Umayyad invasion of Georgia

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Marwan ibn Muhammad's invasion of Georgia
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Umayyad invasion of Georgia
Part of Umayyad expansion

Georgia and Caucasus after the invasion.
Date735–737
Location
Caucasus
Result Umayyad Caliphate victory
Belligerents
Principality of Iberia
Principality of Kakheti
Kingdom of Abkhazia
Duchy of Argveti		 Umayyad Caliphate
Commanders and leaders
Archil of Kakheti
Mirian of Kakheti
Leon I of Abkhazia
David of Argveti [ka]
Constantine of Argveti [ka]		 Marwan II
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The Umayyad invasion of Georgia, in Georgian historiography known as an Invasion of Marwan the Deaf (Georgian: მურვან ყრუს შემოსევა, romanized: murvan q'rus shemoseva) took place from 735 to 737, initiated by last Umayyad caliph Marwan II against the Principality of Iberia. The goals of the campaign are disputed among historians. The Georgian historiography insists its main purpose was to finally break the stiff Georgian resistance against Arab rule,[1] however, the western historians such as Cyril Toumanoff,[2] and Ronald Suny,[3] view it as a general campaign directed at both the Byzantine Empire, who exerted dominion over Western Georgia, and the Khazars, whose repeated raids affected not only Iberia (Eastern Georgia) and the whole Caucasus, but had in 730 reached Arab lands all the way to Mosul.

The invasion

The invasion was led by Marwan ibn Muhammad, who later became the last Umayyad caliph

Samtskhe, encamped in Odzrkhe and led his forces against the princes of Argveti, Constantine and David, from whom, upon their capture, he demanded unconditional conversion to Islam, which both refused. He tortured and then killed them for their refusal. After that, Marwan took Tshkumi (modern Sukhumi) and Tsikhegoji and again turned to Anakopia. The Arabs could not take the fortress, especially after heavy rains and floods began, and retreated with heavy losses.[citation needed
]

Legacy

Marwan's cruelty and ruthlessness was epitomized by the

Principate of Iberia was not abolished, and local nobility retained most of their power. Because civil instability and foreign enemies were plaguing the caliphate, it was unable to launch another invasion and until 786 settled upon receiving irregular tributes from the Georgian local princes.[citation needed
]

References

  1. ^ Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia, Vol. 7, pg. 199, Tb., 1984
  2. ^ Toumanoff, Cyril, "Iberia between Chosroid and Bagratid Rule", in Studies in Christian Caucasian History, Georgetown, 1963, p. 405. Accessible online at "Iberia between Chosroid and Bagratid Rule by Cyril Toumanoff. Eastern Asia Minor, Georgia, Georgian History, Armenia, Armenian History". Archived from the original on 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  3. ISBN 0253209153
  4. ^ Toumanoff 1963, p. 405, note 54
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