Prelude (1198-1199 CE) Alarmed by Georgia’s growing power, Sultan
Suleiman II of Rum gathered the Muslim principalities of
Anatolia into an alliance against Georgia. The interests of Georgia and the Sultanate of Rum clashed along the southern coast of the
Black Sea, where both sought to exploit Byzantium’s weakness and establish their own spheres of influence. Suleiman II prepared for war with the dual aim of weakening
Christian Georgia and ultimately conquering it. Between 1201 and 1203, the sultan—supported by troops commanded by his brother,
Tughril ibn Kılıç Arslan II Shah of
Elbistan, the
Mengujekid ruler Bahram Shah of
Erzincan, possibly the
Artuqids of Harput, and local Turkmen warriors—captured
Erzurum. There he deposed Georgia’s vassal,
Saltuk, and replaced him with his brother, Tughril Shah. Suleiman II's envoys delivered letters to Queen Tamar demanding her capitulation and threatening the annihilation of disobedient Christians. In these letters, the sultan mocked the queen, declaring: “Every woman is simple-minded… you are a simple-minded queen… a murderer and collector of tribute from Muslims.” Tamar’s initial response was dignified yet firm: “You rely on gold and the multitude of your warriors; I rely on the power of God.” The envoy also conveyed an oral message from the sultan: that Suleiman II would make Tamar his wife if she accepted
Islam, or his concubine if she refused.
Zakaria II Mkhargrdzeli struck the messenger and told him, “Were you not an envoy, your tongue would be cut out first and your head next.” He then foretold that divine judgment would soon befall Suleiman II at the hands of the Georgians.
Preparations for Battle and
Ivane I Mkhargrdzeli on the east facade at
Harichavank,
Armenia. The
Georgian army, numbering approximately 65,000–90,000 troops, was made ready for combat within ten days. As soon as Suleiman II's envoy departed, the army advanced to the battlefield under the command of
David Soslan. Among his leading officers were
Zakaria and
Ivane Mkhargrdzeli,
Shalva Akhaltsikheli, and
Ivane Akhaltsikheli, along with other distinguished commanders. According to
The Life of Queen Tamar, the Georgian forces assembled in
Vardzia before the march, where Queen Tamar addressed her troops from the balcony of a church. The chronicle records: “Queen Tamar herself led her army, barefoot, with her face washed by tears.” Suleiman II, meanwhile, gathered his own forces. He was supported by his brother-in-law, the Emir of
Erzincan, though he was betrayed by
Erzurum, whose leaders remembered their former vassalage to Georgia. Muslim sources—both Arab and Turkish—claim that his army numbered around 400,000 men, though estimates vary widely, from 150,000 to 400,000.
The Battle After assembling his allied contingents, Suleiman II's massive army advanced toward the Georgian frontier and encamped near
Basiani. The Georgian forces were deployed in a well-coordinated formation: the western (
Abkhaz-
Imeretian) and eastern (
Kartlian and
Hereti-
Kakhetian) divisions held the flanks, while a powerful central corps of 40,000 warriors stood under the command of
Shalva and
Ivane Akhaltsikheli. The vanguard was led by
Zakaria II Mkhargrdzeli. Under cover of night, the Georgians launched a surprise assault with their advance troops, sowing confusion and panic among the enemy ranks. Although the sultan managed to rally his forces and mount a counterattack, they were soon overwhelmed by a series of coordinated flanking maneuvers that shattered the Seljuk lines. The troops of Suleiman II fought fiercely, forcing many Georgian cavalrymen to dismount and fight on foot. For a time, the Georgians appeared close to defeat, until the main Georgian divisions under
David Soslan struck from the flanks, encircling the Turks and turning the tide of battle. The historian
Ibn Bibi attributed the collapse of Seljuk morale to an incident involving the sultan’s standard-bearer, whose horse slipped and fell. The accident reportedly sparked rumors of Suleiman II's death, causing widespread panic and disarray in his ranks. According to the historian Aqsarayi, the Seljuks fell into a Georgian ambush, while the Georgian chronicle emphasizes the courage and steadfastness of the Georgian soldiers, as well as divine intervention, though it concedes that the Georgians nearly suffered defeat at one point in the engagement. == Aftermath ==