Battle of Shirimni
The Battle of Shirimni (also known as the Battle of Palakazio ) was fought between a Byzantine and Georgian army near Shirimni on the shores of Lake Palakazio (now Çıldır Gölü , Turkey ; then part of Georgia) on September 11, 1021.
background
Before the battle, there was a controversy over the succession of twenty years after the death of David III. of Tao as Curopalates ', which included the dispute over some areas on the Georgian-Byzantine-Armenian border. Open war broke out when the new Georgian King Giorgi I had the disputed territories occupied militarily in 1014. In retaliation, the Byzantine Emperor Basil II led to Georgia in 1021 and pushed the Georgians deep into their country.
battle
Both the Byzantine and Georgian armies were led by their respective kings. Basil's army also included some Varangians , and Armenian auxiliaries marched on the Georgian side. The two armies met at the village of Shirimni on Palakazio Lake. The Georgians were on the verge of winning the battle, but a decisive counterattack by Basil turned the tide. Two senior Georgian generals, Rati Baghvashi and Khursi, were killed in the battle. After this loss-making victory, the emperor plundered the surrounding area and finally returned to his winter quarters in Trebizond .