Battle of Didgori დიდგორის ბრძოლა |
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Part of the Georgian-Seljuk wars | |||||||||
The aftermath of the Didgori battle portrayed in "Spirit of the Rider" made by Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau in 2016. |
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Belligerents | |||||||||
Kingdom of Jerusalem | |||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Ilghazi (WIA) Dubays II |
David IV Prince Demetrius |
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Strength | |||||||||
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Total: 55,600
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Casualties and losses | |||||||||
Majority of coalition army destroyed or routed, large number of prisoners taken. | Unknown |
Total: 55,600
The Battle of Didgori (Georgian: დიდგორის ბრძოლა; Turkish: Didgori Muharebesi) was fought between the armies of the Kingdom of Georgia and the declining Great Seljuq Empire at the place of Didgori, 40 km west of Tbilisi, (the modern-day capital of Georgia), on August 12, 1121. The battle resulted in King David IV of Georgia’s decisive victory over a Seljuk invasion army under Ilghazi and the subsequent reconquest of a Muslim-held Tbilisi, which became the royal capital. The victory at Didgori inaugurated the medieval Georgian Golden Age and is celebrated in the Georgian chronicles as a "miraculous victory" (ძლევაჲ საკვირველი, dzlevay sakvirveli). Modern Georgians continue to remember the event as an annual September festival known as Didgoroba ("[the day] of Didgori").