Sajid invasion of Georgia was the final attempt to establish Muslim hegemony in the South Caucasus before the Seljuk invasions.
Yusuf Ibn Abi'l-Saj, a
Sajid emir, whom Georgians knew as Abul-Kasim, invaded Georgian lands in 914, with the purpose to strengthen gradually weakening Arab power and Muslim hold on Georgian principalities. He first reached Tbilisi, then turned towards
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 eigh ...
and besieged the fortresses of Ujarma and Botchorma. Later, he made peace with
Kvirike, chorepiscopus (ruler) of Kakheti and returned control of Ujarma to him. After this, he marched his forces to Kartli and laid waste to it. Georgians themselves destroyed the fortifications of
Uplistsikhe
Uplistsikhe ( ka, უფლისციხე ; literally, "the lord's fortress") is an ancient rock-hewn town in eastern Georgia, some 10 kilometers east of the town of Gori, Shida Kartli.
Built on a high rocky left bank of the Mtkvari River, it ...
, so it wouldn't fall to the hands of the enemy. The Muslim forces then raided
Meskheti
Meskheti ( ka, მესხეთი) or Samtskhe ( ka, სამცხე) ( Moschia in ancient sources), is a mountainous area in southwestern Georgia.
History
Ancient tribes known as the Mushki (or Moschi) and Mosiniks (or Mossynoeci) were t ...
as well, but were unable to take the
Tmogvi
Tmogvi or Tmkaberd ( ka, თმოგვი ; hy, Թմկաբերդ) is a ruined fortress and medieval town in the southern Georgian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, on the left bank of the Kura River, a few kilometers downstream of the cave city ...
fortress and retreated. On the way they besieged
Q'ueli
Q'ueli ( ka, ყუელი) or Q'uelis-tsikhe (ყუელისციხე, "fortress of Q'ueli") was a medieval Georgian fortress atop the homonymous mountain of the Arsiani Range (Yalnızçam Dağları), now within the boundaries of Turkey, ...
fortress and
took it despite stiff resistance. Muslims captured the military commander of the castle,
Gobron
Gobron ( ka, გობრონი, tr) also known as Mikel-Gobron or Michael-Gobron () (died November 17, 914) was a Christian Georgian military commander who led the defense of the fortress of Q'ueli against the Sajid emir of Azerbaijan. When t ...
, and put him to death. He was later canonized by
Georgian Orthodox Church
The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია, tr), commonly ...
. Despite his military successes Abu l'Kasim was unable to attain his goal. He was forced to finally retreat from Georgian lands because of stubborn resistance by people whose lands he was so eager to ravage and subject.
The Georgian chronicle also mentions another expedition between 918 and 923 of the "Saracens called Saj", in the course of which
Mtskheta
Mtskheta ( ka, მცხეთა, tr ) is a city in Mtskheta-Mtianeti province of Georgia. It is one of the oldest cities in Georgia as well as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the World. Itis located approximately north of T ...
was taken and the
Monastery of the Holy Cross burned down. The Muslim sources are silent about these events.
Notes
See also
*
Arab rule in Georgia
Arab rule in Georgia, natively known as Araboba ( ka, არაბობა) refers to the period in the History of Georgia when all or part of the country was under political domination of Muslim Arab rulers, from the first Arab incursions in the ...
References
* ''ლორთქიფანიძე მ.,'' სომეხი და ქართველი ხალხების ბრძოლა არაბთა ბატონობის წინააღმდეგ, «ივ. ჯავახიშვილის სახ. ისტორიის ინსტიტუტის შრომები», ტ. 4, ნაკვ. 1, თბ., 1958;
* ''ჯავახიშვილი ივ.,'' ქართველი ერის ისტორია, წგნ. 2, თბ., 1965;
* ''ლორთქიფანიძე მ.,'' ქსე, ტ. 1, გვ. 45-46, თბ., 1975
*
{{Georgia-stub
Wars involving Georgia (country)
Invasions of Georgia (country)
910s conflicts
Battles involving the Sajid dynasty
914
10th century in Georgia (country)