Mongol invasion of Central Asia
Encyclopedia
The Mongol invasion of Central Asia
occurred after the unification of the Mongol and Turkic
tribes on Mongolia
n plateau in 1206. It finally completed when Genghis Khan
conquered the Khwarizmian Empire in 1221.
. They subdued the Uyghurs
, Qarluq
s and local Turkic
and Tajik peoples.
However, their power was finally shattered in 1211, through the combined actions of the Khwārezm-Shah [[ʿAlāʾ ad-Dīn Muḥammad]] (1200–20) and Küchlüg
, a fugitive Naiman prince in flight from Genghis Khan
’s Mongols
. The Uyghurs killed an overseer
of the Kara-Khitan and declared their allegiance to the Mongols. A Uyghur leader married the daughter of Genghis in order to secure his realm. A leader of the Qarluq
and Buzar, the warlord
of Chuy Valley
, followed the Uyghur example. Kuchlug usurped the throne and allied with Shah Muhammad of Khorazm.
Fearing of former Christian
but now buddhist Kuchlug
's persecution, Muslims asked help from the Mongols. Genghis dispatched his general Jebe to conquer the Kara-Khitan. Jebe
completed his mission within a few days and Kuchlug died in 1218.
to invade the Khwarezmid Empire. Indeed, Genghis Khan had originally sent the ruler of the Khwarezmid Empire, Ala ad-Din Muhammad, a message greeting him as his equal: "you rule the rising sun and I the setting sun". The Mongols' original conquest of all "people in felt tents", unifying the nomadic tribes in Mongolia and then the Turcomen
s and other nomadic peoples, had come with relatively little bloodshed, and almost no material loss.
The Mongol invasion of Central Asia however would entail the utter destruction of the Khwarezmid Empire along with the massacre of much of the civilian population of the region. The Mongols systematically exterminated a particularly large portion of the people of the cities, such as Bukhara. This earned the Mongols a reputation for bloodthirsty ferocity that would mark the remainder of their campaigns.
During the invasion of Transoxania in 1219, along with the main Mongol force, Genghis Khan used a Chinese specialist catapult unit in battle, they were used again in 1220 in Transoxania. The Chinese may have used the catapults to hurl gunpowder bombs, since they already had them by this time While Genghis Khan was conquering Transoxania and Persia, several Chinese who were familiar gunpowder were serving with Genghis's army. Historians have suggested that the Mongol invasion had bourght Chinese gunpowder weapons to Central Asia. One of these was the huochong, a Chinese mortar.
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
occurred after the unification of the Mongol and Turkic
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
tribes on Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
n plateau in 1206. It finally completed when Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
conquered the Khwarizmian Empire in 1221.
The Uyghurs, Qarluqs and Khara-Khitan Khanate
Driven from China by the Jurchen Jin Dynasty, in 1124 some Khitans moved westward under Yeh-lü Ta-shih’s leadership and created the Kara khitan (Black Khitai, or Western Liao) Khanate between in the Semirechye and the Chu RiverChu River
"Chui River" redirects here. For the South American Chuí or Chuy River, on the Brazil-Uruguay border and Brazil's southernmost point, see Chuí River. For the Nam Sam River or Chu River, on the Lao-Vietnam border, see Nam Sam River....
. They subdued the Uyghurs
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
, Qarluq
Qarluq
The Karluks were a prominent nomadic Turkic tribe residing in the regions of Kara-Irtysh and the Tarbagatai Mountains west of the Altay Mountains...
s and local Turkic
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
and Tajik peoples.
However, their power was finally shattered in 1211, through the combined actions of the Khwārezm-Shah [[ʿAlāʾ ad-Dīn Muḥammad]] (1200–20) and Küchlüg
Kuchlug
Kuchlug was a member of the Naiman tribe of western Mongolia. He was defeated by Genghis Khan and fled westward to the Kara-Khitan Khanate, where he became an advisor. In 1210, he took control of the khanate...
, a fugitive Naiman prince in flight from Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
’s Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
. The Uyghurs killed an overseer
Overseer
Rob Overseer is an English DJ/producer, born in Leeds whose works have been included in soundtracks for Animatrix, Snatch, Any Given Sunday and The Girl Next Door, as well as video games like Need for Speed: Underground, NFL Gameday 2004, several Matchstick Productions ski films, and Stuntman,...
of the Kara-Khitan and declared their allegiance to the Mongols. A Uyghur leader married the daughter of Genghis in order to secure his realm. A leader of the Qarluq
Qarluq
The Karluks were a prominent nomadic Turkic tribe residing in the regions of Kara-Irtysh and the Tarbagatai Mountains west of the Altay Mountains...
and Buzar, the warlord
Warlord
A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war...
of Chuy Valley
Chuy Valley
The Chuy Valley is a large valley located in north Tian-Shan. It extends from Boom Gorge in the east to Moyun-Kum desert in the west. It borders Kyrgyz Ala-Too in the south, and Chu-Ili mountains in the north. Through Boom Gorge in the narrow east part Chuy Valley is linked with Issyk-Kul Valley...
, followed the Uyghur example. Kuchlug usurped the throne and allied with Shah Muhammad of Khorazm.
Fearing of former Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
but now buddhist Kuchlug
Kuchlug
Kuchlug was a member of the Naiman tribe of western Mongolia. He was defeated by Genghis Khan and fled westward to the Kara-Khitan Khanate, where he became an advisor. In 1210, he took control of the khanate...
's persecution, Muslims asked help from the Mongols. Genghis dispatched his general Jebe to conquer the Kara-Khitan. Jebe
Jebe
Chepe Noyan was one of the prominent Noyans of Genghis Khan. His clan was Besud, which belonged to the Taichud tribe, which was at the time of Genghis Khan under Targudai Khiriltug's leadership....
completed his mission within a few days and Kuchlug died in 1218.
Khwarezmia
The Mongol invasion of Khwarezmia lasted from 1219 to 1221. In fact, it was not originally the intention of the Mongol EmpireMongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
to invade the Khwarezmid Empire. Indeed, Genghis Khan had originally sent the ruler of the Khwarezmid Empire, Ala ad-Din Muhammad, a message greeting him as his equal: "you rule the rising sun and I the setting sun". The Mongols' original conquest of all "people in felt tents", unifying the nomadic tribes in Mongolia and then the Turcomen
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
s and other nomadic peoples, had come with relatively little bloodshed, and almost no material loss.
The Mongol invasion of Central Asia however would entail the utter destruction of the Khwarezmid Empire along with the massacre of much of the civilian population of the region. The Mongols systematically exterminated a particularly large portion of the people of the cities, such as Bukhara. This earned the Mongols a reputation for bloodthirsty ferocity that would mark the remainder of their campaigns.
During the invasion of Transoxania in 1219, along with the main Mongol force, Genghis Khan used a Chinese specialist catapult unit in battle, they were used again in 1220 in Transoxania. The Chinese may have used the catapults to hurl gunpowder bombs, since they already had them by this time While Genghis Khan was conquering Transoxania and Persia, several Chinese who were familiar gunpowder were serving with Genghis's army. Historians have suggested that the Mongol invasion had bourght Chinese gunpowder weapons to Central Asia. One of these was the huochong, a Chinese mortar.