RISE OF GENGHIS KHAN - 6. Destruction of Kwaresmian Empire - Jeremiah Curtin

THE RISE OF GENGHIS KHAN - 6. Destruction of the Kwaresmian Empire.

THE MONGOLS HISTORY - by Jeremiah Curtin - HQ Full Book.

Chapter 6: Destruction of the Kwaresmian Empire in Jeremiah Curtin's The Mongols – A History details the turbulent and ultimately fatal trajectory of the Kwaresmian Empire, tracing its rise under Shah Mohammed and its dramatic fall under the relentless advance of Genghis Khan’s Mongol forces. The chapter opens with the addition of the Kara Kitai realm to the growing Mongol empire. Once a formidable power in Central Asia, Kara Kitai’s absorption by the Mongols signals the early stages of the Mongol expansion westward. The Kara Kitai had previously checked the growth of Muslim states in Central Asia, but their decline opened the door for both Mongol and Kwaresmian ambitions. Following the weakening of Seljuk authority in the region, a new power rose: Kutb ud din Mohammed was appointed as the Shah of the Kwaresmian Empire. Under his leadership, the empire rapidly expanded. Mohammed seized key strategic cities like Balkh and Herat, consolidating power across Greater Khorasan and stretching his influence across the Persian heartlands.

In 1208, Mohammed made a bold move by invading the lands ruled by the Gurkhan of Kara Kitai, a campaign that initially proved disastrous—he was defeated and taken prisoner. Despite this setback, Shah Mohammed emerged unbroken. He regrouped and, forming an alliance with Osman, the ruler of Samarkand, renewed his attack on the Gurkhan’s domains. This time, the Kwaresmians succeeded, and Shah Mohammed’s power grew substantially. To solidify their alliance, Mohammed gave his daughter in marriage to Osman. However, this union ended in betrayal. Osman, perhaps fearing the growing dominance of the Shah, turned against him, killing many Kwaresmians. In retaliation, Mohammed stormed Samarkand, seizing the city and resulting in Osman’s death. This decisive event allowed Shah Mohammed to annex a significant portion of the Gur Kingdom, thereby becoming one of the most powerful rulers in the Islamic world.

In 1213, Mohammed demonstrated his ruthlessness by ordering the assassination of his own brother, Ali Shir, further consolidating his grip on power. By 1216, he had captured Ghazni, expanding his territory into modern-day Afghanistan. However, it was at this point that signs of internal and external trouble began to emerge. Mohammed discovered letters from the Abbasid Caliph Nassir, urging the Gurs to resist him, a sign of growing unease among Islamic leaders regarding his aggressive expansion. The Caliph’s attempts to check the Kwaresmian threat, however, were largely symbolic—he lacked real military power. Mohammed, sensing the political undertones, sent an envoy to Baghdad to challenge the Caliph’s authority. In a strategic move, the Caliph acknowledged Ali ul Muluk as the rightful Caliph, an act intended to undermine Mohammed’s legitimacy. The Caliph went further, ordering the murder of Ogulmush, another political rival. The geopolitical chessboard was now full of tension. 

By this time, Mohammed had annexed Iraq and even began an advance on Baghdad, though he eventually retreated, wary of overextending himself. However, a new, far more dangerous threat was emerging from the east: the Mongols. In 1216–17, Genghis Khan began sending envoys to Shah Mohammed as part of an effort to establish diplomatic and trade relations. But Mohammed, aware of the Mongol movements and deeply suspicious, became alarmed. His court was divided between Sunnite and Shiite factions, and the Sunni Caliph, seeing the Mongols as potential saviors against Shiite heresy and Kwaresmian domination, secretly considered asking Genghis for help. In a stunning episode, the Caliph branded the invitation to Genghis on the head of the envoy, a deeply humiliating act designed to test Mongol patience and provoke a response. Meanwhile, Shah Mohammed arrested Mongolian mer