The Nāṣirī Generations 258.7.8

258.7.8

During this winter [619-620 H. — the winter of 1222-23 A.D.], 2000 — some say 10,000 — Gurji [Georgian] cavalry, all picked men, attacked the Mughals — where is not said, but in one of their advanced positions probably, and, as might have been expected from such a small force, they were overthrown. The Gurjis now made preparations for attacking the Mughals in the coming spring, and sought help from Asia Minor, from the Diar-i-Bakr, and Diar-i-Rabi'ah. The Mughals, at the same time, were meditating an invasion of Gurjistan as soon as the season should open. At this time, a Turk slave in the service of the Ata-Bak, Uz-Bak, named Aghrush, also called Aghush, collected together a considerable force, consisting of Khalj Turks, Kurds, and other adventurers, and entered the service of the Mughals. This is a specimen of one of the ways in which they received reinforcements. As soon as the season opened, Aghrush, and his force of "free companions," supported by the Mughals, entered Gurjistan, carrying slaughter and devastation as far as the gates of Tiflis. They were soon encountered by the valiant Gurjis, and the latter, having inflicted great slaughter upon Aghrush's force, were about to overpower it, when the main Mughal army arrived on the spot, just in time to save it. Unable to withstand the combined forces, the Gurjis had to beat a retreat.