Mongol invasion of the Caucasus | |||||||
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Part of Mongol Invasion of Europe | |||||||
Mongol under Subotai clash with christian knights |
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Belligerents | |||||||
Mongol Empire | Kingdom of Georgia | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Subotai | King George IV of Georgia | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Light Cavalry | knights | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
20,000 light cavalry | 30,000 Knights 40,000 additional cavalry 70,000 in total |
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Casualties and losses | |||||||
minimal | tens of thousands killed |
King George IV of Georgia possessed one of the best armies in eastern Europe. At the time, they had the largest contingent of knights and horse cavalry ever assembled (30,000 knights and 40,000 light cavalry). Even the Holy Roman Empire never produced such numbers of knights. Each member of the army was a veteran of repelling great Muslim armies in the Middle East and protecting their borders. One of the most important knights fought in the Crusades prior to the Mongol invasion.
Subotai received orders to head north from Iran to find Muhammad II of Khwarezm. When he received news that the Shah died, he headed north to receive more intelligence from the Kingdom of Georgia. He landed at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains to prepare for battle against the Kingdom of Georgia. King George IV of Georgia heard the news that the Mongols had landed on his Kingdom, immediately assembling all of his heavily armoured knights and adding more mounted troops to face the hordes.
King George IV of Georgia led an all out war and charged straight into the Mongols. Subotai, a skilled strategist and possibly the best of his time, maneuvered his cavalry with Armour piercing arrows. The Georgians showed great heart and possessed great courage to face the Mongols, but it did not bring significant change on the battlefield. Subotai finished the battle off with a feigned retreat and eliminated tens of thousands of knights in King George IV of Georgia's disposal. A good exercise by the Mongols to prepare similar challenges they would face on European soil, which will be one of Subotai's most lasting fame until the death of Ogedei, that halted the Mongol advance further to the lands of the Holy Roman Empire