Battle of Khresili

Battle of Khresili
The general representation of the positions.
Date December 14, 1757 Location Near Khresili Result Decisive Georgian victory[1]
Belligerents
Kingdom of Imereti	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Solomon I of Imereti Papuna Tsereteli Khutunia Shervashidze  † Katsia Dadiani Beri Tsulukidze Beso Lortkipanidze Kaikhosro Agiashvili Giorgi Abashidze Zurab Mikeladze Archil Batonishvili	Ali Pasha Gola Pasha  † Kemkha Pasha  † Levan Abashidze Rostom, Duke of Racha Pasha of Poti Pasha of Qutaisi Barons of Tsutskvati, Baghdati and Shorapani.
Strength
11 000 main troops 5 000 additional forces Total: 16,000 men[2]	30 000 Turkish army 15 000 soldiers garrisoned in Imereti 10 000 Georgian rebels Total: 55,000 men[2]
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

The Battle of Khresili (Georgian: ხრესილის ბრძოლა) was fought, in 1757, between the armies of the Kingdom of Imereti and the Ottoman Empire. The king of Imereti Solomon I defeated the army of Turks. The battle took place on 14 December 1747. Solomon I was trying to establish a strong monarchy and unify western Georgia. Those actions stained the relations between Georgian King and Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans in particular wanted to stop Solomon's struggle against slavery. The Ottomans were in alliance with rebellious Georgian nobles. Levan Abashidze, who was fighting against King of Imereti, arrived in Akhaltsikhe and led Ottoman army to the Kingdom of Imereti. Solomon enticed them in strategically adroit place near Khresili and heavily defeated them.^[3]

Background

In 17th century western Georgia was vassal of Ottoman Empire. Ottoman garrisons were disposed In Tsutskvati, Poti and Shorapani fortresses. Only from Mengrelia (part of Georgia) 12 000 slaves were sold in Ottoman Empire every year. Georgians were in a danger of extinction. King of Imereti Solomon I prohibited slavery, opposed betrayer Lords and wanted independence from Ottoman Empire. Sultan sent Gola Pasha with large army to punish Solomon I and reestablish Ottoman rule over Kingdom of Imereti.

Purpose

Ottomans wanted to destroy Solomon I and his supporters and to finally conquer western Georgia The aim of Georgians was to clear Imereti of Turks.

Battle

Early morning Georgians started attack. King Solomon himself reached Ali Pasha and killed him. Ottomans became confused after death of their leader. Georgians heavily defeated Ottoman army.

References

1. ↑ Šotʻa Mesxia, An Outline of Georgian History, (Tbilisi University Press, 1968), 32.
2. 1 2 Javakhishvili, Book 2, p. 127
3. ↑ Iobashvili g. Georgian Soviet History; tome 11, page 508, Tbilisi., 1987..

Coordinates: 46°38′08″N 32°37′01″E / 46.635417°N 32.616867°E / 46.635417; 32.616867