Battle of Didgori - The Battle

The Battle

The resurgence of Georgians’ military energies brought about a coordinated Muslim response. Both Georgian and Islamic sources testify that, on the complaints of the Muslims of Tbilisi, Sultan Mahmud II b. Muhammad (r. 1118-1131) sent an expedition into Georgia in which the Artuqid Ilghazi of Mardin, the Mazyadid Dubays II b. Sadaqa of Al Hillah and the sultan’s brother Tughrul, lord of Arran and Nakhichevan, with his atabeg Kun-toghdi all took part. This combined army under the overall command of Ilghazi entered the valley of Trialeti in eastern Georgia and encamped in the vicinities of Didgori and Manglisi in mid-August 1121.

The number of combatants as well as the course of the battle is differently related in the contemporaneous historical records. The strength of the Seljuq army is variously put, by the medieval Islamic, Georgian, Armenian and European sources from 460,000 to 850,000. King David’s army has traditionally been estimated at 40,000 Georgians, 15,000 Kipchaks, 500 Alans and 100 "Frankish" Crusaders. Whereas modern estimates give numbers of 10,000-15,000 ethnic Georgians only in total of which 5,000 consisted of the King's Royal Guard the elite force, while the vassal Kipchaks were more numerous. The number of Frankish crusaders remains undisputed. The modern estimate of the Seljuk force varies between 150,000 to 250,000. According to the Arab chronicler Ibn al-Athir, David sent a small detachment of his men in order to simulate negotiation. Meanwhile, he successfully managed to deploy a large portion of his troops were they would almost encircle the enemy in a pincer movement. The Seljuq leadership remained unaware of such activities. Upon approaching the Seljuq leaders, the diplomat group unveiled their real intentions by suddenly attacking and killing the enemy commander and others who were attending. This decicive surprise attack caused confusion in the ranks of the Seljuq forces and likely contributed to the chaotic response to the final attack. The Georgian forces were divided into several groups under David and his son, Demetrius. Those simultaneously struck against the Seljuq flanks, leaving only a gap in the rear so that an escape was possible. David considered that as a calculated part of his plan. Seeing that gap, the psychological impact of being almost completely surrounded, would provoke the leaderless men to break their formations and head to safety through the gap. However, in a pitched three hours battle, the Seljuq troops broke and were completely overrun. Many of those who fled were constantly run down by pursuing Georgian cavalry for several days. A huge amount of booty and prisoners were secured by David's army. Aside from those accounts, it has also been suggested that confronted by a much smaller but still superior force, David had to rely on the advantages the nearby terrain had offered. The Seljuk cavalry was tricked into a narrow pass where they likely had not much room to maneuver and were easily taken out by spears and pikes. The rest of the coalition army was probably forced to climb slopes to attack the Georgian army's main body, while suddenly being struck at the flanks. After a while, those tactics broke the fighting will of the Muslim army, which was soon routed. King David didn't hesitate and ordered his light cavalry to run down the retreating soldiers. The amount of men fleeing the field must have been so huge, that the Georgian cavalry was on pursuit for several days. A huge number of prisoners were most likely taken. In either case, the enemy army was completely disintegrated, as the Georgians were able to liberate the entire region from Muslim influence and even contest territories within the Seljuq Empire.