';Varangian
" Online Etymo ...

detachment of 1000 men, probably a subdivision of the 3000 men strong expedition of the Swedish Viking

Ingvar the Far-Travelled Ingvar the Far-Travelled (Old Norse: ''Yngvarr víðförli'', Swedish: ''Ingvar Vittfarne'') was a Swedish Viking who led an expedition that fought in Georgia. The Rus' undertook several Caspian expeditions in the course of the 10th century. Th ...

. According to an old Georgian chronicle, they had landed at Bashi, a place by the mouth of the

Rioni river The Rioni ( ka, რიონი, ; , ) is the main river of western Georgia. It originates in the Caucasus Mountains, in the region of Racha and flows west to the Black Sea, entering it north of the city of Poti (near ancient Phasis). The city o ...

, in Western Georgia. The two armies fought a decisive battle near the village of Sasireti, eastern

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, in the spring of 1042. Ingvar and the Varangians charged the rebel force before King Bagrat could consolidate his army, forcing him to join the assault without any strategy. In fierce fighting, the royal army was defeated and retreated westwards. Ingvar and many of his men were captured but later released by Liparit. Every captured royalist on the other hand were tortured and maimed. However many of the vikings including Ingvar did not survive marching beyond

Kutaisi Kutaisi (, ka, ქუთაისი ) is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the third-most populous city in Georgia, traditionally, second in importance, after the capital city of Tbilisi. Situated west of Tbil ...

as they succumbed to disease. The rebel leader proceeded to seize the key fortress of

Ardanuç Ardanuç ( ka, italic=yes, არტანუჯი, Artanuji; ) is a town and district in Artvin Province in Turkey's Black Sea region of Turkey, 32 km east of Artvin. The name Ardanuç derives from Lazuri language and Armenian ( lzz, Artan ...

, thereby becoming the virtual ruler of the southern and eastern provinces of Georgia. Defeated in the battle, it was not until 1059 that Bagrat IV was able to restore his authority in the kingdom, forcing the renegade Duke Liparit into exile in Constantinople.

References

{{Reflist Sasireti 1042 Sasireti 1042 Sasireti 1042 1040s in the Byzantine Empire Sasireti Sasireti 1042 in Asia 1042 in Europe 11th century in the Kingdom of Georgia Sasireti

History

See also

Further reading

References