Second Turkish-Hephthalite War
Encyclopedia
The Second Perso-Turkic War began in 619 with an invasion of Sassanid Persia
by the Göktürks
and Hephthalite
s under Tong Yabghu
. The war ended with the crushing defeat of the Turks and Hephthalites by the Sassanids under Persian Satrap General Smbat Bagratuni.
. They invaded eastern Persia with a large number of men, but were defeated in the first battle near the fort of Tus in Khorasan
by a force of 2,000 Savaran (elite heavy cavalry). Having lost this battle, the Turks and Hephthalites requested reinforcements from the Khagan
. Sebeos
exaggerates that 300,000 troops were sent to reinforce the invading army.
This force soon overran Khorasan as well as the fort of Tus with its 300 defenders under prince Datoyan. However, the Turks withdrew after their raids, which went as far as Isfahan. Smbat quickly reorganized the eastern Persian forces and finally crushed the Turks and Hephthalites, reportedly killing their leader in hand-to-hand combat.
After the death of their leader, which shattered troop morale, the Turks and Hephthalites retreated in a disorderly manner. The Savaran pursued them, routed them and killed many.
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
by the Göktürks
Göktürks
The Göktürks or Kök Türks, were a nomadic confederation of peoples in medieval Inner Asia. Known in Chinese sources as 突厥 , the Göktürks under the leadership of Bumin Qaghan The Göktürks or Kök Türks, (Old Turkic: Türük or Kök Türük or Türük; Celestial Turks) were a nomadic confederation of...
and Hephthalite
Hephthalite
The Hephthalites or Hephthalite is a pre-Islamic Greek term for local Abdali Afghans, who's famous ruler was Nazak Abdali . Hephthalites were a Central Asian nomadic confederation of the AD 5th-6th centuries whose precise origins and composition remain obscure...
s under Tong Yabghu
Tong Yabghu
Tong Yabghu Qaghan was khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate from 618 to 628 AD...
. The war ended with the crushing defeat of the Turks and Hephthalites by the Sassanids under Persian Satrap General Smbat Bagratuni.
Context
Having lost the first war against Persia during the First Perso-Turkic War, 30 years earlier, the invaders sought to change their fortunes while Persia was engaged fighting the ByzantiumByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. They invaded eastern Persia with a large number of men, but were defeated in the first battle near the fort of Tus in Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
by a force of 2,000 Savaran (elite heavy cavalry). Having lost this battle, the Turks and Hephthalites requested reinforcements from the Khagan
Khagan
Khagan or qagan , alternatively spelled kagan, khaghan, qaghan, or chagan, is a title of imperial rank in the Mongolian and Turkic languages equal to the status of emperor and someone who rules a khaganate...
. Sebeos
Sebeos
Sebeos was a 7th century Armenian bishop and historian who participated in the first Council of Dvin in 645.The history of Sebeos contains detailed descriptions from the period of Sassanid supremacy in Armenia up to the Islamic conquest in 661...
exaggerates that 300,000 troops were sent to reinforce the invading army.
This force soon overran Khorasan as well as the fort of Tus with its 300 defenders under prince Datoyan. However, the Turks withdrew after their raids, which went as far as Isfahan. Smbat quickly reorganized the eastern Persian forces and finally crushed the Turks and Hephthalites, reportedly killing their leader in hand-to-hand combat.
After the death of their leader, which shattered troop morale, the Turks and Hephthalites retreated in a disorderly manner. The Savaran pursued them, routed them and killed many.