Timur's Conquest of the Caucasus (1394)

Timeline

1. 1394Samtskhe · GeorgiaTimur dispatched four generals with 40,000 troops to raid the Principality of Samtskhe-Saatabago, plundering Kori, Kola, and Akhaltsikhe; local people resisted fiercely, and Timur's forces, after occupying the area, were forced to withdraw, showing the difficulty of conquering the Caucasus.
2. 1394Aragvi Valley · GeorgiaTimur led his main army from the Koli valley through Trialethi and Kvemo Kartli into the Aragvi valley, burning and plundering villages and massacring inhabitants along the way, engaging Georgian forces in fierce fighting in the valley, with the goal of seizing the strategic Daryal Pass.
3. 1394Daryal Pass · GeorgiaTimur attempted to control the Daryal Pass to cut Georgia off from its North Caucasian allies and Tokhtamysh, but fierce resistance from mountain tribes prevented its capture; he was forced to descend from the mountains and detour via Tbilisi toward Sheki.
4. 1394–1395Along the Mtkvari River · CaucasusTimur learned that Tokhtamysh planned to invade Shirvan via Derbent, rushed to intercept, then withdrew, camping his army along the Mtkvari River to regroup; he realized he could not fully conquer the Caucasus without first defeating Tokhtamysh, and thus planned the 1395 battle on the Terek River.