Wright, DavidDavis, Erik2022-09-282022-09-282022-09Davis, E. (2022). The Shah and the Great Khan: the Mongol-Khwarazm war of 1217-1221 (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.http://hdl.handle.net/1880/115315The decline of the Seljuk Empire in the twelfth century C.E. and Seljuk Sultan Ahmad Sanjar’s defeat by the hands of the Qara Khitai and the Khwarazmian state, led to the loss of the Seljuk’s eastern territories. These eastern territories became split between the Qara Khitai, The Khwarazmain Empire, and The Ghurid Sultanate. Building upon the work of his late father Khwarazmshah Tekesh, Khwarazmshah Muhammad was able to defeat both the Ghurids and the Qara Khitai by 1210. At this same time there was a new rising power to the east: The Mongol Empire, led by Chinggis Khan. In 1217, a Khwarazmian governor executed a Mongol ambassador at Otrar. An act that resulted in war. The success and westward expansion of the Mongol Empire is well known. But at this time between 1217 and 1221, their victory was not a guaranteed outcome as the Khwarazmian empire had greater manpower and experience fighting nomadic empires such as the Qara Khitai. In the historiography of this period, especially in the English language, little to no time or attention is given to analyzing this conflict that was a pivotal point in Mongol history and the broader history of the region. Historians generally default to the primary source argument of Hubris as the reason for why Khwarazm fell and dedicate no more than a few pages to this conflict at best. So, what caused the downfall of the Khwarazmian empire? In short, the answer was that it fell as a consequence of military failings (conquest by Mongols), exacerbated by political and bureaucratic (organizational) failures. Militarily, the strategy of city defense and the division of manpower for that strategy meant that the Mongols rarely faced a Khwarazmian army in the field. Politically, the Khwarazmian Empire was the by-product of both internal and external issues. Internally, these issues were the unreliable subordinate lords and the queen regent Terken Khatun, whose power conflicted with the Khwarazmshah himself. Externally, Khwarazm was under constant pressure from its hostile neighbors, who often sought ways of undermining Khwarazm’s stability. Such matters could not be explained by hubris alone.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Central AsiaMongolKhwarazmPersiathirteenth centuryChinggis KhanKhivaJalal al-Din KhwarazmshahJalal al-Din MangburniAla ad-Din Muhammad IITerken KhatunAla ad-Din TekishEconomics--HistoryHistory--Medievalmaster thesis