Three Hundred Aragvians

Hi, this is Our Bloody History, where we spotlight massive acts of bravery unknown by most.

Today's drop:

The final stand of three hundred highlanders from the Aragvi Valley, an epic encounter that happened this week, 227 years ago, on 11 September 1795, when Georgia was invaded by Persia. 

If you haven't seen the movie 300, the fictionalised retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, where three hundred Spartans make a final stand against an ambitious Persian invasion, you've probably seen the countless "This is Sparta" memes or perhaps photos of jacked men in red cloaks. The Greek stand at Thermopylae is so iconic that, even though it happened more than 2,500 years ago, we still talk about it. 

Today's story is about a modern-day Thermopylae. It is an encounter that, although far more recent, is poorly known. And the parallels are amazingly similar: thee hundred oath-bound, defiant warriors stand to the death against a much much larger Persian army. Although there aren't any memes or films about this particular sacrifice (yet), it's definitely a part of history worth remembering.

Let's get into it then.

It's 1795 and the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (modern-day Georgia) is in a precarious position. The recently established Iranian Qajar dynasty wants its former territories back. 

Due to its location, Georgia is one of those "lucky" countries that has been squished between the raging ambition of opposing empires: Mongolian, Ottoman, Persian and Russian. Fun times. It's a constant dance of intricate alliances and complex geopolitical strategy to maintain any semblance of autonomy. 

Since the early 1500s, the Georgian territories have been under Iranian suzerainty. But during a particular tumultuous period in the Persian dynasty, the death of a ruler and transition to new leadership, the two eastern Georgian kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti unite and declare de facto independence in 1762. To bolster its strength, the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti then signs the Treaty of Georgievsk with the Russian Empire in 1782. The Georgians are feeling good. You can't touch this. 

But after nearly three decades of autonomous rule, the Persians want their former vassals back. Bringing the entire Caucasus region back into the Persian orbit is key to the empire's growth strategy. Oh, and if anything, Georgia can't be in bed with the Russians. God forbid. 

In August 1795, the Persians cross the Aras river with an army of 70,000. After a bit of back and forth posturing, the Persians send an ultimatum to King Heraclius II:

Despite conflicting advice from his advisors, Heraclius ignores the Persian demands and heads south to fortify the city of Tbilisi, the capital of modern-day Georgia. He also tries his luck with the Russian Empire and requests military reinforcements. He pleads for at least 3,000 soldiers but gets nothing...

just thoughts and prayers. 

It's mega disappointing, but not entirely surprising. Heraclius was told a few years earlier by his Russian allies that in the case of a direct Iranian onslaught, he would receive diplomatic support, but nothing else. In other words: sort your own crap out.

And that's what he does, or at least tries. Heraclius manages to muster 5,000 troops and another 2,000 auxiliaries from the neighbouring Kingdom of Imereti. But the defenders are grossly outnumbered. Although only half of the Persian force that crosses the Aras actually shows up to Tbilisi, it's still an army of 35,000-40,000 against 7,000.

The Battle of Krtsanisi kicks off on the plains outside Tbilisi on 8 September. Over the next few days, the defenders succeed in repelling wave after wave of Persian attack. But it's not enough. The desperate resistance is crumbling.

On 11 September 1795, our day in history this week, it all comes apart. Agha Mohammad Khan, the Iranian shah, personally leads a furious assault against the Georgians. Heraclius and his men are pushed back to their last available positions on the outskirts of the capital. The Persians cross the Kura river, outflank Heraclius and largely decimate the remaining defenders.

There's nothing left to do but retreat.

A small band of thee hundred highlanders from the Aragvi valley remain. Their duty is to hold the capital so the King can escape through the city to the mountains beyond. 

All of the Aragvians had taken an oath to fight to the death, and that's what they do. The fighting is vicious and eventually moves into the streets of Tbilisi. It's messy, close quarter combat in the dark. The Aragvians fight like demons and make the Persians pay for every inch gained. Although every last one of them is killed, their final stand allows Heraclius and around 150 men to escape the pending massacre.

The Persian army then sacks the Georgian capital, carries off 15,000 captives and massacres the rest of the population. An eyewitness account who enters the city shortly after the Persian army leaves reports:

The scenes of fallen and sacked cities are always dreadful beyond words.

In the confusing years following, the broken, destroyed territories of Georgia are easily absorbed by Russia in 1801. But because of the historical drama of "who controls Georgia," the Battle of Krtsanisi becomes the predecessor of two major conflicts between Iran and Russia: the Russo-Persian War (1804-1813) and the Russo-Persian War (1826-1828). Ultimately, these two wars will force the cessation of Georgia to Russia until 1991 when it finally secedes from the Soviet Union and gains its independence.

3 quick facts:

• During the Battle of Krtsanisi, the Georgians lose more than 4,000 men in the battle, while the Persians lose 13,000, at least a third of their total force.

• On 27 June 2008, the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church canonises the "300 Aragvians, clergy, and laymen perished in the battle of Krtsanisi of 1795" as "holy martyrs", setting 11 September as the day of their commemoration.

• A monument to the 300 Aragvians is erected in 1959 at the place where remnants of the graves of those who died in 1795 were unearthed. Also, a nearby park and a bridge over the Mtkvari bears the name of the 300 Aragvians and a Tbilisi Metro station opened in 1967 is also named in their honour.

Other conflicts that happened this week:

• 5 September 1793: The French National Convention initiates the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution.

• 6 September 1972: Nine Israeli athletes die (along with a German policeman) during the Munich massacre at the hands of the Palestinian "Black September" terrorist group after being taken hostage at the Munich Olympic Games.

• 7 September 1652: Around 15,000 Han farmers and militia rebel against Dutch rule on Taiwan during the Guo Huaiyi rebellion.

• 8 September 1514: In one of the biggest battles of the century, Lithuanians and Poles defeat the Russian army in the Battle of Orsha.

• 9 September 1739: The Stono Rebellion, the largest slave uprising in Britain's mainland North American colonies prior to the American Revolution, erupts near Charleston, South Carolina.

• 10 September 1798: British Honduras defeats Spain at the Battle of St. George's Caye.

• 11 September 1297: William Wallace and Andrew Moray defeat the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. 

A historical quote about historical things:

See ya next week!

DisclaimerYou are reading my abstractions based on the abstractions of others. History is not always an accurate map of what really happened. The map is not the territory. Reality can be very different. We are like blind people groping an elephant, describing what we feel. It always pays to do your own research and ask questions.