Mongol invasions of Durdzuketi

Mongol invasions of Durdzuketi
Date1222–1395 (173 years)
Location
Central- and Northeast Caucasus
Result Mongol victory
Territorial
changes
Occupation of the lowlands by the Mongol Empire from 1240 to 1362
Belligerents

13th century:
Principality of Durdzuketi
(Until 1240)
Durdzuk rebels
(From 1240 onwards)
Tribal confederation of Durdzuketi
Kingdom of Alania
(Until 1240)


Kingdom of Zichia
(1222)
Cumania
(1222)
Volga Bulgaria
(1222)
Khazars
(1222)
Golden Horde
(1263)
Kingdom of Georgia
(1295)


14th century:
Khour's militia
Aukh

13th century:


14th century:

Golden Horde
Commanders and leaders

13th century:

Caucasus raid:

Uprising of 1227:
No commanders

Second Mongol invasion:
Khasi I

Main Mongol invasion:
Khasi I  
Khour I
Atachi 
Ors 
Taymaskhi 
Idig

Other Nakh feudal lords and tribal leaders

Insurgency in Durdzuketi:
Khour I 

Other Durdzuk feudal lords and tribal leaders

Berke-Hulagu war:
Berke Khan
Nogai Khan
Negudar
Balagai

Uprising of the North Caucasians:
Chakh 

Uprising of David VIII:

David VIII

14th century:

Khasi's rebellion:
Khasi II

Durdzuk renconquest of the plains:
Khour II

Insurgency in Aukh:

13th century:

Caucasus raid:

Uprising of 1227:
No commanders

Second Mongol invasion:

Main Mongol invasion:

More than 20 Mongol princes in total

  • Pro-Mongol Durdzuk commanders:
    Botur
    Navraz
    Matarsha
    Iles
    Yuvashi
    Utszorbu Khan

Other Nakh feudal lords and tribal leaders

Insurgency in Durdzuketi:

  • Mongol commanders:
    *Möngke Khan
  • Pro-Mongol Durdzuk commanders:
    Ors
    Mamatai 
    Nikolai
    Botur
    Matarsha
    Illes
    Yuvashi
    Navraz
    Utszorbu Khan

Other Nakh feudal lords and tribal leaders

Berke-Hulagu war:
Hulagu Khan
Abaqa Khan
Shiramun

Uprising of the North Caucasians:
Mengu Khan

Uprising of David VIII:

Özbeg Khan

14th century:

Khasi's rebellion:
Unknown

Durdzuk reconquest of the plain:
Mamai

Aukh uprising:

Unknown
Strength

13th century:

Caucasus raid:
~50,000

Main Mongol invasion:
Up to 40,000

  • Unknown amount of civilian fighters

Berke-Hulagu war:
~300,000

Uprising of David VIII:
15,000

Rest Unknown

14th century:

Unknown

13th century:

Caucasus raid:
Less than 30,000

Second Mongol invasion:
~30,000

Main Mongol invasion:
~200,000

Insurgency in Durdzuketi:
~10,000

Berke-Hulagu war:
~300,000

Rest unknown

14th century:

Unknown
Casualties and losses

13th century:

Caucasus raid:
Heavy

  • More than half deserted
Rest unknown

14th century:

Unknown

13th century:

Caucasus raid:
7,000–10,000

Main Mongol invasion: Unknown

Rest unknown

14th century:

Unknown

Throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, the ancestors of the Vainakh people, the Durdzuks, among different states and factions, waged a brutal and fierce defensive wars against the Mongol Empire, who sought to occupy the lands of the Vainakh. Despite the inferiority in numbers and weapons, the Durdzuks managed to mostly keep their independence, although this came at a heavy cost, as their resistance resulted in mass amounts of death among the Durdzuks and the destruction of their states, but also greatly shaped the people they would later become. The access to the lowlands was also lost, thus forcing the Durdzuks to adapt to their new situation, such as terracing plots of land and covering them in soil.

The Sado-Orsoy dynasty, a clan which had been ruling the medieval Nakh state known as "Durdzuketi" in Georgian sources, was also driven to near extinction. Due to their constant resistance, at the end of the third Mongol campaign in 1240, an active result of heirs began, after which the royal house of Orsoy survived through only two royalties.