The Hephthalite–Gokturk raids of 614–616 were incursions by the Hephthalites and Gokturks into the Sasanian Empire. The Sasanid army led by Smbat Bagratuni quickly defeated the Hephthalites raid who, in response, called the Gokturk Empire for assistance. The Gokturks responded with a large army that raided as far as Ray and the province of Isfahan. The raid was defeated with Smbat killing the Hephthalites leader in single combat.
| Hephthalite–Gokturk raids of 614–616 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Sasanian Empire |
Hephthalites Western Turkic Khaganate | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Smbat IV Bagratuni Datoyean | Unknown leader † | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 2,000 | 300,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| unknown | heavy | ||||||
In 614 the Hephthalites raided eastern Persia with a large number of men, but were defeated in the first battle near the fort of Tus in Khorasan.[a][2] Having lost this battle, the Kushans requested reinforcements from the Khagan. According to Sebeos, 300,000 troops from the Gokturk empire were sent to reinforce the Hephthalites.[2]
The Gokturk force quickly overran Khorasan, but could not breach the fort of Tus with its 300 defenders.[2] A Sasanid army under prince Datoyean arrived to meet the Gokturk army but was defeated.[2] The Gokturks then raided as far as Ray and Isfahan. Smbat quickly reorganized the eastern Persian forces and finally crushed the Gokturks and Hephthalites, reportedly killing their leader in hand-to-hand combat (mard o mard).[3] The Gokturks and Hephthalites retreated to their camp.[2]
Following these noteworthy triumphs, Smbat was summoned back to the Persian court, where he died in 616 or 617.[3]
Notes
References
Sources
- Garsoian, Nina (2005). "SMBAT BAGRATUNI". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
- Haug, Robert (2019). The Eastern Frontier: Limits of Empire in Late Antique and Early Medieval Central Asia. I.B. Tauris.page 68
- Pourshariati, Parvaneh (2008). Decline and Fall of the Sasanian Empire: The Sasanian-Parthian Confederacy and the Arab Conquest of Iran. London and New York: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84511-645-3.