The official history of his reign, Zafarnama, represents this invasion in Georgia as a jihad.

In late autumn 1386, a huge army of Timur Invaded Georgia.

Timur set out from Kars and assailed Samtskhe, the southernmost principality within the Kingdom of Georgia later in 1386.

The Georgian Chronicle and Armenian Thomas of Metsoph mention the apostasy of the king but represent it as a clever ruse which enabled him to earn a degree of trust from Timur.

[1][2] The old king, however, entered in secret negotiations with George who ambushed Bagrat's Islamic escort, and freed his father.