The Turco-Mongol Invasions and the Lords of Armenia in the 13 ...

learned of an alliance forming against tliemaelTea to
include besides Armenians and Georgians, those forces
still loyal to the rulers of Xlat *
and Azarbaijan.
Consequently, without delay the Mongols invaded Georgia
In January, 1221 taking along an Izarbaijanl defector
plus his troops of Turkaens and Kurds whom they obliged
to fight in the vanguard-a typical Mongol battle tactic 1 .
Northern Armenia and southeastern Georgia were looted,
and then the invaders returned to their base in Utile *
In spring of the same year they moved south toward Tabriz,
plundering and destroying the cities of Maragheh, Haaadan,
Kaxijewan, Ardabil, and later Utilt o largest city,
Baylakan, carrying off large herds of horses, mules,
2
donkeys, oxen and sheep . Despite its success, this
army had not been sent for conquest but to pursue the
Khwarazn Shah and to conduct reconnaissance for future
operations, thus, considering their mission accomplished,
the Mongols departed via the Caucasus mountains to the
north, destroying the city of Sank 'or enroute ' . Seen
1
2
.
in
HAP III p. 600; Ibn al-Athlr [JA 14(1849)] pp. 447-52.
HAP III p. 601; Ibn al-Athlr pp. 452-53.
3
CAMA pp. 358-59; M? IH p. 602; Ibn al-Athir pp. 453-55;
According to Kirakos, the king assembled an even larger
army and "wanted to battle the enemy. But the T '
at '
ars
collected their wives, children, and all their bags and
baggage, and desired to pass to their own land through the
Darband Gate. Mow the TaSik troops who were in Darband
did not allow them to enter. So the I'at'ars crossed
the Caucasus mountains at an impassable spot, filling the
98