Battle of Akhaltsikhe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Akhaltsikhe
Part of Russo-Turkish War
Siege of Akhaltsikhe 1828, by January Suchodolski
Date August 9, 1828 Location Akhaltsikhe 41°38′20″N 42°59′10″E / 41.63889°N 42.98611°E / 41.63889; 42.98611 Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Field-Marshal Paskevich Nicholas Muravyov	Kios-Mahomet-Pasha Ali-Pasha
Strength
Offence 9,000-17,000 Defence 1,164	Offence 30,000 Defence 20,000
Casualties and losses
Offence >400 Defence 100	Offence 4,000 Defence Killed: 2,000 Captured: 500

The Battle of Akhaltsikhe refers to important fights that happened near the city of Akhaltsikhe. This city is in a country called Georgia. These battles were part of bigger wars between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire.

There were a few key battles:

• A major battle on August 9, 1828, during the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829. About 9,000 Russian soldiers, led by Field-Marshal Paskevich, fought against 30,000 Turkish soldiers. The Russians won this battle.
• Another fight happened on March 4, 1829. A smaller group of Russian soldiers, led by General Nicholas Muravyov, defended the Akhaltsikhe fortress. They were attacked by 20,000 Turkish soldiers.
• A battle on November 12, 1853, during the Crimean War. About 7,000 Russian troops, many from Georgia, fought 18,000 Turkish soldiers. The Russians stopped the Turkish advance and made them retreat.

About Akhaltsikhe

Akhaltsikhe is a city in the center of a region called Samtskhe-Javakheti. It has about 20,000 people living there. The city was founded in the 12th century. However, the first big settlement started in the 10th century.

A prince named Guaram Mampal, whose father was a king, started the settlement. His family wanted to take control of Georgia. They built a strong fortress there. They named the city Akhaltsikhe, which means "new fortress" or "new castle" in Georgian.

The Rabat Fortress

The main part of Akhaltsikhe was a castle called the Rabat fortress. It was very important for the Samtskhe Atabeg region. This castle was built on the bank of the Potskhovi River.

In 1578, the Ottoman Empire took control of Akhaltsikhe. The Ottomans had tried to conquer the city many times before. The city is split into two parts. There is an old city on a hill where the fortress is. There is also a newer area on the flat plains.

The Rabat fortress was fixed up starting in 2011. Now, Akhaltsikhe is a popular place for tourists to visit in Georgia.

The Battle of 1828

The Battle of Akhaltsikhe in 1828 was a big part of the Russo-Turkish War. It is also known as the Siege of Akhaltsikhe. A siege is when an army surrounds a place to try and capture it.

The battle began on August 9, 1828, in Akhaltsikhe, Georgia. The siege lasted for three weeks. Akhaltsikhe is located where Europe and Asia meet, close to Armenia.

Who Fought?

About 9,000 Russian soldiers were led by General Count Ivan Paskevich. They fought against about 30,000 Turkish soldiers. The Turkish forces were led by Kios-Mahomet-Pasha.

Before this battle, the Russians had captured the city of Kars in Turkey. Then, they tried to take the fortress of Akhaltsikhe. After three weeks of heavy fighting, Akhaltsikhe fell to the Russians. Both the Russians and the Turks had many soldiers injured or killed.

Why Was Akhaltsikhe Important?

The Ottoman Empire wanted to take Akhaltsikhe to get more land. They wanted to make their empire bigger. The Russian troops fought hard for Akhaltsikhe. This stopped the Turks from keeping the fortress.

Akhaltsikhe was also an important route for trade in the 18th century. The Russians wanted to control this land too. The Rabat castle complex survived the war. However, it was in very bad shape and needed a lot of repair work years later. Some monasteries were also destroyed during the war.