Campaigns of Ismail I in Georgia

The campaigns of Ismail I in Georgia were military expeditions organized by the Shah of Iran with the objective of establishing hegemony in the South Caucasus and consolidating his strategic positions against the Ottoman Empire.

Ismail I campaigned in Georgia multiple times under various pretexts. Prior to his accession as Shah, in the autumn of 1500, he dispatched Kholepa-Begi [Khulafa Beg] from Basiani to Georgia. The Kizilbash [Qizilbash] devastated Samtskhe-Saatabago and seized extensive spoils.

In 1516, Manuchar rebelled against his nephew, Kvar­kvare III Jaqeli, the ruler of Samtskhe , and usurped the throne. Kvarkvare appealed to Ismail I for military assistance. Under the command of Div-Sultani [Div Sultan Rumlu], the Qizilbash invaded Samtskhe, forcing Manuchar to flee to the Ottoman Empire. Div-Sultan captured the Tmogvi fortress and reinstated Kvarkvare III to his authority.

In 1518, Manuchar invaded Samtskhe accompanied by an Ottoman army but suffered a defeat. Div-Sultan crossed into Georgia once again, plundered Odishi and later withdrew. As Manuchar persisted in his military resistance, Kvarkvare III again requested aid from Ismail I and guided the army dispatched under the command of Div-Sultan into Georgia. The Qizilbash captured Gori and Surami.

In 1521, King Levan of Kakheti raided Shaki. In response, Ismail I once again sent Div-Sultan to Georgia, who subsequently plundered Gremi and Zagemi. Levan submitted to the Qizilbash and acknowledged vassalage. Despite these consecutive campaigns, Ismail I was unable to achieve the total subjugation of Georgia.

Sources:  ჰასან რუმლუს ცნობები სა­ქარ­თვე­ლოს შე­სა­ხებ, ვლ. ფუთურიძის გამოც., შენიშვნები რ. კიკნაძისა, თბ., 1966.

Literature: კაციტაძე დ., ირან-საქარ­თვე­ლოს ურთიერთობის ისტორიიდან (შაჰ-ისმაილ I-ის სა­ქარ­თვე­ლოში ლაშქრობის საკითხისათვის), «თსუ შრომები», 1964, ტ. 108; სა­ქარ­თვე­ლოს ისტორიის ნარკვევები, ტ. 4, თბ., 1973; ჯავახი­შვი­ლი ივ., ქართველი ერის ისტორია, წგ. 3, თბ., 1966.

R. Kiknadze