Battle of Krtsanisi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Krtsanisi |
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| Part of Persian invasions of Georgia | |||||||||
 Battle of Krtsanisi by Valerian Sidamon-Eristavi |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti Kingdom of Imereti |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Heraclius II Solomon II |
 Agha Mohammad Khan |
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| Strength | |||||||||
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per Persian sources 10,000 |
30,000 or 40,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 4,000 troops killed. Unknown number of wounded or captured. 15,000 captives (civilians) moved to mainland Persia. |
13,000 killed. Unknown number of wounded or captured. | ||||||||
The Battle of Krtsanisi was a major fight between the army of Qajar Iran (also known as Persia) and the Georgian armies. It happened near Tbilisi, Georgia, from September 8 to September 11, 1795. The Georgian forces were from the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti and the Kingdom of Imereti.
This battle was part of a war started by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, the ruler of Persia. He was upset because King Heraclius II of Georgia had made an alliance with the Russian Empire. The battle ended with a big defeat for the Georgians. Their capital city, Tbilisi, was captured and badly damaged. Eastern Georgia then came under Persian control for a short time.
Even though the Russian Empire had promised to protect Heraclius's kingdom in the Treaty of Georgievsk (1783), they did not help during this battle. To regain their honor, Russia's ruler, Catherine the Great, sent an army against Persia in 1796. However, this army was called back when Catherine died later that year.
Persian rule over Georgia did not last long. The Persian ruler was killed in 1797. The Georgian king died the year after. With Georgia in ruins and Persia dealing with who would rule next, Russia was able to take over Georgia a few years later. This happened under Tsar Paul.
The Battle of Krtsanisi led to two big wars between Russia and Persia. These were the 1804–1813 and 1826–1828 conflicts. Persia wanted to get back control of lands like Transcaucasia and Dagestan. These areas had been part of Persia for many centuries. However, Persia lost these wars. They had to give up Transcaucasia and Dagestan to Russia. This was agreed in the Treaty of Gulistan (1813) and the Treaty of Turkmenchay (1828).
Why the Battle Happened
Eastern Georgia included the kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti. For a long time, these kingdoms were under the control of Iran. In 1744, Nader Shah, a Persian ruler, made Teimuraz II and his son Heraclius II kings of Kartli and Kakheti. This was a reward for their loyalty.
When Nader Shah died in 1747, there was a lot of confusion in Iran. Teimuraz II and Heraclius II used this chance to become truly independent. After Teimuraz II died in 1762, Heraclius II took control of Kartli. He united the two kingdoms into the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti. This made him the first Georgian ruler to unite eastern Georgia in 300 years.
Around the same time, Karim Khan Zand became the ruler of Iran. Heraclius II officially accepted Karim Khan's rule. But in reality, he remained independent. In 1783, Heraclius placed his kingdom under the protection of the Russian Empire. This was done through the Treaty of Georgievsk.
In the late 1700s, Georgia became very important in the relationship between Russia and Iran. Russia's ruler, Catherine the Great, saw Georgia as a key place for her plans. She wanted to use it as a base to fight against both Iran and the Ottoman Empire. Russia also wanted a port on the Georgian coast of the Black Sea.
A small group of Russian soldiers arrived in Tbilisi in 1784. But they were pulled out in 1787. This happened because Russia started a new war against the Ottoman Empire. Heraclius II was very upset by this.
For the next few years, Russia was busy with other conflicts. They were fighting Turkey and dealing with events in Europe. Even when the Qajar dynasty took power in Persia under Agha Mohammad Khan, Russia did not focus on Georgia.
In 1791, Heraclius asked Russia for military help again. But Russia decided not to send troops to Georgia. In 1792, Russia told Heraclius they would only offer diplomatic support. This meant they would talk for him, but not send soldiers. Even though he was left to defend himself, Heraclius still hoped to create a strong, united Georgian kingdom with Russia's help.
A few years later, the Qajar dynasty became the new rulers of Persia. Their leader, Agha Mohammad Khan, decided his first goal was to bring the Caucasus region back under Persian control. He saw Georgia as a part of the Persian Empire, just like other provinces. He believed Georgia's independence was an act of betrayal.
After making sure other parts of Persia were secure, the Persians demanded that Heraclius II break his treaty with Russia. They wanted him to accept Persian rule again. In return, they promised peace for his kingdom. Even the Ottomans, Iran's rival, agreed that Iran had rights over Kartli and Kakheti.
Heraclius asked Empress Catherine II of Russia for help. He pleaded for at least 3,000 Russian soldiers. But his request was ignored. Georgia was left to face the Persian threat alone. Despite this, Heraclius II still refused the Persian ruler's demand.
