Siege of Jraberd

Siege of Jraberd
Part of Mongol invasions of Georgia
Date 1235 Location Jraberd castle, Kingdom of Artsakh (modern-day Jraberd, Martakert) 40°15′03″N 46°50′36″E Result Armenian victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Artsakh	Mongol Empire
Commanders and leaders
Hasan-Jalal Dawla	unknown
Units involved
Villagers from near villages	Regular army
class=notpageimage| Location within Azerbaijan

Siege of Jraberd (Armenian: Ջրաբերդի պաշարում), was military conflict, between Armenian and besieger Mongol forces. It occurred nearly in 1235, in castle called Jraberd.

Background

In 1220, Mongols invaded Georgia. The same year they invaded Armenia under Zakarid dynasty.

After conquering the coastal regions of Lake Sevan and Syunik, another Mongol army led by Jughbugha Noyin set out to conquer Khachen.

Siege

Mongols came to conquer Jraberd and, unable to capture it, besieged it. The villagers hid behind the strong walls of the fortress. They resisted. The enemy launched repeated attacks, but could not take the fortress, because the brave inhabitants of the fortress skillfully organized the defense and made the fortress impregnable. The siege lasted a long time. The enemy hoped that the food supply in the fortress would soon run out, and the people, frightened by the threat of hunger, would surrender.

However, the resourceful people of Jraberd do not let hunger bring them to the door of captivity. They take out the lime that was there from the walls of the fortress and begin to sift it, as a demonstration to the enemy. The besiegers are amazed. How rich are the inhabitants of this fortress, that even after a long siege they are still sifting flour on the walls. The enemy, who had already exhausted all his strength and patience, thinks that there is still plenty of flour in the fortress, despairingly abandons the siege and leaves Jraberd empty-handed.