Siege of Ganja (1213)

Siege of Ganja
Date 1213 Location Ganja, Arran. 40°40′58″N 46°21′38″E / 40.68278°N 46.36056°E / 40.68278; 46.36056Coordinates: 40°40′58″N 46°21′38″E / 40.68278°N 46.36056°E / 40.68278; 46.36056 Result Decisive Georgian victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Georgia	Atabeg of Ganja
Commanders and leaders
George IV
Strength
4,500 (assault)	10,000

The Siege of Ganja was the successful siege of the city of Ganja, by the Georgians under King George IV in 1213.

Background

After Queen Tamar's death, the kingdom was inherited by her son George IV. The young king was no sooner crowned than atabeg of Ganja revolted and stopped bringing tribute to the King. Learning of this, King George called Darbazi – the supreme royal council – where he proposed punishing the atabeg of Ganja immediately. The nobles approved a campaign and with an ample army George IV set out to ravage Ganja.

Battle

The Ganjians were unable to offer resistance; Arran was devastated, many captives and much spoil was taken. Georgians approached the town of Ganja, surrounded it and fought for many days; and day after day fighters came in groups out of the gate of the fortress to engage in battle with the soldiers enforcing the siege. Then the King decided to skirt the town with a small squad. While he was surrounding the city from the plain alongside the river Kura, the inhabitants of Ganja discovered him and heavily arming themselves prepared for the attack. Ganjians were about 10,000 well-armed men, while the King had roughly 4,000 soldiers with him.^[1] Seeing that the King was close, the Ganjians opened the gates. King George IV rushed forward and engaged the enemy, and a battle took place. Ganjians were pursued up to the very gates of Ganja. Only a few of them managed to reach the town, most of them being taken captive, and some were slain. George IV had to apologize when the military authorities scolded him for his wayward and willful behavior and threatened to leave the army. Ganja was finally taken after a lasting siege. The atabeg of Ganja was compelled to continue paying the tribute and acknowledge himself a subject of Georgia.

References