The Battle Begins
In August 1795, Agha Mohammad Khan crossed the Aras river with a huge army. Some sources say he had 70,000 soldiers. This army was split into three parts. One part went towards Erivan, another towards Dagestan and Shirvan. Agha Mohammad Khan himself led the main force towards the fortress of Shusha. He tried to capture Shusha, but it was well defended. The Georgian crown prince, Aleksandre, also helped defend it.
Agha Mohammad Khan then made alliances with the rulers of Ganja and Erivan. He eventually made a deal with the ruler of Karabakh, Ibrahim Khalil Khan. Ibrahim Khan agreed to pay tribute and send hostages. But the Persian army was not allowed into Shusha. Since his main goal was Georgia, Agha Mohammad Khan was happy with this agreement for now.
He then moved his army further. At Ganja, he was joined by Javad Khan Qajar and his soldiers. From Ganja, Agha Mohammad Khan sent his final message to Heraclius. Heraclius received it in September 1795.
The message said that for a long time, Georgia had been under Iran's rule. It criticized Heraclius for joining with the Russians. It warned that if Heraclius did not break ties with Russia, Persia would attack Georgia. It threatened to cause great bloodshed.
Another historian from that time, Ḥasan-e Fasāʼi, wrote that Agha Mohammad Khan's letter said: "Shah Ismail I Safavi ruled over Georgia. Now, most of Persia is under our control. You must, by old laws, see Georgia as part of the empire. You must come before our majesty. If you obey, you can keep your rule over Georgia. If not, you will be treated like others."
Heraclius's advisors were divided on what to do. Heraclius ignored the demand. He sent messengers to Russia for help. But the Russian commander, Gudovich, told Heraclius to avoid trouble. Heraclius, along with Solomon II and some soldiers from Imereti, moved south of Tbilisi. They prepared to fight the Persians.
Agha Mohammad Khan marched directly on Tbilisi. He had about half of his army with him, possibly 35,000 to 40,000 soldiers. He attacked the strong Georgian defenses on the edge of the city. Many of Heraclius's nobles had left him. But Heraclius II managed to gather about 5,000 troops. This included about 2,000 soldiers from the nearby Kingdom of Imereti. These Imeretian soldiers were led by their King Solomon II, who was related to Heraclius II.
The Georgians fought very bravely. They managed to push back several Persian attacks on September 9 and 10. It is said that some traitors told the Persians that the Georgians were tired and could not fight anymore. Because of this, the Persian army changed its mind about going back to Persia.
Early on September 11, Agha Mohammad Khan personally led a full attack against the Georgians. There was a fierce fight with cannons and cavalry. The Persians managed to cross the Kura River. They then surrounded the Georgian army, which had lost many soldiers. Heraclius II tried to fight back, but he had to retreat. He moved to the last remaining positions outside Tbilisi.
By nightfall, the Georgian forces were exhausted and almost completely destroyed. The last few Georgian cannons held back the Persians for a short time. This allowed Heraclius II and about 150 of his men to escape through the city to the mountains.
Fighting continued in the streets of Tbilisi and at the Narikala fortress. Within a few hours, Agha Mohammad Khan had full control of the Georgian capital. The city was badly damaged, and many people were killed. The archbishop of Tbilisi, Doistheus, was among those who died. The Persian army returned home with many valuable things and took about 15,000 people captive. The Georgians lost 4,000 men in the battle. The Iranians lost 13,000, which was a third of their total force.
What Happened Next
After capturing Tbilisi and controlling eastern Georgia, Agha Mohammad was officially crowned Shah in 1796. This happened in the Mughan plain. Russia's ally, Georgia, had been punished, and Russia's reputation was damaged.
Heraclius II returned to Tbilisi to rebuild the city. But the destruction of his capital was a huge blow to his hopes. When General Gudovich heard about Tbilisi's fall, he blamed the Georgians themselves. To restore Russia's honor, Catherine II declared war on Persia. She sent an army in April of that year. But the new Tsar Paul I, who became ruler after Catherine died in November, soon called the army back.
Agha Mohammad Shah was later killed in 1797 while preparing another trip to Georgia. The experienced King Heraclius died in early 1798. Persian control over Georgia did not last long. In 1799, the Russians marched into Tbilisi. The next two years were confusing. The weakened and damaged Georgian kingdom, with its capital partly in ruins, was easily taken over by Russia in 1801.
Because Iran could not allow Russia to take control of Transcaucasia and Dagestan, the Battle of Krtsanisi led directly to two more wars between the nations. These were the Russo-Persian War (1804-1813) and the Russo-Persian War (1826-1828). These wars eventually forced Iran to give up the mentioned regions to Russia. This was agreed in the Gulistan (1813) and Turkmenchay (1828) treaties.
More to Explore
- Three Hundred Aragvians
- List of Georgian battles
- Persian Expedition of 1796
